The Chinese National Individual Chess Championship recently concluded in Xinghua, Jiangsu, on May 18, 2023. Grandmaster (GM) Xu Xiangyu emerged victorious in the Open event, while Woman International Master (WIM) Yan Tianqi claimed the women’s title. This championship marks a significant milestone for both players, as they secured their first national crowns and earned spots on China’s team for the upcoming 46th Chess Olympiad later this year.
Championship Overview and Results
The championship took place from May 7 to May 18, featuring separate sections for Open and Women’s events. Each section was played over 11 rounds using the Swiss system, a format that has been successfully utilized in Xinghua since 2009, making this the 18th consecutive edition of the tournament. Notably, this is also the second consecutive year that the event adopted the 11-round Swiss format instead of the traditional round-robin format.
The total prize pool for the championship was 500,000 RMB (approximately 73,500 USD), with the winner of the Open event receiving 120,000 RMB and the women’s winner taking home 80,000 RMB. Xinghua is famously known as the hometown of the four-time women’s world champion, Hou Yifan, adding prestige to the event held in the city.
The Open field attracted 66 players, including nine grandmasters, and the competition remained intense throughout. A clear leader only emerged after round eight when 17-year-old International Master (IM) Kong Xiangrui took the lead. However, top seed Xu caught up with him in round nine, leading to a dramatic final day where both players were tied with 7.5 points. In the last round, Xu triumphed over GM Li Di, while Kong was held to a draw by IM Lou Yiping, ultimately securing the title for Xu.
Xu finished the tournament with an impressive score of 8.5 points, comprising six wins and five draws, marking his long-awaited capture of a national title after previous finishes of second in 2023 and third in 2022 and 2024. His performance also qualifies him for his debut at the Olympiad. Kong and GM Xu Yinglun both ended with 8 points, with Kong earning the silver medal based on tie-break criteria, while Xu Yinglun completed the podium. Remarkably, Kong achieved a performance rating of 2604, earning his first GM norm, while 15-year-old Xie Jiaxiang achieved an IM norm.
In the women’s section, 24-year-old WIM Yan Tianqi scored 8.5 points, comprising seven wins, three draws, and one loss, earning her first national title and a place on the Olympiad team. She entered the tournament with two WGM norms and delivered a performance rating of 2416, although she fell short of completing a final WGM norm due to not facing enough WGMs. Seventeen-year-old WIM Chen Yining took the silver medal with 8 points, and 15-year-old WIM Wang Qinxuanyi clinched bronze with 7.5 points, while top seed WGM Xiao Yiyi also finished on 7.5 points but placed fourth based on tie-breaks.
Norms were plentiful in the women’s event, with Chen securing a 9-game WGM norm, Bai Xue achieving an 11-game WIM norm, and both Jiang Tianyu and Wang Xiaoyan completing 10-game WIM norms.