VietNamNet Bridge – More than 140 chess players, including 65 females, from 14 cities and provinces, are competing at the 2012 National Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships from July 5-10.  

Among them are leading grandmasters such as Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Nguyen Duc Hoa, Pham Le Thao Nguyen and Hoang Thi Bao Tram, as well as others who performed well at the recent Asian Junior Chess Championships, namely Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, Nguyen Anh Khoi and Vu Thi Dieu Ai.

Vietnam’s top player Le Quang Liem could not join the tournament as he is currently challenging his rivals at the 2012 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, from July 1-10.

Eleven rapid and 13 blitz chess games will be played in the first round  to select four best players in each category for the semi-finals.

Earlier at the Asian Junior Chess Championships, which was wrapped up in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, on July 2, 48 members of the Vietnamese team grabbed 15 gold, 17 silver and 8 bronze medals in various age groups ranging from U8,10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.

VietNamNet/VOV online