IGM Truong Son wins World Chess Bronze

(31-10-2006)

HA NOI — International Grand Master, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, came home with a bronze after falling only one point below the top score in the World Youth Chess Championship, which closed last Saturday in the Republic of Georgia’s coastal city of Batumi.

Son, who played in the boy’s U16 category, amassed eight points after 11 matches, one point less than champion Jacek Tomczak from Poland.

FIDE master Tomczak claimed the gold medal with a higher sub-index than runner-up IGM Vladimir Onischuk of Ukraine, who also pocketed nine points.

In his final defeat, the Vietnamese rival played black against host Luka Paichadze.

Tomczak, who needed only 0.5 point to triumph, was successful after drawing with Nabaty Tamir of Israel. Onischuk triumphed over Croatia’s Ivan Saric to secure his second place.

Truong Son has participated in the annual tournament four times, with this bronze as his second medal.

Six years ago he pushed Viet Nam onto chess’ global stage when he captured the U10 class. Four years later he became the second youngest IGM in history at the age of 14 years and nine months.

On the girl’s side, Nguyen Thi Mai Hung of U12 and Le Hoang Tran Chau of U14 earned only five points and ranked 18 and 14, respectively. — VNS