Outright winners in both sections

Xu Xiangyu and Yan Tianqi won the 2026 Chinese Chess Championships, which concluded in Xinghua on 18 May after 11 rounds of play. Xu, representing the Chengdu Chess Academy, won the open section, while Yan, from the Hangzhou Mind Sports Team, took first place in the women’s event. Both players secured places in China's teams for the 2026 Chess Olympiad.

In the open section, Xu Xiangyu and Kong Xiangrui entered the final round tied for first place on 7½ points. Xu had the white pieces against Li Di on the top board, while Kong faced Lou Yiping in the other decisive game for the title.

Fritz 21

YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.

Xu's game soon developed into a sharp struggle after he claimed central space and Li responded actively. In the middlegame, Xu used his heavy pieces to increase the pressure before breaking through in the centre. A sequence of forcing exchanges led to a king-and-pawn ending, where Xu converted his kingside passed pawn advantage to score the full point.

Kong Xiangrui's game against Lou Yiping was more restrained. The players reached a symmetrical structure with fianchettoed bishops on both flanks, leading to a slow manoeuvring battle. With neither side allowing clear chances to take the initiative, the game ended in a draw by threefold repetition on move 32.

Xu Xiangyu v. Li Di | Photo: Chinese Chess Association

Lou Yiping v. Kong Xiangrui | Photo: Chinese Chess Association

Xu finished on 8½/11 to take the title outright. Kong and Xu Yinglun both ended on 8 points, with Kong claiming second place on tiebreaks. Bai Jinshi and Wang Shixu both scored 7½ points, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

After the tournament, Xu said he was happy to have won the title, though he added that the feeling was brief because of the responsibility that comes with representing China at the Olympiad. He noted that he had entered the event aiming specifically for first place, since only the champion would obtain the Olympiad spot. He also said that he had taken risks in several games in pursuit of wins, often getting into difficult positions.

Final standings

Understanding Middlegame Strategy Vol.14 Reversed Colour Systems – Benoni, Blumenfeld and Benko Gambit

You will learn how Black's dynamic piece activity and structural counterplay more than compensate for White's extra tempo in the colour-reversed setups.
The Benoni family of openings has toppled world champions, decided match games under the highest pressure, and rewarded those brave enough to play them with some of the most electrifying chess imaginable. In this Fritztrainer, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov -  continuing his successful series "Understanding Middlegame Structures" - takes you deep inside the complexities of the Colour-Reversed Benoni, the Colour-Reversed Benko Gambit, and the Colour-Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Colour Reversed Banoni - Game 1

...66 players

All available games

The women's section followed a similar pattern in the final round, with Yan Tianqi and Chen Yining tied for first on 7½ points before their last games.

Yan had white against Zhang Lanlin and entered a sharp Najdorf Sicilian. The position became highly complex in the middlegame, with Black generating counterplay, but Yan stabilised the position and gradually increased the strength of her passed pawn. She eventually converted to win the game and move ahead of her closest rival.

Chen Yining, meanwhile, had black against Bai Xue in the other key encounter. Their game remained closed, with both players probing for chances but neither able to create a decisive breakthrough. The game ended in a draw by threefold repetition.

Mega Database 2026

The premiere chess database with over 11.7 million games
The ChessBase Mega Database 2026 is the premiere chess database with over 11.7 million games from 1475 to 2025 in high quality.

Yan Tianqi v. Zhang Lanlin | Photo: Chinese Chess Association

These results gave Yan the women's title with 8½/11. Chen finished second on 8 points, while Wang Qinxuanyi took third with 7½ points after defeating Jiang Tianyu in the final round.

Yan thanked the organisers, coaches and her family after the event. She said her pre-tournament goal had been to finish in the top three and compete for first place. Looking back, she identified her sixth-round loss to Chen Yining as the most memorable game of the tournament, especially as she had to face the strong Xiao Yiyi the following day. Yan said she was pleased to have recovered from that setback, and added that being selected for China’s Olympiad team was an important motivation as she begins preparations for the event.

Yan Tianqi | Photo: Chinese Chess Association

Final standings

King's Indian Attack - Simple. Flexible. Dynamic.

The King‘s Indian Attack is a universal opening: easy to learn, flexible, and rich in both tactical and positional opportunities.

...38 players

All available games

Links

• Report on the website of the Chinese Chess Association
• Full technical information on Chess-Results: Open | Women's