HANOI, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam will host the World Youth Chess Championships 2008 in southern Vung Tau city from Oct. 19-31 with the expected participation of some 1,500 athletes from over 100 countries and regions, according to the Vietnam Chess Federation on Tuesday.

    Besides, nearly 3,000 people, mostly trainers of the athletes and their parents, are expected to come to Vietnam.

    The International Chess Federation (FIDE) wants to develop an international standard chess-training institute in the city, local newspaper Young People reported on Jan. 23.

    The FIDE general secretary Ignatius Leong said construction of the institute with investment of some one million U.S. dollars is expected to start in late 2008 after the championship finishes.

    FIDE is a French acronym for the Federation Internationale des Echecs, better known in English as the International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation.