VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnamese chess champ Le Quang Liem - FIDE 2721 - has been selected as Asia’s best blitz chess player 2013 by the Asian Chess Federation (ACF).

Last year, Liem took the trophy at the World Blitz Chess Championships and ranked among top players at many other regional and international tournaments.

The ACF will organise an awards ceremony for the annual Asian Chess Excellence Awards in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on June 25.

Before the ceremony, the ACF announced the list of awards in 2013.

Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi from the UAE was voted Person of the Year, for investing US$10 million to build Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club – the largest of its kind in the world.

Former world champion Viswanathan Anand (India) was selected Player of the Year to honour his achievements in having maintained the world champion title since 2007.

Hou Yifan (China) was chosen as Female Player of the Year when she re-claimed the world championship title from Anna Ushenina.

Yu Yangyi (China) is the Best Young Chess Player of the Year after winning the world youth championship title and first place in the Asian Indoor Games.

First Asian Grandmaster Eugene Torre of the Philippines received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and commitment to promoting chess, as well as his record of having competed in the World Chess Olympiad 21 times.

Source: VOV