North America xiangqi news

Result of 2009 North American Cup Tournament

2009-12-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

The 2009 North American Zonal Xiangqi Tournament at Houston
Team Standings
1 New York Ji Zhongqi, Peng Oscar
2 Houston A Hu Yu Shan, Tse Richard
3 Toronto Zheng Ximing, Do Yogi
4 Chicago Deng, Huidong, Jia Dan
5 United East Gao Fan, Li Xinda
6 Vancouver Lau Keicheong, Gu Yiqing
7 New Jersey Hu Michael, Sun Rulin
8 Calgary Ye Hui, Ly Thomas
9 Houston B Huynh Truong Chanh,Ta Benjamin
10 Edmonton Vuong Cuong,Lee Paul

Individual standings(1-5)

1 Ji, Zhongqi
2 Gao, Fan
3 Hu, Yu Shan
4 Deng, Huidong
5 Zheng, Ximing

More Photo
Game Record

The 2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open Tournament final ended today

2009-10-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open Tournament final ended today(17th Oct 2009)

Below is the result of the final matches
Championship Match:

1st Game: Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄 RL/先负 Li, YaChao 李亚超

2nd Game: Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄 RL/先胜 Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄

Final rankings of the tournament

* Open
o 1. Li, YaChao李亚超
o 2. Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄
o 3. Zhang, YaoGuang 张耀光
o 4. Wang, YiXiang 王义祥
o 5. Chen, WanWen 陈玩文
o 6. Ngo, Khai 吳启
o 7. Ji,HaiOu 季海鴎
o 8. Wong, ToSang 黄道生

* Senior
o 1. Lam, QuanWei 林权威
o 2. Huang, JungLong 黄进龙
o 3. Feng, Ming 冯明

The 2009 North American Zonal Xiangqi Tournaments at Houston

2009-09-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

1. The above zonal xiangqi tournament will be played on the 27th, 28th & 29th of November 2009 at Houston. All teams are expected to arrive at Houston on the

26th November and leave by the 30th November. According to tradition, teams will be responsible for their airplane tickets while the host (Houston Xiangqi

Association) will be responsible for hotel rooms and food during the 3 days of play.

2. Each team may have 3 members. All can play for the individual championship but only two designated members` final rankings could be counted for team

championship honors.

3. Asian xiangqi rules will be followed. Electronic chess clocks will be used. Each player will have 60 minutes freetime. A bonus of 25 seconds will be

given to each move made.

4. Basically, 7 rounds will be played in 3 days using the Swiss system. Briefly :

Day 1 (27th Nov.)
8:00 am to 9:30 am -breakfast at the hotel;
9:30 am to 1:00 pm - GAME 1 in hotel’s meeting room ;
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - lunch at China Bear Buffet at 3 minutes walking
distance from hotel (Days Inn & Suites, 4630 Techniplex Drive,
Stafford ,TX 77477- PH 281-240-8100);
2:00 pm to 5:30 pm - GAME 2 in hotel`s meeting room ;
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm - dinner at China Bear Buffet;
6:30 pm to 10:00 pm – meetings, site visits etc.

Day 2 (28th Nov.)
8:00 am to 9:30 am - breakfast at the hotel;
9:30 am to 1:00 pm - GAME-3 in hotel’s meeting room;
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - lunch at China Bear Buffet;
2:00 pm to 5:30 pm - GAME 4;
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm - dinner at China Bear Buffet;
6:30 pm to 10:00 pm - GAME 5.

Day 3 (29th Nov.)
8:00 am to 9:30 am - breakfast at the hotel;
9:30 am to 1:00 pm – GAME 6 in hotel’s meeting room ;
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - lunch at China Bear Buffet;
2:00 pm to 5:30 pm - GAME 7;
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm - travelling to possibly Ocean Palace Restaurant in
Bellaire (Hong Kong Plaza ) OR the ALIANA Club House;
6:30 pm to 9:00 pm - Prize Giving Dinner!

5. PRIZES

Individual championship
1st place : $1,000 (plus trophy)
2nd place : $ 500 (plus trophy)
3rd place : $ 300 (plus trophy)

Team championship
1st place : the ALIANA CUP
2nd place : trophy
3rd place : trophy

6. ENROLLMENT & MISCELLANEOUS : Please submit your enrollment details (including number and names of players , flight numbers ; when the planes will arrive

at Houston Airport ; when to depart etc. not later than October 30th 2009) to Richard Cheng Sau Yin by email ( sycheng@flash.net OR by telephone 281-242-3883

). Richard Tse Man Chuan (cell : 832-858-7442)of the Houston Xiangqi Association will be waiting for you at the Houston Airport to direct you to the special

shuttles which would take you back directly to the hotel (Days Inn and Suites - 4630 Techniplex Drive, Stafford, TX 77477; PH 281-240-8100). In case of

delays or other unforeseen problems please call Richard Cheng Sau Yin (cell: 832-630-6878). I should be waiting at the hotel and would send out some one to

the Houston Airport to help. Please bring along a cell phone to facilitate communication at the Airport and let us know the number of your cell phone

beforehand. Thank you.

Regards from

Richard Cheng Sau Yin
(Chairman/ Houston Xiangqi Association)
(email: sycheng@flash.net; PH 281-242-3883)

P.S. The paticipating teams will be New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Houston (2 teams).

2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open Set for September

2009-08-27T01:43:00.000-07:00

Due to the strike of the Toronto civic workers, the 2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open is postponed and set for this September. Jointly organized by the Toronto Xiangqi Association and the Scarborough Seniors Chess Club, the tournament will take the form of a 6 rounds of Swiss tournament, to be held three straight Saturdays – September 26, October 3 and 10 (2 games per week), followed by final matches for first and third place on October 17. All rounds begin at 1 pm at the Milliken Park Community Center (4325 McCowan Road, Toronto, ON - South of Steeles, East of McCowan).

The open tournament is divided into Individual, Senior (65 years old or up) and youth group (age 17 or below). Trophies and gifts will be awarded to the eight top finishers, as well as the top three senior and youth players.

All are welcome to play; prior registration is welcome. Or just drop by, and we’ll introduce you to one of the world’s great games. The cost of entering the tournament is a modest $3 for members and $10 for non-members.

The Toronto Open is a tradition dating back to 1978. It gives players from throughout the GTA the chance to meet and play against the city’s leading masters.

To register or inquire about the Toronto Xiangqi Open, please contact Mr. Li, Hanqi by phone at +1 416-297-0227 or email elyuen@yahoo.com

For more information about the Toronto Xiangqi Association, please visit www.txa.ca .

2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open

Organizer: Toronto Xiangqi Association (TXA);
Scarborough Seniors Chess Club (SSCC)

Event: Individual (Open; Senior – age 65 or above; Youth – age 17 or below)

Time: Saturday September 26, October 3 and 10 (Preliminary) and October 17 (final)
Location: Milliken Park Community Center – 1 pm to 5pm
4325 McCowan Road, Toronto, ON - South of Steeles, East of McCowan;

Method:

* WXF (AXF) Rules will be adopted

* Six preliminary rounds using the Swiss system. Two games per week.

* When players obtain equal scores, their rankings will be decided by match points; opponent’s match points, and total wins.

* Any player that is absent for 2 rounds is automatically disqualified.

* The final round takes the form of two-game matches in which the top four from the Swiss tournament play off for the first and third places.

* The Senior Champion is the top senior player from the preliminary rounds.

* The Youth champion is the top youth player from the preliminary rounds.

Awards:

* Open 1st to 8th – Trophy/Certificate, and Gift Set

* Senior 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate, and Gift Set

* Youth 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate, and Gift Set

Entry Fee: Member - $3.00, Non-member – $10.00

Banquet Fee: $25.00 (Awards Presentation ＆ Banquet – October 17 evening)

Chairman: Elton Yuen; Benson Wong

Referees: Peter Sung; Yip Sing Ng; Ying Fai Choi; Lin Tse

Registration

& Inquiry: Mr. Li, Hanqi +1 416-297-0227 or elyuen@yahoo.com

2009 Toronto Chinese Chess Championship Set for July

2009-06-01T01:51:00.000-07:00

Jointly organized by the Toronto Xiangqi Association and the Scarborough Seniors Chess Club,the 2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open will take the form of a 6 rounds of Swiss tournament, to be held three straight Saturdays – July 4, July 11 and July 18 (2 games per week), followed by final matches for first and third place on July 25. All rounds begin at 1 pm at the Milliken Park Community Center (4325 McCowan Road, Toronto, ON - South of Steeles, East of McCowan).

The open tournament is divided into Individual, Senior (65 years old or up) and youth group (age17 or below). Trophies and gifts will be awarded to the eight top finishers, as well as the top three senior and youth players.
All are welcome to play; prior registration is welcome. Or just drop by, and we’ll
introduce you to one of the world’s great games. The cost of entering the tournament is a modest $3 for members and $10 for non-members.
The Toronto Open is a tradition dating back to 1978. It gives players from throughout the GTA the chance to meet and play against the city’s leading masters.
To register or inquire about the Toronto Xiangqi Open, please contact Tse, Lin by phone at +1 647-282-3123 or email elyuen@yahoo.com

For more information about the Toronto Xiangqi Association, please visit www.txa.ca.

2009 Toronto Xiangqi Open
Organizer: Toronto Xiangqi Association (TXA);
Scarborough Seniors Chess Club (SSCC)
Event: Individual (Open; Senior – age 65 or above; Youth – age 17 or below)
Time: Saturday July 4, July 11, July 18 (Preliminary) and July 25 (final)
Location: Milliken Park Community Center – 1 pm to 5pm
4325 McCowan Road, Toronto, ON - South of Steeles, East of McCowan;
Method:
􀂃 WXF (AXF) Rules will be adopted
􀂃 Six preliminary rounds using the Swiss system. Two games per week.
􀂃 When players obtain equal scores, their rankings will be decided by match
points; opponent’s match points, and total wins.
􀂃 Any player that is absent for 2 rounds is automatically disqualified.
􀂃 The final round takes the form of two-game matches in which the top four
from the Swiss tournament play off for the first and third places.
􀂃 The Senior Champion is the top senior player from the preliminary rounds.
􀂃 The Youth champion is the top youth player from the preliminary rounds.
Awards:
􀂃 Open 1st to 8th – Trophy/Certificate, and Gift Set
􀂃 Senior 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate, and Gift Set
􀂃 Youth 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate, and Gift Set
Entry Fee: Member - $3.00, Non-member – $10.00
Banquet Fee: $25.00 (Awards Presentation ＆ Banquet – July 25, 2009 evening)
Chairman: Elton Yuen; Benson Wong
Referees: Peter Sung; Yip Sing Ng; Ying Fai Choi; Lin Tse
Registration
& Inquiry: Tse, Lin at +1 647-282-3123 or elyuen@yahoo.com

Guangzhou East Deng Xiang Qisai Cup win

2008-10-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

Chicago-correspondents reported Huei-Lin Huang 【】 Guangzhou by the Chicago Association of Chicago 3rd Guangzhou Cup Chinese Chess Open, a few days ago in the South Year Chinatown Plaza, 12, enters the stage, 8 of the winning player to win the first round, in the final showdown fighting, significant Supernatural powers, after all afternoon race, won East Deng this year's "King of Chess Chicago," the throne, and 500 U.S. dollars prize money.

The game has attracted hundreds of fans to the concept of chess tournament, so that the Guangzhou Association for the chess enthusiast who can understand the game situation, especially in the game next to Taiwan to set up a large board, each runner off the game, real-time display of staff In a large chessboard, in which championship race, the two "move to Geri" evenly matched competitors, a tense than on the stage, the audience can see the audience Rushen.

8 first round players short-listed William Tang, Tung Deng, Zhang Ming, Chen Jian, Woolard and strong, Fan Yao, Xiong Yan, Xiao-Qing Jin, the same day from 10:30 am to start games, competitions continued until 17:30 or so, all the players Cheerleading relatives and friends, from time to time in the game came to an end, to cheer for the players.

Deng strength of the strong East, after Atletico took turns smoothly on top, 2nd from Northwestern University doctoral student was Xiao-qing gold, three or four other people were Xiong Yan, William Tang. Winner of this prize money of 500 yuan, 300 yuan for the runner-up prize, third prize 200 yuan, along with a trophy and certificate match. 。 Access to 4-8, will each receive 50 bonus incentives.

Guangzhou this year's Cup Chess Championship preparations for the person in charge, Guangzhou, vice president of the Association of Liaojun Liang said that this year the overall level of players is very high, and the outskirts of Chinatown have players, the youngest player only 14 years old

The 2nd North America Xiangqi Championship in Edmonton Canada

2008-08-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

The 2nd North America Xiangqi Championship is taking place in Edmonton Chinese Cultural Centre from Aug 31 to Sep 2, 2008. This event is organized by Edmonton Xiangqi Association. There are nine cities in North America sending teams to the tournament. Teams from US are New York, San Francisco, Houston and Orange County. Canadian teams are Toronto, Vancouver, Richmond, Calgary and Edmonton. Los Angeles and Montreal are also invited, unfortunately they are not sending teams to the tournament this time.

According to the President of Edmonton Xiangqi Association, Mr. Kan Chiu, after 6 months hard work in fundraising and preparation, he proudly said We are ready and looking forward to having a successful tournament.Mr. Chiu believed with the supports from all the associated Xiangqi organizations, we should make this event a successful one. By having this event bi-yearly, it can tighten the relationship and friendship among all the Xiangqi players in North America.

The lst North America Xiangqi Championship was held in San Francisco in 2006. Toronto from Canada is the Champion team. Let’s see who will be the Champion this year.

Chess Variant Tournament in the Detroit, Michigan

2008-07-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

My name is David Lame.I discovered the game of Xiangqi about a year ago, and find that I quite enjoy it. I have been playing Chess for some time, but did not pick up Xiangqi until I read an article about it on a Chess variants page. I like it well enough that I am trying to introduce it to some Chess players in the Detroit, Michigan area. In order to do that, I am holding a tournament that will feature Xiangqi and other Asian Chess games (Shogi and Makruk).

The event itself will be rather modest. I do not expect thousands to attend, but I am hoping that by introducing it at a small event, interest might build.

More details of the event can be fount at http://gamesinmichigan.com/varianttourney.
Feel free to ask any questions.
Email : dave@gamesinmichigan.com
Phone : 248-543-1930

The 2008 Toronto Xiangqi Open Tournament final ended today

2008-06-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Toronto Xiangqi Open Tournament final ended today

Below is the result of the final matches
Championship Match:

1st: Game Zhang, YaoGuang 张耀光 RL/先负 Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄
2nd Game: Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄 RL/先负 Zhang, YaoGuang 张耀光
10 min. Fast Game: Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄 RL/先负 Zhang, YaoGuang 张耀光

3rd and 4th Place Match:

1st Game: Li, YaChao 李亚超 RW/先胜 Ng, Paul 吴岳林
2nd Game: Ng, Paul 吴岳林 RT/先和 Li, YaChao 李亚超

Final rankings of the tournament

Open
- 1. Zhang, YaoGuang 张耀光
- 2. Lin, ShiXiong 林世雄
- 3. Li, YaChao李亚超
- 4. Ng, Paul 吴岳林
- 5. Yao, Jim 姚建华
- 6. Tan, James 陈国平
- 7. Lam, QuanWei 林权威
- 8. Fan, JinZu 范佐津
Senior
- 1. Mo, ZeMen 莫泽文
- 2. Ngo, Khai 吴启
- 3. Li, Chong 李章
Junior
- 1.Liu, BoYang 刘博洋

Self introduction

2008-06-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

My name is Victor Liu, and I'm 15 years old. I immigrated to Toronto with my parents in 2001. I started learning Chinese chess when I was 5. At 6, I participated in Harbin抯 Chinese Chess Competition, and I was seventh in the junior group. At 7, I placed first in the same competition.

In 2003, I read about the Chinese Chess Association on the newspaper, and it revived my interest in Chinese chess. I participated in many more events organized by the association thereafter, and was first in the junior division several times.

Chinese chess not only enhanced my logical thinking skills, it also helped with my school work. It has also influenced my achievements in math, science, and computing.

Chinese chess has become an important hobby of mine, and I have made many friends from it. Chinese chess has already become a part of my life.

2008 Toronto Xiangqi Open -Round 4

2008-06-08T14:13:00.000-07:00

Standings after round 4.

2008 Toronto Open

2008-06-03T22:30:00.000-07:00

After round 2 result

Photo album

5/30/2008 Chinese Festival pictures

2008-06-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

2008 Toronto Chinese Chess Championship set for May

2008-05-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

Come challenge Toronto’s best Chinese chess players in the 2008 running of the Toronto Xiangqi Association’s annual open tournament.

The 2008 Toronto Xiangqi Open will take the form of a Swiss tournament, to be held three straight Saturdays – May 31, June 7 and June 14 at Milliken Park Community Center, followed by matches for first and third place on June 22 at the Oriental Centre (to be confirmed). All rounds begin at 1:30 p.m.

All are welcome to play; prior registration is welcomed, but not necessary. If you don’t know how to play, drop by, and we’ll introduce you to one of the world’s great games.

The cost of entering the tournament is a modest $3 for members and $10 for non-members. Cash prizes and gifts will be awarded to the eight top finishers, as well as the top three senior and youth players.

Chinese chess, or Xiangqi, is the ancient cousin of western chess. It is played all over the Far East, and in Asian communities throughout North America. It is traditionally considered a Chinese art form.

The Toronto Open is a tradition dating back to 1978. It gives players from throughout the GTA the chance to meet and sometimes play against the city’s leading masters.

To register for the Toronto Xiangqi Open, contact
Benson Wong at 416-299-6598 or bensonsfwong@hotmail.com.

For more information about the Toronto Xiangqi Association, go to www.txa.ca

2008 Toronto Xiangqi Open

2008-05-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

Organizer: Toronto Xiangqi Association (TXA);Scarborough Seniors Chess Club (SSCC)
Event: Individual (Open; Senior – age 60 or above; Youth – age 14 or below)
Time: Saturday May 31, June 7, June 14 and June 22
Location: Milliken Park Community Center (Preliminary Rounds)
May 31, June 7, 14; Every Saturday - 1:30 pm -5 pm
South of Steeles, East of Mccowan
Oriental Centre (Final)
Sunday June 22 1:30 -5 pm
Method:
 WXF (AXF) Rules will be adopted
 Six preliminary rounds using the Swiss system. Two games per week.
 When players obtain equal scores, their rankings will be decided by match points; opponent’s match points, and total wins.
 Any player that is absent for 2 rounds is automatically disqualified.
 The final round takes the form of two-game matches in which the top four from the Swiss tournament play off for the first and third places.
 The Senior Champion is the top senior player from the preliminary rounds.
 The Youth champion is the top youth player from the preliminary rounds.
Awards:
 Open 1st to 8th – Trophy/Certificate and Gift Set
 Senior 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate and Gift Set
 Youth 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate and Gift Set
Entry Fee: Member - $3.00, Non-member – $10.00, Youth - Free
Banquet Fee: $25.00 (Awards Presentation ＆ Banquet – June 22, 2008)
Chairman: Elton Yuen; Benson Wong
Referees: Peter Sung; Joseph Tam; Yip Sing Ng; Ying Fai Choi; Stephen Fung
Registration
& Inquiry: Benson Wong at 416-299-6598 or bensonsfwong@hotmail.com

My favor game—XiangQi (Chinese Chess)

2008-04-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

Name: Edward Jin
Teacher: Miss Yin
Time: 4/25/2008

My favor game—XiangQi (Chinese Chess)

I am Edward Jin, 6 years old America born Chinese in California, USA. I just started to learn Chinese culture because my parents believe it’s very important to understand my root. XiangQi is a fun game helps me to learn Chinese. I like it very much because it has many animals’ roles such as elephants, horses playing cannons, rooks and Kings. It’s very much like Star War. Thus, I recognize all 32 pieces in Chinese Characters correctly right away.

I learned basic rules of XingQi from my parents, who showed me the function of each chessman, such as Pawn, Cannon, Rook, King, and so on. My parents also taught me how to attack the opposite King and how to protect my own King. I enjoy playing XingQi with my parents much more than playing a peek-a-boo.

My dad always tells me that XingQi covers logic, math, and culture element. Although I don’t completely understand the meaning what he has said, playing XingQi is one of my favorite hobbies. I can play with other people or computer software alone.

My parents find out the XiangQi classes offered by Miss Yin, so now I am her student and a XiangQi club member of South Coast Chinese Culture Center. In her classes, I have learned correct movements, how to write notations and score calculations. I have so much fun in learning XiangQi thru the famous Monkey, Piggy and Monk Adventure software my teacher offered! My dad said my skills have improved a lot within 2 monthes.

I enjoy playing the game with my classmates and look forward to meeting and playing with people from outside of Miss Yin’s classes. This Sat. 4/26/08, Miss Yin is taking me and other classmates to perform at L.A. Chinese Radio Station’s event. I am excited about it and look forward to make more friends and have fun!

Edward Jin

A teenage player self introduction

2008-04-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

My name is Anthoney Tsou, and I was born in Irvine, California. I am currently 12 years old, and I am a seventh grader at Rancho San Joaquin Intermediate School. At school, I maintain a 4.0 average, being a part of GATE classes. Besides being at school, I do other extracurricular activities. I swim for the Novaquatics swim team and won six individual gold medals at the Junior Olympics when I was 10 years old. I was also was a part of the Pacific Coast All Star team for swimming and traveled to Reno to compete with many different countries. Piano is also a daily routine for me. I have passed CM, certificate of merit, level 10 and plan to continue enjoying piano by learning new pieces and maybe even trying to compose new songs. I also love the sport of Chinese chess. I hope to be able to compete in the Labor Day tournament of America vs. Canada and hope to be able to participate in the 2008 Olympics for Chinese chess. With these goals in mind, I have become motivated and inspired to be a strong member of the Chinese chess community.

I started Chinese chess a year ago when I was at Chinese school. I had chosen Chinese chess as an elective since I had an American chess background and wanted to try something new. It was also beneficial for me to strengthen my mind, so Chinese chess had a clear spot on my list of things to learn. In the beginning, I had no clue what each piece was and its movements as well as the importance of each piece. Then, my Chinese chess teacher, Ms. Yin, started teaching me the basics, and before long, I had mastered the basics of Chinese chess. It seemed quite similar to American chess with the movements, so it was not completely challenging for me after I learned the basics. After a year of learning this mind game, I have thought of competing beyond the school level.

After quite some time, I realized that I actually liked Chinese chess quite a bit. I thought that it was more straightforward than American chess and had many more possibilities. When Ms. Yin told me about the upcoming tournaments in the year 2008, I became excited and decided that I should compete in these tournaments. I have decided to dedicate much of my time and effort to this sport for fun and to be able to match my skill level against those from all around the world. I hope that after I have taken a big step into my Chinese chess career, the outcome will be one that is hard-earned. I believe that Chinese chess will affect me both mentally and emotionally throughout life in a good way, and I plan to start this journey now to get a great head start and have a successful future.

Chinese language school to open in Riverside IL,

2007-10-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Photo by Michelle Lytle
Andy Schramka (middle), 6, of Riverside, and his brother, Charlie, 10, listen as their teacher, Xueyan Fang, describes how to play the game of Xiang Qi, or Chinese Chess on Sunday at the Chinese Cultural Center in Riverside.

Click here to see the complete article

2007 CALGARY CUP NORTH AMERICA XIANG QI CHAMPIONSHIP A MEMORABLE TOURNAMENT WHEN DARK HORSES SHINE

2007-09-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The traditional manner of sending players to participate in the WXF tournaments from the North America Zone has been found unsatisfactory in many ways. One of the major problems is that there`s no competition among XiangQi clubs within this zone ( particularly in America ) - the WXF`s aim of promoting XiangQi to all is totally defeated ! In an attempt to correct this mistake and to bring in some improvement , two North American Zonal Tournaments - one individual ( in Vancouver ) and one team ( in San Francisco ) tournations were held in 2006 , and a third Zonal Tournament ( with prizes for both team and individual players ) was held in 2007 in Calgary . The Calgary Zonal Tournament was well attended by ten teams ( New York , San Francisco , Houston , Orange County , Vancouver , Richmond , Toronto , Calgary and Edmonton ) with a total of 24 top America and Canada players participating . The surprising result that both the team and individual top honours were won by relatively less known players proves that there is an urgent need for reform of the old traditional system of selecting players from the North America Zone to play in the WXF`s tournaments !

2. THE PLAYERS , HIGHLIGHTS AND RESULTS OF THE 2007 CALGARY TOURNAMENT
2.1 The 2007 Calgary Cup North America Championship Tournament took place on the 1st., 2nd and 3rd of September in the beautiful city of Calgary , Canada. Firstly, full credit should be given to the Calgary XiangQi Association - the organizers have done an outstanding job in all aspects right from the beginning ( eg picking up and taking visiting teams from the airport to the very comfortable hotel ; giving clear instructions to the tournament / game / time format and finally a grand price giving dinner etc. ) All participating team members could feel the warmth of good friendship and the joy and excitement of togetherness ! For this 2007 Calgary Cup Tournament each of the ten particitating teams must designate two specific players to play for the team championship while all twenty four players of the ten teams participating would have an individual ranking after the 7 rounds ( in other words all players were qualified to fight for the individual chamlionship ). The system was similar to the Swiss system but slightly modified .
Each player will play one game per round . The time format ( per game ) was also similar to the WXF`s system but slightly relaxed( eg 25 moves for the first 60 minutes , then four bars of ten moves per 15 minutes and ultimately ten moves per 5 minutes untill the end of the game ). In the calculation of players scores ( including teams ) , the ` ranking points ` came first before individual scores.
This ` ranking differential point count ` system had a lot of impact to the team results.

2.2 Besides the familiar faces of Mou Hai Qin ( inter master ) of New York , Peter Sung of Toronto and UNG Y DAU of Edmonton ,
we also saw some new faces such as Ma YunRun of Calgary B ( previous master but now at the age of 66 ) , Anna Yin ( women master ) of Orange County , Truong Chanh Huynh ( viet origin ) of Houston , Yang Runze of Calgary A ( 14 years old youngster with tremendous talent ) and a young 12 year old lady Jennifer Li of Orange County . We also saw some old veterans like Gu YiQing from Vancouver , LY Thomas from Orange County , SZETO Howard from San Francisco , Wang JingYuan ( 4 times Canadian champion ) from Calgary A , Richard Cheng from Houston and Chan Cheng from San Francisco, We were also delighted to meet our old friend Hung Ming - now the honourable chairman of Calgary. The strengths of many top players were very close to each other . Those players with sharper tournament playing form got better ranking at the end but a number of good players did not have good playing form thus not able to achieve better ranking. The battle for the championships were hard fought and the final rankings were close - the chief tournament director Dominic Ho had a hard time indeed to work out the final standings of teams and individual players after 7 rounds of play.

2.3 The Road To The Individual Chamlionship

In the first three rounds , hot favourites such as Mou HaiQin of New York , Gu YiQing of Vancouver , SZETO Howard of San Francisco and UNG Y DAU of Calgary were quickly leading the group. However , a number of less known players like Ma YunRun of Calgary B, Truong Chanh Huynh of Houston , Chan Cheng of San Francisco were also playing well and were closely following the leading group. Some well known veterans , however , seemed a bit out of form and not starting well - eg Anna Yin of Orange County , Peter Sung of Toronto , Wang JingYuan of Calgary A and Richard Cheng of Houston. The 12 year old young lady Jennifer Li managed to get a point but unable to beat the better players. The very talented 14 year old youngster played some excellent move to move chess but his overall understanding of the opening system appeared inadequate. A number of other players were struggling eg Richard Tse of Houston and Cheng SongLi of Edmonton.

From round four to round six , the scoring picture changed considerably . Gu YiQing and SZETO Howard slowed down a bit but MA YunRun , Mou HaiQin and UNG Y DAU marched to the top of the scoring table very quickly . Truong Chanh Huynh seemed struggling at this stage but his Houston team partner Richard Tse began to pick up his pace ! Other vetarans like Wang JingYuan , Anna Yin , LY Thomas , Peter Sung and Yang Runze seemed to regain their form and closely chasing the leading group. Only Chan Cheng of San Francisco suddenly slowed down at this critical stage of play.

The final round 7 was decisive - with UNG Y Dau tied with Mou HaiQin , MA YunRan tied with Qu YiQing, Truong Chanh Huynh
tied with SZETO Howard. The above tie games resulted in MA YunRan getting six points , Mou HaiQin getting 5.5 points and UNG Y Dau getting 4.5 points. They became the top three individual players of this Calgary Tournament and were awarded good prizes.
MA YunRan proved that he still can become a champion at the age of 66 ! The final rankings of all players is listed below :

1. MA YunRun(6) - Calgary B ( Individual Champion)
2. Mou HaiQin(5.5) - New York
3. UNG Y Dau(4.5) - Edmondton
4. Truong Chanh Huynh(4.5) - Houston
5. Gu YiQing(4.5) - Vancouver
6. LY Thomas(4.5) - Orange County
7. SZETO Howard(4) - San Francisco
8. Wang JingYuan(4) - Calgary A
9. Yang Runze(4) - Calgary A
10. Tse Richard(4) - Houston
11. SUNG Peter(4) - Toronto
12. Chan Cheng(3.5) - San Francisco
13. Cheng SongLi(3) - Edmonton
14. Fong William(3) - Richmond
15. VUONG Guong(3) - Calgary B
16. NG Paul(3) - Toronto
17. Jli JiaQing(3) - New York
18. Anna Yin(3) - Orange County
19. Lau KeiCheong(3) - Vancouver
20. VAN Trunng(3) - Edmonton
21. CHENG Richard(2.5) - Houston
22. LEE Wing Hung(2) - Richmond
23. WANG ZhongLiang(1.5) - Calgary A
24. LI Jennifer(1) - Orange County

2.4 The battle of the teams for top honour

In the team competition section, the favourite teams Calgary A & B , the New York Team and the San Francisco Team led the other teams ( ie Houston, Edmonton, Vancouver, Orange County , Toronto and Richmond ) in the first three rounds. However, from round four to round six, the young Houston Team picked up its pace and got close to the leading group very quickly but quietly.The New York Team and the San Francisco Team dropped back a little at this stage ( one of the two team players did not do well ).In the decisive round seven , Richard Tse of the Houston Team beat VUONG Cuong of Calgary B Team in a fiercely fighting game - Tse finally won the most important game in the team competition ! As a result of Tse`s win , several leading teams had more or less the same ranking points and the tournament director Dominic Ho had to check the final ranking scores of several leading teams such as the Houston Team, the two Calgary Teams A & B , the New York Team and the San Francisco Team several times before announcing that the dark horse Houston Team had won the team championship cup . The final ranking of the ten teams is listed below :

1. Houston ( Truong Chanh Huynh(R4) +
TSE Richard(R10)(Championship Team)
Captain Richard CHENG Sau Yin
2. Calgary B( MA YunRan (R1)+VUONG Cuong(R15)
Captain Yiu Wan Wai
3. CalgaryA(WANG JingYuan(R8)+YANG Runze(R9)
Captain Yiu Wan Wai
4. New York (MOU HaiQin(R2)+JliJiaQing (R17)
Captain Ma Yuk Lun
5.San Francisco (SZETO Howard( R7) +
CHAN Cheng( R12)
Captain Dun Chiu Yin
6.Edmonton (UNG Y DAU(R3)+VAN Trung(R20)
Captain Fu Kam To
7.Vancouver (Gu YiQing( R5) + Lau KeiCheon( R19)
Captain Dominic Ho
8.Orange County( LY Thomas(R6)+Anna Yin (R18)
captain Anna Yin
9.Toronto ( SUN Peter(R11) + NG Paul (R16)
captain Peter Sung
10.Richmond ( FONG William(R14) +
LEE Wing Hung(R22)
Captain Wong Yau Shan

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The 2007 Calgary North America XiangQi Tournament was a big success. It helps to promote friendship among xiangqi clubs and players in the North America Region. In the long term it would certainly raise the standard of xiangqi in the North America Zone as players are encouraged to do better every time they meet.

The fact that both the top honours of team and individual competitions were won by less known dark horses further proved that there is an urgent need for the reform of the traditional system of selecting players to compete in the WXF tournaments. We would all like the best players of our North America Zone to represent this zone . The three zonal tournaments held in 2006 and 2007 confirm our believe that if all xiangqi clubs in America and Canada cooperate and work together, we have the resources to
to achieve our goals and objectives.

REPORT BY RICHARD CHENG Sau Yin
( Chairman of Houston XiangQi Association )

Toronto Xiangqi Association-Introduction to Chinese Chess Class

2007-09-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

Introduction to Chinese Chess
Co-organized By
Agape Learning Center
Toronto Xiangqi Association

Theme: Enhance Chinese culture; Promote Chinese chess activities;
Improve analysis and thinking ability

Contents: Basic rules; Reading scores; Opening techniques; Mid-game strategies and Basic killing moves

Date: September 2007 to January 2008 (every Saturday) - total of 15 classes

Locations: Central Park Public School
100 Central Park Drive (McCowan/16th Ave)
11:45 am - 01: 00 pm

Cost: Full-course 15 classes - $150

Inquiry: Agape Learning Center - 905-918-9960
Toronto Xiangqi Association - 416-837-1318

Remarks: Certificate will be awarded by the Toronto Xiangqi Association upon completion of the whole course

What Is Xiangqi (Chinese Chess)?

Chinese Chess is a treasure unique to China. It is a war simulation ancient form of entertainment and cultural art. It is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Chinese Nation. It was developed since the Northern Song Dynasty and contains thousands of Chinese history and culture.

Do You and Your Children Know How To Play Xiangqi?

The invention of Chinese chess was originated from the war of art. It is not simply a competitive game and entertainment. Chinese chess plays a tremendous role on education.

1. Chinese Chess can develop one’s intelligence and abstract thinking. It can increase one’s logical thinking ability and memory capacity. People's minds become cleverer. This has been verified especially for the youth development.

2. Chinese chess can improve one's attention, willpower and reaction. During the competition players need to be highly concentrated. Game situation volatiles in moment. The players’ willpower will always get challenged during the setbacks. Players are often confronted with a difficult choice and need to make swift and decisive reaction. It is undoubtedly the best reaction training.

3. Chinese chess can inspire one’s braveness, firmness, calmness, and persistence characteristics. It makes one to face the difficulties and setbacks and not to give in. These excellent quality and spirit is what is needed for us to live in today's highly competitive society.

Let's learn Chinese chess! It allows us to explore and learn from the ancient oriental culture and the essence of art; to further develop our effective intelligence. It moves the kids away from the internet virtual space of games and moves them onto the cultural and athletic ocean of chess game.

"Life Is a Game of Chess"
Learning chess not only bring us wisdom. The world is changing rapidly. We are also deeply felt in life. We benefited from life.

Click here to download the pdf file.

TV news "THE CALGARY 2007 XIANGQI INVITATION TOURNAMENT - NORTH AMERICAN ZONE "

2007-09-14T05:07:00.001-07:00

FINAL RESULTS OF THE CALGARY 2007 XIANGQI INVITATION TOURNAMENT - NORTH AMERICAN ZONE

2007-09-08T23:15:00.000-07:00

The 2007 Galgary XiangQi Invitation Tournament - North American Zone , took place on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of September 2007 in the beautiful Canadian City of Calgary.

There were 10 teams attending - they came from the cities of Vancouver , Toronto , Calgary , Edmonton , Richmond , New York , San Francisco, Houston and Orange County. A lot of very interesting and surprising things happened during the three days of play and this web site will give a more detailed account of this interesting event a bit later.

Eventually Mr. Ma Yun Run of Calgary got the top prize in the ` Individual Section ` while the young Houston Team scored the top honour in the ` Team Section ` of the tournament . The following tables list out the individual players and teams participating and their final standings : -

INDIVIDUAL SECTION

1. Ma Yun Run Calgary 6
2. Mou Hai Qin New York 5.5
3. Ung Y Dau Edmonton 4.5
4. Truong Chanh Huynh Houston 4.5
5. Gu Yi Qing Vancouver 4.5
6. LY Thomas Orange County 4.5
7. Szeto Howard San Francisco 4
8. Wang Jing Yuan Calgary A 4
9. Yang Runze Calgary A 4
10. Tse Richard Houston 4
11. Sung Peter Toronto 4
12. Chan Cheng San Francisco 3.5
13. Cheng Song Li Calgary B 3
14. Fong William Richmond 3
15. Vuong Cuong Calgary B 3
16. Ng Paul Toronto 3
17. Jli Jia Qing New York 3
18. Anna Yin Orange County 3
19. Lau Kei Cheong Vancouver 3
20. Van Trunng Edmondton 3
21. Cheng Richard Houston 2.5
22. Lee Wing Hung Richmond 2
23. Wang ZhongLiang Calgary A 1.5
24. Li Jennifer Orange County 1

TEAM SECTION

1. Houston ( Truong Chanh ; Tse Richard )
2. Calgary B ( Ma Yun Run ; Vuong Cuong )
3. Calgary A ( Wang Jing Yuan ; Yang Runse )
4. New York ( Mou Hai Qin ; Jli Jia Qing )
5. San Francisco ( Szeto Howard ; Chan Cheng )
6. Edmonton ( Ung Y Dou ; Van Trunng )
7. Vancouver ( Gu Yi Qing ; Lau Kei Cheon )
8. Orange County ( LY Thomas ; Anna Yin )
9. Toronto ( Peter Sung ; NG Paul )
10. Richmond ( Fong William ; Lee Wing Hung )

Report from Richard Cheng.

More Photo

All rounds reports

Zheng XiMing beaten by dark horse Wong Lin

2007-06-23T00:07:00.000-07:00

Zheng XiMing beaten by dark horse Wong Lin
Scarborough Senior's Club takes its first Toronto championship

Wong Lin of the Scarborough Senior's Club scored a major upset on Saturday (June 16), beating Toronto's top player, Zheng XiMing, to win the “Gallant Marble Cup” Toronto Xiangqi Open.
This makes Wong the first player from the Scarborough Senior's Club to win the Toronto championship. Congratulations are in order for the entire club, which gives tremendous support to the Toronto Xiangqi Open, and has taken a number of high prizes in the past.

By all accounts Wong was lucky: playing Black in the first game, Zheng, the reigning North American champion, seized an early advantage, and remained in control right until the end, when he walked into a trap and blundered away a piece. He sportingly resigned at once. In the second game, Wong was completely solid, forcing a draw while giving Zheng no chance for complications.

ZHENG XiMing(LOST)WONG Lin

Third place was decided by a wild battle. Billy Lam and Song Shi Qin each won a long game with Red and then went after each other's heads in a tie-break speed game. Lam seemed to be in trouble when Song walked into checkmate.

The matches were played at the Oriental Centre at the Northeast corner of Sheppard and Brimley, and were watched by a crowd of about 200. The final pairings were determined by a six-round Swiss tournament that took place over the last three weekends at Milliken Park Community Center, where the Scarborough Senior’s Club holds regular meetings.

The Toronto Open is a tradition dating back to 1978, and is organized jointly by the Toronto Xiangqi Association and the Scarborough Seniors Club. It gives players from throughout the GTA the chance to meet and sometimes play against the city’s leading masters. We are grateful to this year’s major sponsors:

* Gallant Marble (www.gallantmarble.com)
* Oriental Centre - North East corner of Sheppard and Brimley
* Comtronic Computer Inc. (www.comtronic.ca/cci/)

Chinese chess, or Xiangqi, is the ancient cousin of western chess. It is played all over the Far East, and in Asian communities throughout North America. It is traditionally considered a Chinese art form

More Photo 更多相片

The 2007 “Gallant Marble Cup” Toronto Xiangqi Open

2007-06-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

The 2007 “Gallant Marble Cup” Toronto Xiangqi Open finishes tomorrow(Saturday June 16) at the Oriental Centre at the Northeast corner of Sheppard and Brimley. Why not come join us? Play begins at 1 p.m.

Toronto’ top player, Zheng Ximing, will be trying for his fourth Toronto championship in five years. He will play a two-game match against Wong Lin to decide first and second places. At the same time, Billy Lam and Song Shi Qin will play for third place.

In addition to being the reigning Toronto champion, Zheng Ximing is the reigning North American individual champion, and was the 2004 Canadian individual championship. He also played on the Toronto Xiangqi Association’s reigning Canadian and North American teams.

The final pairings were determined by a six-round Swiss tournament that took place over the last three weekends at Milliken Park Community Center, where the Scarborough Senior’s Club holds regular meetings. The Toronto Xiangqi Open is organized jointly by the Toronto Xiangqi Association and the Scarborough Seniors Club.

The Toronto Open is a tradition dating back to 1978. It gives players from throughout the GTA the chance to meet and sometimes play against the city’s leading masters. We are grateful to this year’s major sponsors:

* Gallant Marble (www.gallantmarble.com)
* Oriental Centre - North East corner of Sheppard and Brimley
* Comtronic Computer Inc. (www.comtronic.ca/cci/)

Chinese chess, or Xiangqi, is the ancient cousin of western chess. It is played all over the Far East, and in Asian communities throughout North America. It is traditionally considered a Chinese art form.

If you love Xiangqi, or even if you know nothing about it, you’re
welcome to drop by. Members of the Toronto Xiangqi Association will be on
hand to provide information and to play casual games.

2007 "Gallant Marble Cup" Toronto Xiangqi Open

Cross Table

No Name Rtg Loc Total 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Zheng, Ximing 郑熙明 5.5 3:W 21:W 28:W 5:W 6:W 4:D
2 Wong, Lin, 王林 5 27:D 3:D 13:W 26:W 8:W 5:W
3 Lam, Billy 4.5 1:L 2:D 24:W 20:W 19:W 6:W
4 Song, Shi Qin 宋士芹 4.5 24:W 6:L 27:W 22:W 15:W 1:D
5 Truong, Steve 张富强 4 16:W 7:W 22:W 1:L 9:W 2:L
6 Zhang, Yao Guang 张耀光 4 31:W 4:W 26:W 12:W 1:L 3:L
7 Ng, Paul 吴岳林 4 9:W 5:L 8:L 17:W 22:W 15:W
8 Lam, Quan Wei 林权威 4 10:L 32:W 7:W 21:W 2:L 13:W
9 Lai, Desmond 4 7:L 27:W 10:W 14:W 5:L 16:W
10 Ngo, Khai 吴启 4 8:W 12:L 9:L 23:W 21:W 19:W
11 Li, Dong Hui 李东辉 3.5 12:L 17:W 19:D 13:L 20:W 22:W
12 Yao, Jim 姚建华 3 11:W 10:W 18:L 6:L 16:L 21:W
13 Huang, Jung Long 黄进龙 3 25:L 31:W 2:L 11:W 14:W 8:L
14 , 范佐津 3 18:L 0:W 20:W 9:L 13:L 25:W
15 Chow, Edmond 周文清 3 28:L 24:W 23:W 18:W 4:L 7:L
16 Chen, Wan Wen 陈玩文 3 5:L 22:L 30:W 25:W 12:W 9:L
17 Ho, Patrick 何家明 3 21:L 11:L 29:W 7:L 28:W 23:W
18 Li, Chong 李章 3 14:W 25:W 12:W 15:L 0: 0:
19 Chan, Lap Yan 陈立仁 2.5 23:L 29:W 11:D 28:W 3:L 10:L
20 Mo, Ze Men 莫泽文 2.5 32:W 28:D 14:L 3:L 11:L 29:W
21 Chan, Boa Fon 陈宝山 2 17:W 1:L 25:W 8:L 10:L 12:L
22 Feng, Zhen Ye 冯振业 2 29:W 16:W 5:L 4:L 7:L 11:L
23 Li, Han Qi 李汉琦 2 19:W 26:L 15:L 10:L 24:W 17:L
24 Ho, Chun Wah 何俊华 2 4:L 15:L 3:L 29:W 23:L 28:W
25 Liu, Rong Ye 刘荣业 2 13:W 18:L 21:L 16:L 27:W 14:L
26 Guo, Boris 郭磊 2 30:W 23:W 6:L 2:L 0: 0:
27 Liu, Bo Yang 刘博洋 1.5 2:D 9:L 4:L 30:L 25:L 0:W
28 Chan, Michael 陈启坚 1.5 15:W 20:D 1:L 19:L 17:L 24:L
29 Tso, Ken 曹志勤 1 22:L 19:L 17:L 24:L 0:W 20:L
30 Wong, Jack 黄泽深 1 26:L 0: 16:L 27:W 0: 0:
31 Chow, Herun 周和润 0 6:L 13:L 0: 0: 0: 0:
32 Yeung, Wai Kwong, 杨伟光 0 20:L 8:L 0: 0: 0: 0:

Toronto Chinese Chess Championship “Gallant Marble Cup” set for May

2007-05-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

Come challenge Toronto’s best Chinese chess players in the 2007 running of the Toronto Xiangqi Association’s annual open tournament.

The 2007 “Gallant Marble Cup” Toronto Xiangqi Open will take the form of a Swiss tournament, to be held three straight Saturdays – May 26, June 2 and June 9 at Milliken Park Community Center, followed by matches for first and third place on June 16 at the Oriental Centre. All rounds begin at 1 p.m.

This year we are proud to announce our major sponsors:
• Gallant Marble (www.gallantmarble.ca)
• Oriental Centre – North East corner of Sheppard and Brimley
• Comtronic Computer Inc. (http://www.comtronic.ca/cci/)

All are welcome to play; prior registration is welcomed, but not necessary. If you don’t know how to play, drop by, and we’ll introduce you to one of the world’s great games.

The cost of entering the tournament is a modest $3 for members and $10 for non-members. Cash prizes and gifts will be awarded to the eight top finishers, as well as the top three senior and youth players.

Chinese chess, or Xiangqi, is the ancient cousin of western chess. It is played all over the Far East, and in Asian communities throughout North America. It is traditionally considered a Chinese art form.

The Toronto Open is a tradition dating back to 1978. It gives players from throughout the GTA the chance to meet and sometimes play against the city’s leading masters.

To register for the Toronto Xiangqi Open, contact
Benson Wong at 416-299-6598 or bensonsfwong@hotmail.com.

For more information about the Toronto Xiangqi Association, go to www.txa.ca.

2007 “Gallant Marble Cup” Toronto Xiangqi Open

Organizer: Toronto Xiangqi Association (TXA);
Scarborough Seniors Chess Club (SSCC)
Sponsors: Gallant Marble Company Limited; Oriental Centre;
Comtronic Computer Inc.
Event: Individual (Open; Senior – age 60 or above; Youth – age 14 or below)
Time: Saturday May 26, June 2, June 9 and June 16
Location: Milliken Park Community Center (Preliminary Rounds) - May 26, June 2, June 9
Every Saturday 1-5 pm
South of Steeles, East of Mccowan
Oriental Centre (Final) – June 16 1-5 pm
North East corner of Sheppard and Brimley;
Method:
 WXF (AXF) Rules will be adopted
 Six preliminary rounds using the Swiss system. Two games per week.
 When players obtain equal scores, their rankings will be decided by match points; opponent’s match points, and total wins.
 Any player that is absent for 2 rounds is automatically disqualified.
 The final round takes the form of two-game matches in which the top four from the Swiss tournament play off for the first and third places.
 The Senior Champion is the top senior player from the preliminary rounds.
 The Youth champion is the top youth player from the preliminary rounds.
Awards:
 Open 1st to 8th – Trophy/Certificate, Cash Prize and Gift Set
 Senior 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate, Cash Prize and Gift Set
 Youth 1st to 3rd – Trophy/Certificate, Cash Prize and Gift Set
Entry Fee: Member - $3.00, Non-member – $10.00, Youth - Free
Banquet Fee: $25.00 (Awards Presentation ＆ Banquet – June 16, 2007)
Chairman: Elton Yuen; Benson Wong
Referees: Peter Sung; Yip Sing Ng; Ying Fai Choi; Stephen Fung
Registration
& Inquiry: Benson Wong at 416-299-6598 or bensonsfwong@hotmail.com