Chinese Chess Champs Conclude
That's the Chinese "Chess Championships", not the "Chinese Chess" Championships!
The event took place in Xinghua, in the Jaingsu province, from 24 May - 4 June. China is a powerful force in chess these days, and this national event had a good turn out.
Top seeded Wang Hao won the men's championship thanks to a superior tie-break score after a strong finish left him level with rivals Bu Xiangzi and Zhou Jianchao on 7.5/11.
The women's championship was far more decisive, with winner Ju Wenjun able to lose her final round game yet still take the title. 16 year old women's prodigy Hou Yifan finished a disappointing 11th in the "men's" event.
The final standings in the men's championship
| Wang Hao | 2722 | * | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 7½ |
| Bu Xiangzhi | 2681 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 7½ |
| Zhou Jianchao | 2652 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 7½ |
| Li Shilong | 2514 | 1 | ½ | 0 | * | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Ni Hua | 2667 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 6 |
| Li Chao | 2619 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5½ |
| Zhang Ziyang | 2422 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5 |
| Ding Liren | 2547 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5 |
| Lu Shanglei | 2349 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Zhou Weiqi | 2585 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | 0 | 0 | 4½ |
| Hou Yifan | 2589 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | * | 1 | 4½ |
| Ji Dan | 2379 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 2 |
The final standings in the women's championship
| Ju Wenjun | 2500 | * | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Huang Qian | 2437 | ½ | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 7½ |
| Tan Zhongyi | 2464 | 1 | 1 | * | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Wang Yu A | 2337 | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 6½ |
| Ding Yixin | 2327 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Zhao Xue | 2493 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5½ |
| Wang, Jue | 2180 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 5 |
| Zhang Xiaowen | 2426 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5 |
| Gu Xiaobing | 2361 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | * | 0 | 0 | ½ | 4½ |
| Shen Yang | 2452 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | 4½ |
| Wang Doudou | 2216 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | * | ½ | 3½ |
| Zhang Jilin | 2280 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 3 |
A crucial win for Wang Hao is below. If you want to try out your Chinese language skills, the official website is here.
