Terrific news for Canadian Xiangqi!
Prime Minister Harper’s exposure to Chinese chess in Beijing will lead to the logical follow-up: The great Chinese grandmasters are returning to Canada.
Two teams of Chinese Xiangqi grandmasters will be visiting Canada in April and May – the first such teams to visit Canada since 1998.
The first team will tour Western Canada, and be on hand for the 5th North American Xiangqi Championships in Richmond, BC. This team will includes Grandmasters Hong Zhi (員洪), Zhao Xinxin (趙鑫鑫) and You Yingqin (尤穎欽; one of China’s top woman players). The team leader will be Ms. Xiaofang Liu.
This team will arrive in Vancouver on April 7, go to Calgary on April 12, to Edmonton on April 15, and return to China on April 17. They will not play in the North American championships (too strong), but will give lectures and exhibitions in each city that they visit.
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The second team will be visiting Toronto and Montreal, and will include two of China’s greatest players and an official delegation from the CXA:
Mr. Lu, Qin 吕钦 International Grand Master
- Chinese National Xiangqi Champion: 1986,1988,1999,2003,2004
- World Xiangqi Champion: 1990, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005
Mr. Xu, Tianhong 徐天红 International Grand Master
- Chinese National Xiangqi Champion: 1989
- World Xiangqi Champion: 1993
Ms. Chen, Zelan 陈泽兰 Vice President, Chinese Xiangqi Association
Ms. Liu, Xiaofang刘晓放 Secretary General, Chinese Xiangqi Association
Ms. Li, Kaimin 李开敏 Interpreter, Chinese Xiangqi Association
This team will make appearances in Toronto on May 27 and 28 and in Montreal on May 29 and 30. We’ll provide more details when they are available.
