Echesspedia

Chess as we played today appeared in China during the middle of the 19^th century. The game was mainly played in the East side of the country which was always under the influence of the Western culture. Shanghai Chess Club had the great privilege to welcome the world champion Alekhine 1933. The World Champion was at that time touring in the Far East. Only in 1957 the game was recognised by the Government and increased in popularity. Due to political reasons China players didn’t have any opportunity to play abroad. Its statute of full member of FIDE was awarded twice (!) in 1966… and 1976, finally China was ready to conquer the world.

The Chinese Chess Association (CCA) is the governing body of chess in China. It is the principal authority over all chess events in China, including the China Chess League (CCL). Founded in 1986, the CCA is headquartered in Beijing.

The first international event was organized in 1975 with a match between China and Philippines won by the Filipino team 8½-11½. Since then China players managed to find their place among the best players in the world. It started with Xie Jun who became Women World Champion in 1991 then 1999 and 2000 following by Zhu Chen in 2001, Xu Yuhua in 2006 and Hou Yifan in 2010.

China has participated in 16 Olympiads since 1978, finishing in second place in 2004. The team was also second in the World Team Championship 2011.
The women team took the greatest honour at the Women Olympiads in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004 and at the Women World Team championship in 2007.
China won also 6 times the Asian Team Championship and many individual gold medals at the Asian Indoor Games in 2007 and 2009 or Asian Games in 2006 and 2010.

CCA has organized the Women World Championship (second part) in 1999, the World Cup in 2000, the 2011 World Team Championship, the World Mind Sports Games in 2009 and the traditional Nanjing Pearl Spring super tournament.

In 2011 China was ranked 3rd among the countries (2657) with 27 IGMs, 20 IMs and a total of 104 titled players

The known players are: Ye Jiangchuan, Xu Jun, Xie Jun, Zhu Chen, Xu Yuhua and Li Ruofan and Hou Yifan.

The national men champions were: 1957 Zhang Fujiang, 1958 Xu Jialiang, 1959 Deng Wenxiang, 1960 Xu Tianli, 1962 Xu Tianli, 1964 Jian Mingji, 1965 Huang Xinzhai, 1966 Zhang Donglu, 1974 Chen De, 1975 Qi Jingxuan, 1977 Chen De, 1978 Qi Jingxuan, 1979 Li Zunian Liu Shilan, 1980 Liu Wenzhe, 1981 Ye Jiangchuan 1982 Liu Wenzhe 1983 Xu Jun, 1984  Ye Jiangchuan, 1985 Xu Jun, 1986 Ye Jiangchuan, 1987 Ye Jiangchuan, 1988 Wang Zili, 1989 Ye Jiangchuan, 1990 Ye Rongguang, 1991 Lin Weiguo, 1992  Lin Weiguo, 1993 Tong Yuanming, 1994 Ye Jiangchuan, 1995   Liang Jinrong, 1996 Ye Jiangchuan, 1997 Lin Weiguo, 1998 Peng Xiaomin, 1999 Wang Zili,  2000 Liang Jinrong, 2001 Zhang Zhong, 2002  Zhang Pengxiang, 2003 Zhang Zhong, 2004 Bu Xiangzhi, 2005 Wang Yue, 2006 Ni Hua, 2007 Ni Hua, 2008 Ni Hua, 2009 Ding Liren, 2010 Wang Hao, 2011 Liren Ding.

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