Grandmaster (GM) Tran Tuan Minh on Tuesday beat International master (IM) Huber Martin Christian of Austria in the second round match of the ongoing World Junior and Girls U20 Chess Championships in Italy.

Tran Tuan Minh of Viet Nam is one nine masters in leading group at the World Junior and Girls U20 Chess Championship in Italy. — Photo hanoimoi.com.vn

Minh is regarded as one of nine leading athletes currently.

He will next play against Indian IM, Harsha Bharathakoti, who ranks 15th after two rounds.

Minh is the No 22 seed of the tournament. He shares the top place with nine other athletes, including GM Alexseenko Kiril of Russia, GM Haik M Martirosyan of Armenia, IM Haria Ravi of England and GM Yuffa Daniil of Russia.

His teammate, IM Tran Minh Thang, suffered his first loss on Tuesday, losing to No 1 seed, GM Van Foreest Jorden of the Netherlands. He’s at No 111.

Thang, Minh’s younger brother, will face Bischofberger Dario of Switzerland in the third round. — VNS