Vietnam’s Le Quang Liem advances at FIDE Chess World Cup after beating Georgia’s Jobava

Liem, playing black, capitalized on a mistake by Jobava in the 13th move to secure victory in 22 moves, following a draw in their first game of the second round.

The result keeps Liem as Vietnam’s sole representative in the tournament.

The FIDE World Cup, a knockout event held every two years, features 206 players competing for a US$2 million prize pool and three qualifying spots for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

Matches consist of two classical games, with rapid or blitz tie-breaks if needed.

Several top-ranked players, including world champion Magnus Carlsen and Americans Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, did not enter the event.