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| Players competed after the opening ceremony |
At the tournament, both Western Chess and Chinese Chess athletes compete in categories, including: rapid, blitz, and standard formats across age groups from U6 to U20; as well as in an open championship category (no age limit).
As the host city, Hue boasts a dominant force with over 250 athletes, including nearly 200 Western Chess players. Hue City team aims to change the color of their medals, and secure first place overall, an upgrade from their third-place finish at last year's tournament in Thanh Hoa.
According to experts, given the clear progress made recently, especially among young players, the goals set by Hue City Western Chess and Chinese chess teams are achievable. However, recent administrative boundary mergers have strengthened Da Nang and Quang Tri in both quantity and quality, making the host team’s journey to conquer the top extremely challenging.
Mr. Bui Thanh Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, stated that besides providing opportunities for athletes from provinces and cities in the Central region to gain experience and improve their skills, the tournament also contributes to developing the movement, preparing forces for national and international tournaments in 2026. It is also an opportunity to promote the image of Hue as a beautiful, friendly, and safe city to friends nationwide.
The tournament is scheduled to conclude on March 3.