Luong Phuong Hanh, a 43-year-old Vietnamese Woman Grandmaster, has won the women’s title at the 42nd Cappelle-la-Grande Open in France. The tournament, held annually since 1985, features a nine-round Swiss-system format and draws top international players. This victory follows her recent awarding of the Woman Grandmaster title by FIDE at the end of 2025.
The Cappelle-la-Grande Open, organized by the L’Echiquier Cappellois chess club and hosted at the Palais des Arts in Cappelle-la-Grande, France, is one of the country’s most respected international chess events. Typically taking place in the second half of February, the 42nd edition saw Luong Phuong Hanh deliver an outstanding performance against strong international opponents, securing first place in the women’s category, according to the Vietnam Chess Federation.
Hanh’s success marks her second significant achievement in just three months. At the end of 2025, she was officially awarded the Woman Grandmaster title by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), making her the 20th Vietnamese player to hold a grandmaster title—either Grandmaster or Woman Grandmaster—and the seventh Woman Grandmaster from the country. The other Vietnamese Woman Grandmasters include Nguyen Thi Thanh An, Hoang Thi Bao Tram, Le Thanh Tu, Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Nguyen Thi Mai Hung, and Vo Thi Kim Phung.
Hanh’s path to this level began relatively late compared to many peers. After graduating from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, she worked as an information technology engineer, which interrupted her chess career for years. Only recently has she dedicated herself fully to the sport. To earn the Woman Grandmaster title, she met FIDE’s requirements by securing three norms and exceeding the Elo rating of 2,300.
A regular member of Vietnam’s national team, Hanh previously won the Eastern Asia Chess Championships FIDE Zone 3.3 Open in 2019 and has represented her country at several Chess Olympiads. The Cappelle-la-Grande Open has grown over decades into one of the world’s largest open tournaments, attracting leading chess players globally.
