India, 12 November 2025 – Vietnam’s No.1 chess player Le Quang Liem created history at the FIDE World Cup 2025 after defeating Indian national champion Venkataraman Karthik, becoming the first Vietnamese player ever to advance to the fifth round of the prestigious global tournament.
In the fourth-round return leg of the Chess World Cup 2025, Vietnam’s top grandmaster Le Quang Liem (Elo 2729) delivered an outstanding performance to overcome India’s reigning champion Venkataraman Karthik (Elo 2579), winning 1.5–0.5 on aggregate and securing his place among the top 16 players in the world.
In the first leg held a day earlier, Quang Liem had the advantage of playing White but settled for a draw after a balanced encounter. In the return game, despite playing Black, the 33-year-old grandmaster from Ho Chi Minh City showcased his trademark precision and strategic depth, gradually gaining control in a complex middlegame.
Karthik, known for his aggressive style, pressed hard for an advantage but overextended his position, missing key defensive moves. Quang Liem, ever composed, capitalized brilliantly. Although he briefly faltered with an imprecise move, his opponent failed to seize the opportunity, allowing Quang Liem to steer the game into a favorable endgame.
With a dominant rook-and-knight versus bishop-and-knight setup, Quang Liem pressed relentlessly until Karthik was forced to concede after 68 moves. The victory not only sealed his 1.5–0.5 triumph but also marked a milestone for Vietnamese chess.
By advancing to Round 5, Quang Liem becomes the first Vietnamese player in history to reach this stage of a Chess World Cup. His achievement also guarantees him a minimum prize of USD 25,000 (approximately VND 650 million).
The 2025 FIDE World Cup, taking place in Goa, India, features 206 of the world’s strongest players competing for three qualification spots at the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Quang Liem, seeded 13th at the start of the event, has been in excellent form throughout the competition.
In the next round, Le Quang Liem will face German grandmaster Alexander Donchenko (Elo 2641) — a rising European star — in what promises to be another thrilling encounter. With his current momentum and disciplined approach, Quang Liem is widely viewed as one of Asia’s best hopes for a deep run in this year’s World Cup.
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