What enables Lê Quang Liêm to frequently overcome the “chess kings”?

Despite not securing a high ranking at the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, Lê Quang Liêm succeeded in adding one more "chess king" to his list of defeated rivals.

Without achieving a particularly outstanding position at the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, Lê Quang Liêm nonetheless left a special mark in the chess community by once again defeating the reigning “chess king” Gukesh Dommaraju.

The victory over Gukesh came in the final round of the blitz event, where Vietnam’s top player outplayed the world champion after 51 moves – a game that clearly demonstrated the Vietnamese player’s composure and control over the board against an opponent at the peak of his form.

Notably, this was the third time Lê Quang Liêm defeated Gukesh in their 12 encounters (Gukesh won 4, drew 5). Even more remarkable, two of these three wins occurred after Gukesh had become world champion, indicating that these results are not mere coincidences or momentary luck.

In fact, Lê Quang Liêm beating a reigning “chess king” is neither rare nor surprising. In September 2024, he defeated Ding Liren while the Chinese grandmaster was still the "Chess King". This victory is particularly notable as, according to 2700Chess statistics, Lê Quang Liêm has never lost to Ding Liren in classical chess: winning 2 and drawing 6 out of 8 encounters.

Broadly speaking, Lê Quang Liêm has repeatedly triumphed over “chess kings” – whether they were at their peak or past their prime. The list of “chess kings” who have been defeated by Liêm (across classical, rapid, and blitz formats) includes Anand, Ponomariov, Kasimdzhanov, Topalov, Kramnik, Carlsen, Ding Liren, and Gukesh Dommaraju.

So what is the explanation behind Lê Quang Liêm playing particularly effectively against these “chess kings”? Many international chess platforms believe Liêm’s greatest strength lies in his consistency and ability to minimize mistakes.

ChessTV once commented: "Lê Quang Liêm possesses solidity comparable to Anish Giri, making him very hard to beat, with excellent technique and a calm playing style. In terms of controlling the game, he is even compared to Ding Liren at his peak.".

Moreover, ChessTV has placed Lê Quang Liêm alongside Vladimir Kramnik – the legendary three-time world champion – for his skill in managing risks during a game. His “slow and steady” approach helps him avoid dangerous counterattacks, while forcing opponents, especially champions, to bear the pressure of breaking the balance.

This approach is reminiscent of defensive counterattacking tactics in football, where patience and discipline can sometimes create major upsets against stronger opponents.

Finally, one cannot overlook pure skill. Lê Quang Liêm is regarded by experts as a world-class player. His absence from the FIDE top 10 more often is partly due to limitations in his competitive environment and chess ecosystem, as he does not come from a dominant sports powerhouse.

Nevertheless, every time he faces “chess kings,” Lê Quang Liêm demonstrates that true class lies not in titles, but in resilience at the board.