Vietnam chess teams win Group B gold at FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026

The Vietnamese chess teams achieved significant success at the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The men’s Open team, starting as the 47th seed, climbed 28 places to finish 19th out of 206 teams, securing the gold medal in Group B.

Key highlights for the men's team included a 3–1 victory over Norway in the 10th round and draws against Israel, Iran, and Kazakhstan. During the tournament, young players Banh Gia Huy and Nguyen Quoc Hy both achieved Grandmaster (GM) norms.

The women’s team also delivered a historic performance, finishing 9th out of 189 teams to secure a place in the overall Top 10 for the first time. After starting as the 21st seed, the team recorded consecutive wins against Brazil, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Indonesia.

In individual competition, Grandmaster Nguyen Thi Mai Hung earned a silver medal on Board 5. Overall, Vietnam concluded the tournament ranked 12th in the total standings.