VietNamNet Bridge – Chess is the sport with the highest number of “prodigies.” However, most of the prodigies were not cared for thoroughly so their talent gradually faded.
Quang Liem (right) had a lower starting point than Truong Son (left), but thanks to his
family’s investment, he is now the top chess player in Vietnam.
Le Quang Liem’s gold medal at the HD Bank 2013 tournament makes Vietnam’s chess circle bittersweet. That tournament had the participation of the “quartet” of chess geniuses over a decade in Vietnam, including: Le Quang Liem, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Tran Minh Thang and Nguyen Anh Khoi. As the guest players are not too strong, the local fans expected that the competition for the championship would be among Vietnamese athletes.
However, after a few rounds, except for Le Quang Liem, the rest were soon knocked out of the race. The U10 world champion — Nguyen Anh Khoi was “forced” to give up the tournament halfway to attend the 2012 outstanding athlete award ceremony in Hanoi.
After the event, many people feel happy for Quang Liem, when his dream of winning this cup became reality after three years, but they feel pity for the fate of other chess prodigies who are sinking into oblivion.
Nguyen Anh Khoi.
Although he does not win a lot of championship titles, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son is highly appreciated by chess experts. In the eyes of experts, Son is considered a rare genius of Vietnam for more than a decade. Even in terms of qualities, Son is more highly appreciated than the world super-great grandmaster Le Quang Liem.
After winning two gold medals at the Asian Championships and the World Championships 2000, a big investment plan on Truong San was worked out by competent agencies. However, what Son has received in fact is far less than the original promise. At the most important stage for a chess player, Son was not cared thoughtfully, and as a result, his talent has been thwarted.
Another case is Tran Minh Thang. Five years ago, at the world young chess championship held in Vietnam, Thang became the phenomenon after winning a gold medal for the under 8 players. The Hanoi authorities pledged to create favorable conditions for this prodigy to follow the success of the elder generation – Quang Liem and Truong Son.
However, over the past five years, what Minh Thang has gotten is just a training trip to Hungary, which was not really effective. Consequently, the talent of the former world champion is at a standstill.
Tran Minh Thang.
The prodigies like Truong Son, Minh Thang and now Anh Khoi have been facing “abandoning.” Lack of money has been always an excuse that the sports authorities have taken to “justify” for the fate of “stillborn” genius. But that reason is not true.
Money is not the whole reason. In November 2011, both Quang Liem and Truong Son received the funding of $50,000 for four years. Half of the time has passed but Truong Son has not shown any improvement, while Le Quang Liem has become the top chess player of Vietnam.
It should be added that Le Quang Liem’s success comes from his personal efforts, interest, and his family’s support and investment, not the assistance of sports agencies.
Obviously, improper care for athletes means the waste of talent and genius.
Nam Nguyen