Ni Hua on the brink of winning the HDBank Cup

Ni Hua on the brink of winning the HDBank Cup Open Chess Tournament

The Vietnam Chess Federation is holding the 2nd HDBank Cup Open Chess tournament 2012 on 1-8th March in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Former Asian champion GM Ni Hua continued his winning row after taking a short break to draw the top-seeded GM Le Quang Liem and is now heading into the final round with impressive 7.5 points, a full point ahead of the nearest follower.

A draw in the last round against the 2nd seeded Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son would cement Ni Hua’s tournament victory.

Nguyen is alone on the third place with 6.0 points and there follows a cluster of players with 5.5 points each.

The 9-round Swiss event is featuring 93 players from 14 federations, among them being 15 Grandmasters.

Grandmasters Yu Yangyi and Wen Yang shared the first place in the 1st HDBank Cup Open 2011

Round 8 standings:

1. GM Ni Hua CHN 2637 – 7.5

2. GM Le Quang Liem VIE 2698 – 6.5

3. GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son VIE 2662 – 6.0

4-14. GM Paragua Mark PHI 2519, GM Cao Sang VIE 2526, Wan Yunguo CHN 2441, IM Gao Rui CHN 2417, IM Nguyen Van Huy VIE 2485, GM Xiu Deshun CHN 2492, IM Duong The Anh VIE 2373, WGM Pham Le Thao Nguyen VIE 2351, GM Tu Hoang Thong VIE 2416, IM Nolte Rolando PHI 2456, IM Bao Khoa VIE 2221 – 5.5

15-27. GM Gomez John Paul PHI 2512, GM Li Shilong CHN 2549, Nguyen Thien Viet VIE 2265, IM Le Quang Long VIE 2336, FM Bersamina Paulo PHI 2154, IM Nguyen Duc Hoa VIE 2453, GM Dao Thien Hai VIE 2516, GM Barbosa Oliver PHI 2585, IM Tu Hoang Thai VIE 2327, CM Nguyen Hoang Nam VIE 2361, GM Bui Vinh VIE 2463, FM Tran Tuan Minh VIE 2249, IM Senador Emmanuel PHI 2357 – 5.0 etc