Vietnam’s xiangqi kingpin Lai Ly Huynh pulled off a historic upset on September 27, snagging his first world championship in the standard discipline by outsmarting China’s Yin Sheng in the 2025 World Xiangqi Championship final.

Vietnamese player Lai Ly Huynh at the World Xiangqi Championship 2025.

The showdown, played under a 60-minute format with a 30-second boost per move, had rapid games (10 minutes plus 5 seconds) and blitz (5 minutes plus 3 seconds) on deck if it ended in a tie.

But Huynh didn’t need the extra rounds, nailing the win in the standard game despite the tough spot of playing Black, which means going second.

The men’s standard final was a nail-biter, packed with mind games and slick moves.

Yin, touted as China’s rising xiangqi star, failed to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Meng Shen, who won the title two years ago.

Huynh’s killer rook play was the game-changer, leaving Yin stunned for a few seconds before he conceded and shook hands.

Huynh’s victory is a first for Vietnam, breaking China’s domination on the standard discipline, which is xiangqi’s most prestigious.

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