2024 Vietnam National Individual Championship - Vũ Quốc Đạt pulls off a surprise win

The Vietnam National Individual Xiangqi Championship, since its inception in 1992, has been the highest-level competition in the country and serves as a professional benchmark for signing athletes from various cities and regions.

In recent years, with the popularity of xiangqi live-streaming, the competition has garnered attention from xiangqi enthusiasts nationwide. Consequently, each edition of the championship is fiercely competitive, with teams meticulously planning and training before the matches. With top contenders such as Lai Ly Hyunh, Nguyen Thanh Bao, Nguyễn Minh Nhật Quang participating, this year's tournament is no exception.

In the first round, although there were a few draws, all the top contenders successfully advanced.

However, the second round brought a surprising turn of events as Lai Ly Hunyh unexpectedly lost to the 90’s player, Phí Mạnh Cường. Phí Mạnh Cường had demonstrated remarkable xiangqi skills from an early age, achieving notable successes during his youth and joining the Quảng Ninh team as a part-time coach in recent years.

Few people anticipated his victory over Lai Ly Hunyh. Perhaps Lai Ly Hunyh underestimated Phí Mạnh Cường, as he adopted opposite direction cannon (后手列炮) and made a desperate move in the middle game, ultimately leading to his defeat. In the following rounds, Phí Mạnh Cường even managed to defeat another top contender Hà Văn Tiến, but that's another story.

Nguyễn Minh Nhật Quang and Nguyen Thanh Bao fell slightly behind on the leaderboard due to a draw. However, in the fourth round, the underdog player from Ho Chi Minh City, Vũ Quốc Đạt, showed exceptional form. He faced off against Hà Văn Tiến and seized the opportunity to claim victory at a crucial moment. With four consecutive wins, Vũ Quốc Đạt temporarily claimed the top spot on the leaderboard.

Shortly after, Lai Ly Hunyh caught up and made a desperate attempt as red player, hoping to shake Vũ Quốc Đạt's position at the top of the leaderboard. However, Vũ Quốc Đạt remained composed and defused all of Lai's attacks, ultimately achieving a draw. After this intense battle, Lai realized that catching up in points would be difficult. Subsequently, he played several more drawn games and couldn't contend for a prize.

The tournament rules and teammate assisted Vũ Quốc Đạt in winning the championship. In previous years, the format followed a system where players could advance to the finals despite starting with a deficit in points (8+1, 7+2, 5+4), allowing for opportunities to reverse the score and qualify for the finals. However, this year, the organizers opted for a Swiss system with 9 rounds, where those who performed poorly in the early rounds found it challenging to catch up in points during the middle rounds, resulting in a feeling of diminished competitiveness and lack of motivation to continue.

Additionally, Vũ Quốc Đạt 's teammates performed exceptionally well, occupying the top positions in terms of points. With their strength, they could afford to draw against their opponents, effectively slowing down their opponents' progress. Therefore, Vũ Quốc Đạt didn't need to push too hard in the subsequent matches. He played normally, achieving 7 wins, 2 draws, and accumulating 8 points to secure the championship (gold medal).

At the same time, another veteran champion, Võ Minh Nhất, with 7 wins and 2 losses, earned 7 points, securing the runner-up position (silver medal). Nguyễn Minh Nhật Quang and Đào Quốc Hưng both had 6.5 points, ranking third and fourth, respectively. According to the tournament regulations, they were both awarded bronze medals.

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