Young Vietnamese chess player Dau Khuong Duy won the gold medal in the competition for the under-12 (U12) age group at the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships 2023 in Egypt on Thursday. 

Duy participated in the tournament as the third seed in the U12 age category among highly competitive players. 

He held an Elo rating of 2,277, trailing the top contenders such as Ahmad Khagan from Azerbaijan, with an Elo rating of 2,304, and Mendes Aaron Reeve from Canada, who had an Elo rating of 2,290.

Despite that, the Vietnamese player made a remarkable entrance to the tournament, showcasing a brilliant performance by securing victories in the first seven games. 

Notably, he achieved a direct win over Mendes Aaron Reeve in the fifth game.

Duy’s impressive run added substantial pressure to the top seed, Ahmad Khagan. 

Consequently, in their direct encounter in Game 8, the Azerbaijani player opted for a cautious approach, resulting in a drawn match.

Following 10 intense games, Duy emerged as the leader of the rankings with an impressive nine points. 

His compatriot, Nguyen Nam Kiet, secured the second position.

Kiet, despite not being initially highly regarded, surprised everyone by accumulating eight points in 10 games. 

Notably, he was the sole player in the tournament to defeat both top seeds, Ahmad Khagan, who finished with 7.5 points, and Mendes Aaron Reeve, who claimed seven points in total.

As a result, the championship appeared to be within the grasp of Vietnamese chess, as the final showdown was set between Duy and Kiet.

In this particular game, Duy found himself in a defensive position as he played with the black pieces, aiming for a cautious strategy to secure a draw against Kiet. 

After 28 moves, neither player had a clear advantage, leading to a draw.

This outcome sealed Duy’s victory, officially making him the champion of the U12 open group at the FIDE World Cadet Chess Championships 2023 held in Egypt from October 14 to 27. 

The last time a Vietnamese player claimed this age group title was in 2014 when Nguyen Anh Khoi achieved the honor.

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