Shanghai Haiwan Cup - Chinese junior chess on the rise

by Liang Ziming
4/12/2017 – The beautiful Shanghai Haiwan National Forest Park has been a very active and attractive spot for chess in China in recent years, with three high level tournaments held there in the past two years. At the end of last month, held from March 26-31, we saw a high-level national junior chess tournament, "Shanghai Haiwan Cup" 2017 National New Youth Chess Tournament, a round-robin with eight top Chinese junior players.

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The tournament was organized by the Chinese Chess Association and the Shanghai Fengxian District People's Government. Shanghai Haiwan National Forest Park, Shanghai Chess Sports Management Center and Heilongjiang Longyi Sports Industry Development Co., Ltd were the co-hosts. The total prize fund was 50,000 Yuan (about US$ 7250).

19-year old IM Xu Yi, the top-rated player, clinched the “New Youth Title” with 4.5/7 with three wins, three draws and one loss. Liu Yan, Wang Tongsen and Peng Xiongjian shared 2nd-4th with 4.0/7.

Final standings

(click for full size)

Secretary General of the China Chess Association Tian Hongwei (Abigail Tian) in the playing hall

The Mayor Wu Lichun and Vice Mayor Wang Juhui of Haiwan Town of Fengxian District make the symbolic first moves for the players

All the players and guests at the closing ceremony in the Haiwan National Forest Park

Tian Hongwei and Wu Lichun present award for the winner Xu Yi

Shanghai Chess Sports Management Center Director Shan Xiali and Shanghai Chess Team Manager WGM Wang Pin present the prize to the runner-up Liu Yan

Wang Zhenhui, vice mayor of Haiwan town, and Huang Mingwei, the general manager of the Haiwan National Forest Park present the prize to the 3rd place finisher Wang Tongsen

Chief arbiter IA Tang Jianming announcing the final results in closing ceremony

Top three finishers: Xu Yi, Liuyan and Wang Tongsen

In the rest day, GM Ye Jiangchang, the head coach of the Chinese National Team, gave a chess lecture to the military officers and soldiers.

The National New Youth Chess Tournament will be a regular tournament for the Chinese juniors every year, with the intention of improving the playing standard of younger Chinese players.


Liang Ziming has been a chess journalist since 2003 and the New Officer for the Chinese Chess Association since 2011. In 2007, he translated Kasparov's book "How Life Imitates Chess" into Chinese together with the former Women World Champion Xie Jun.

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