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The People's Republic of China has now become a major chess power and has some of the top chess players in the world. It has become the dominating chess nation, second only to Russia, and it happened very vast. The government provides large support for their chess players. There about 10 million players in China that know how to play chess, with 3 million chess players who play regularly. There are about 300,000 chess players members of the Chinese Chess Association (CCA), which is also a member of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF). The National Chess Center (QiYuan) in Beijing is China's premier chess training academy. There are now over 1,000 chess trainers in China and about 300 professional chess players.
In 762 AD, perhaps the earliest reference was made to Xiangqi, or Chinese chess. There is another board game similar to chess called Weiqi. The European form of chess was introduced in China in the late 19th century. In 1933, world champion Alexander Alekhine visited China and gave several chess exhibitions. In 1935, Xie Xiashun (1888-1987), the leading xiangqi player, visited Malaya and Singapore and defeated some of their best chess players. In 1936, the British sponsored a chess tournament in Guangzhou called the Silver Dragon International Chess tournament. It was won by Xie Xiashun, winning 18 games, losing one game, and drawing one game. After World War II, Xie Xiashun helped promote chess throughout China. In 1956, chess was first listed as a competitive sport in China. In December, 1956, the 1st Chess Exhibition Tournament was held in Beijing. There were 6 players. In 1957, the National Chess Tournament was held in Beijing. There were 22 players from 10 provinces and cities. In 1957, Zhang Fujiang won the Chinese chess championship. In 1958, Xu Jialiang won the Chinese chess championship. In December, 1958, Soviet chess masters visited China and defeated the top Chinese chess players. In 1959, Deng Wenziang won the Chinese chess championship. In 1960, Xu Tianli won the Chinese chess championship. In 1962, Xu Tianli won the Chinese chess championship. In 1962, the Chess Association of China was formed. It was a minor affiliate of the Chinese Xiangqi Association. Chess classes were conducted at Children's Palaces or Amateur Sports Schools in the major cities. In September, 1963, a Soviet team (GM Andor Lilienthal, IM Mikhail Yudovich, and IM Vladimir Zagorovsky) played a match with Chinese players in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. The Soviet team won with an overall score of 15 wins, 8 draws, and 1 loss. In June, 1964, a Chinese team played a chess match in Moscow. It was the first time the Chinese national team played outside of China. The Soviet team easily won. In 1964, Jian Mingji won the Chinese chess championship. In 1965, Huang Xinzhai won the Chinese chess championship. In 1965, Liu Wenzhe (1940-2011) was the first Chinese player to defeat a grandmaster when he defeated GM Nikolai Krogius. He was also the first Chinese player to be awarded the International Master (IM) title. He was the founding father of the Chinese School of Chess. In 1966, Zhang Donglu won the Chinese chess championship. In December, 1965, a Soviet team visited China and played matches in three cities. The Soviets won, scoring 27 wins, 10 losses, and 17 draws. In 1966, chess was banned during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and remained banned until 1974. In 1974, China was invited to the 1st Asian Team Championship in Malaysia, but only as an observer status. In 1974, China held its first National Championship tournament. In 1974, Chen De (1949- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1975, the "Big Dragon Project" was started to promote chess in China. Its aim was to have Chine reach world-class chess status by 2000, which was achieved. In 1975, Qi Jingxuan (1947- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In January, 1976, the Chinese Chess Association became a member of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) and Chinese players began to play in international competitions. In 1977, Chen De (1949- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In November, 1977, China took 2nd place in the Asian Team Tournament, held in Auckland, New Zealand. In 1978, Qi Jingxuan (1947- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1978, China participated in the Chess Olympiad for the first time, which was held in Buenos Aires. On November 2, 1978, Liu Wentzhe of China defeated GM Jan Donner of the Netherlands in 20 moves. The game was called "The Chinese Immortal." After the game, Donner said, "How could a Western Grandmaster lose to a Chinaman?" China took 20th place. Liu Wenzhe — Donner, Buenos Aires, 1978, 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be2 Bg7 5. g4 h6 6. h3 c5 7. d5 O-O 8. h4 e6 9. g5 hxg5 10. hxg5 Ne8 11. Qd3! exd5 12. Nxd5 Nc6 13. Qg3 Be6 14. Qh4 f5 15. Qh7+ Kf7 16. Qxg6+! Kxg6 17. Bh5+ Kh7 18. Bf7+ Bh6 19. g6+ Kg7 20. Bxh6+ 1-0 In 1979, China took 2nd in the Asian Team Tournament, held in Singapore. In 1979, Li Zunian (1958- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1980, China held its first international tournament. In 1980, Liu Wenzhe (1940-2011) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1980, China took 38th place in the Chess Olympiad. In 1981, China took 2nd in the Asian Team Championship, held in Hangzhou, China. In 1981, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1982, Liu Wenzhe won the Chinese chess championship. In 1982, China took 37th place in the Chess Olympiad. In 1983, China took 1st place in the Asian Team Tournament, held in India. In 1983, Xu Jun (1962- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1984, the Chinese men's team took 12th place in the 26th Chess Olympiad. In 1984, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1985, Xu Jun (1962- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1986, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1986, the Chess Association of China or Chinese Chess Association (CCA) became a fully fledged independent organization. It is the principal authority over all chess events in China, including the China Chess League (CCL). The CCA is headquartered in Beijing. In 1986, the Chinese men's team tied for 5th place in the 27th Chess Olympiad. In 1987, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1988, Wang Zili (1968- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1988, China took 8th place in the Chess Olympiad. In 1989, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1990, Ye Rongguang (1963- ) won the China National Chess Championship. In 1990, Ye Rongguang became China's first grandmaster. In 1990, China hosted the second part of the Women's Candidates Final Chess match. The players were Yugoslav GM Alisa Maric and GM Xie Jun. In 1990, the Chinese women's team took the bronze medal (behind Hungary and the USSR) at the 29th Chess Olympiad, held in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. The Chinese men's team took 6th place. In 1991, Lin Weiguo (1970- ) won the China National Chess Championship. In 1991, Xie Jun (1970 - ) of China won the women's world chess championship. She was world champion from 1991 to 1996 and from 1999 to 2001. In 1992, Lin Weiguo (1970- ) won the China National Chess Championship. In 1992, the Chinese women's team took 3rd place at the 30th Chess Olympiad, held in Manila. Georgia took 1st place, followed by Ukraine. The Chinese men's team took 16th place. In 1993, Tong Yuanming (1972- ) won the China National Chess Championship. In 1993, the Chinese Chess Association received an endowment fund of $1.5 million from Singapore businessman S. T. Lee. In 1993, China hosted the Women's Candidates Tournament, which was won by GM Susan Polgar. In 1993, Ye Jiangchuan became China's third grandmaster, after Ye Rongguang and Xie Jun. In 1994, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1994, the Chinese women's team took 3rd place at the 31st Chess Olympiad, held in Moscow. Georgia took 1st followed by Hungary. The men's team took 11th place. In 1995, Liang Jonrong (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1995, the Chinese women's team took 1st place in the 1st Women's Asian Team Tournament, held in Singapore. In 1996, Ye Jiangchuan (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1996, the Chinese women's team took the silver medal at the 32nd Chess Olympiad. Georgia took 1st place. The men's team took 13th place. In 1997, the Chinese Chess Association founded a computer company to fund some of its chess activities. In 1997, Lin Weiguo (1970- ) won the China National Chess Championship. In August, 1997, world champion Anatoly Karpov visited China and boosted its popularity. During his visit, he played three exhibitions in Beijing which were broadcast live on television. In 1998, Peng Ziaomin (1973- ) won the China National Chess Championship. In May, 1998, Karpov again visited China, giving 5 chess exhibitions. In August, 1998, China hosted the Women's Candidates Final Match between Russian GM Alisa Galliamova and GM Xie Jun. Galliamova refused to play as she objected that the entire match was scheduled to be played in China. However, China was the only country to bid for the match. The match was declared forfeited to Xie Jun. In 1998, China hosted the first ever Asian Chess Open, held in Shenyang. In 1998, the Chinese women's team took 1st place and the gold medal at the 33rd Chess Olympiad, held in Elista, Russia. The men's team took 5th place. In 1999, Wang Zili (1968- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 1999, Bu Xiangzhi (1985- ) became the world's youngest grandmaster (since broken) at the age of 13 years, 10 months, and 13 days. In 1999, Xie Jun again won the women's world chess championship. She was world champion from 1999 to 2001. In September, 1999, Shenyang, China hosted the World Cities Team Chess Championship. In January, 2000, Ye Jiangchuan became the first Chinese player to reach 2600 Elo rating. In 2000, Liang Jonrong (1960- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2000, the Chinese women's team took 1st place at the 34th Chess Olympiad, held in Istanbul. The men's team took 9th place. In 2001, Zhang Zhong (1978- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2001, Zhu Chen (1976- ) won the women's chess championship and became China's first woman grandmaster. She was world champion from 2001 to 2004. In 2002, Zhang Pengxiang (1980- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2002, the Chinese women's team took 1st place on tiebreaks over Russia at the 35th Chess Olympiad, held in Bled Slovena. The men's team took 5th place. In 2003, Zhang Zhong (1978- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2004, the Chinese women's team took 1st place at the 36th Chess Olympiad, held in Calvia, Spain. The USA took 2nd place. The Chinese men's team took 24th place. In 2004, Bu Xiangzhi (1985- ) won the Chinese championship. In 2005, Wang Yue (1987- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2006, Ni Hua (1983- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2006, the Chinese men's team took 2nd at the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin (Armenia took 1st and the USA took 3rd). The women's team took 3rd place (behind Ukraine and Russia). In 2007, Ni Hua (1983- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In October, 2007, Wang Yue became the first Chinese player to reach 2700 Elo rating. In 2008, Ni Hua (1983- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2008, Hou Yifan became the youngest ever female grandmaster at the age of 14 years, 6 months, and 2 days. In 2008, the 16th World Computer Chess Championship was held in Beijing. In 2008, the men's Chinese team took 7th place in the Chess Olympiad. In 2008, the 1st World Mind Sports Games, which included chess (as well as bridge, go, draughts, and xiangqi), was held in Beijing. In December, 2008, a Super GM six-player double round robin tournament was held in Nanjing, China. It was the strongest tournament ever held in China, with an average Elo rating of 2751. In 2009, Ding Liren (1992- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2009, China hosted the 1st National Mind Sports Games, held in Chengdu, Sichuan. The games included chess, bridge, draughts, weiqi, ziangqi, and gobang. In 2010, Wang Hao (1989) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2010, the Chinese women's team won the silver medal at the 39th Chess Olympiad, held at Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. Russia took 1st place. The men's team took 5th place. In 2010, Hou Yifan became the youngest ever women's world champion at the age of 16 years. In 2010, Weu Yi (1993- ) won the Asian Under-12 championship and the World Under-12 championship. In 2011, Ding Liren (1992- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2012, Ding Liren (1992- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2012, the Chinese women's team won the silver medal at the 40th Chess Olympiad, held in Istanbul. Russia took the gold. The men's team took 4th place. In 2013, Wang Yue (1987- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2013, Wei Yi was awarded the GM title at the age of 13 years, 8 months, and 23 days. He was the youngest Chinese player to become a GM. In 2014, Yu Yangyi (1994- ) won the Chinese chess championship. In 2014, the Chinese men's team (Wang Yue, Ding Liren, Yu Yangyi, Ni Hua, Wei Yi) won the gold medal (8 wins and 3 draws) at the 41st Chess Olympiad, held in Tromso, Norway. The women's team took the silver medal, behind Russia. In May, 2015, We Yi (1999- ) became the youngest Chinese chess champion in history at the age of 15. In September, 2015, Ding Liren (1992- ) was rated 2782, the highest rated Chinese player ever. In 2016, Wei Yi (1999- ) won the Chinese chess championship. Currently, China has 24 grandmasters, 10 woman grandmasters, 19 International Masters, and 5 Woman IMs. China has produced 38 grandmasters and 21 woman grandmasters. China has 7 players rated over 2700. Please report broken or duplicate links to the Webmaster. Official Website Copyright 2016 by William D. Wall All Rights Reserved |
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