International Grandmaster Le Quang Liem

Hometown hero International Grandmaster Le Quang Liem won the Calcutta Open on Thursday after compatriot Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son took the Kuala Lumpur open two days earlier.

Though held to a draw by Satyapragyan Swayangsu from India in the final match, Liem was able to snatch the title on points, a total of eight.

Liem went undefeated in the tournament and was 0.5 points clear of second-placed International Grandmaster Mamedyarov Shakhriyar of Azebaijan.

The event in Calcutta attracted 124 players from 18 countries and territories. Thirty-five of them, including Liem, were International Grandmasters.

The World Chess Federation (FIDE) confers the title of International Grandmaster on players who meet certain requirements, such as an Elo chess rating of above 2400.

It was a good week for Vietnam and chess as Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son also won the Kuala Lumpur Open on Tuesday. Dao Thien Hai, also Vietnamese, came in fourth place.

The event in Malaysia welcomed 58 players from 11 countries and territories.

Reported by Hong Long