Four unknown international matches China-USSR (1958-1965)
info and games provided by James Tan
Alexander Alekhine was the first great chess player to visit China in 1933. In an exhibition played in Shanghai, he was held to two draws, one to Xie Xiashun, nick-named "Centurian chess king" because at 100 years old, he was a strong player in all the three forms of chess. Xie helped to promote the game and was the top player in China after the 2nd World War. In 1936, in Guangzhou, the British sponsored a tournament with top players from Austria, Britain, China, Germany and the United States. Xie won the tournament convincingly by drawing one and winning the other 18 games. In 1987, Xie (who lived in Wenzhou) died at the age of 101.
Chess was not listed as a competitive sport in China until 1956. The Chess Association of China was formed in 1962 as a minor affiliate of the Chinese Xiangqi Association due to the lack of popularity for the game at the time and only became a fully-fledged independent organization in 1986. For decadec chess was only seen as the poorer cousin of the more popular Xiangqi. Chess was banned during the first eight years of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), but by 1974 there was an easing of the ban that saw China begin to participate in international competitions, the first being in 1976. [by Wikipedia]
Few know, and today we reveal most complete details and information, that shortly before the ban on chess was imposed in 1966, the Chinese national team played four international matches with the Soviet Union, represented by decent players, and even GM! Here's the whole story.
1958
After the end of the Chinese National Chess Championship Final in December 1958, the three Soviet chess masters visited China, they were Boris Baranov, Mamadzhan Mukhitdinov and Alexander Grushevsky. They met top three finishers of Chinese National Chess Championship in Cultural Garden, Guangzhou. The Chinese lost all three games. In the game Grushevsky-Xian Quan (later know as Sin Kuen after leaving to Hong Kong) the Chinese had good winning chances in the middlegame but blundered badly and lost. The USSR team then went to Shanghai and Hohhot, where they met local chess players and they beat all Chinese players too.
The Chinese team, from left to right Xian Quan, Xu Hongshun, Xu Jialiang:
-----------------------------------------------
China, Dec 1958 1 2 3 4 5 6 pts
-----------------------------------------------
1 Baranov, Boris URS * · · 1 · · 1.0
2 Mukhitdinov, Mamadzhan URS · * · · 1 · 1.0
3 Grushevsky, Alexander URS · · * · · 1 1.0
4 Xu Jialiang CHN 0 · · * · · 0.0
5 Xu Hongshun CHN · 0 · · * · 0.0
6 Xian Quan CHN · · 0 · · * 0.0
-----------------------------------------------
-------------+--------------+------
TOTAL pts | gm + = - | %
-------------+--------------+------
USSR 3.0 | 3 3 0 0 |100.0
China 0.0 | 3 0 0 3 | 0.0
-------------+--------------+------
1963
In 1963, China invited the Soviet chess team to play the revenge match. While preparing to the match, June 14th - July 15th, the Chinese National Sports Committee selected over 20 players from various places to form a National Chess Training Team: Deng Wenxiang, Feng Bingrong, Feng Zuquan, Hong Kemin, Hou Chengji, Huang Xinzhai, Jian Mingji, Li Chengyi, Li Zhongjian, Li Zhu, Liu Chengwan, Liu Zhenguo, Lu Zhuoran, Qian Zongxiang, Wang Bijun, Wu Weiwen, Xu Hongshun, Xu Jialiang, Xu Tianli, Zhang Donglu, Zhang Fujiang and Zhu Fushan. Jian Mingji, the young player from Guangdong, who changed his name to Kan Wai Shui when he left to Hong Kong, took the first place in the round robin qualifying tournament.
In early September the following team was selected according to the results of the qualifiers: Xu Tianli, Jian Mingji, Deng Wenxiang, Xu Hongshun, Zhang Donglu, Huang Xinzhai, Feng Bingrong and Li Zhongjian. They traveled to Beijing from Shanghai to meet USSR team. In September it was confirmed that the Soviets would be lead by GM Lilienthal, and other two players were IM Yudovich and Zagorovsky. The Chinese team started to search for opponents’ games and every piece of information in order to analyze their style of play trying to predict what kind of strategy or tactics would be used.
* Beijing (September 8-12, 1963)
The USSR chess team arrived to the Yuexin Palace, Beihai (North Sea) Garden, Beijing, to play the first three rounds of the match. Huang Zhong, Chinese Deputy Chairman of the National Sports Committee also attended to watch the match. For every Chinese player it was the first occasion ever to meet strong foreign players. They felt tension, they were excited and played cautiously, fighting very hard. Total of 9 games were played in Beijing. Even though the Chinese did their best, the Soviets were just too strong for them, winning six games and drawing three.
* Shanghai (September 16-20, 1963)
The teams then moves to Shanghai, where the venue was Shanghai Sports Club to host another set of three rounds. Huang Xinzhai, the young player from Shanghai, scored historic win against Zagorovsky in 6th round, which was the only Chinese success in the whole match. Huang Xinzhai loved Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) since his childhood. In 1957, he won the Shanghai Secondary School Xiangqi championship. He learned chess from Xie Xiaxun (Centenarian Xiangqi King), in 1959 he won Shanghai 2nd National Chess Games Championship. Later he won Chinese chess championship in 1965.
* Hangzhou (September 22-24, 1963)
The remaining two rounds (total of 6 games) were played in Hangzhou. The match was won by USSR +15=8-1 overall. Even though the Chinese team lost by a huge margin again, compared to the previous meeting in 1958, the result was obviously better, and the abilities of Chinese leading players' were tangibly improved. It was noted that the players often analyzed the just-finished game together showing good friendship and respect. The Communist Party and Chinese authorities took concern about the match too. When USSR team arrived to Beijing Chinese president Zhou Enlai himself greeted and received Soviet players with honours.
---------------------------------------------
Beijing, Sep 8-12 1963 1 2 3 4 5 6 pts
---------------------------------------------
1 Zagorovsky, Vladimir URS * · · 1 ½ 1 2.5
2 Yudovich, Mikhail URS · * · ½ 1 1 2.5
3 Lilienthal, Andor URS · · * ½ 1 1 2.5
4 Xu Tianli CHN 0 ½ ½ * · · 1.0
5 Jian Mingji CHN ½ 0 0 · * · 0.5
6 Zhang Donglu CHN 0 0 0 · · * 0.0
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
Shanghai, Sep 16-20 1963 1 2 3 4 5 6 pts
---------------------------------------------
1 Yudovich, Mikhail URS * · · 1 1 ½ 2.5
2 Lilienthal, Andor URS · * · ½ 1 1 2.5
3 Zagorovsky, Vladimir URS · · * ½ 0 1 1.5
4 Xu Hongshun CHN 0 ½ ½ * · · 1.0
5 Huang Xinzhai CHN 0 0 1 · * · 1.0
6 Li Zhongjian CHN ½ 0 0 · · * 0.5
---------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Hangzhou, Sep 22-24 1963 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 pts
-------------------------------------------------
1 Lilienthal, Andor URS * · · · · · 1 1 2.0
2 Yudovich, Mikhail URS · * · ½ 1 · · · 1.5
3 Zagorovsky, Vladimir URS · · * · ½ 1 · · 1.5
4 Xu Tianli CHN · ½ · * · · · · 0.5
5 Deng Wenxiang CHN · 0 ½ · * · · · 0.5
6 Feng Bingrong CHN · · 0 · · * · · 0.0
7 Xu Hongshun CHN 0 · · · · · * · 0.0
8 Xu Jialiang CHN 0 · · · · · · * 0.0
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
player cod pts gm + = - %
-------------------------------------------------
1 Lilienthal, Andor URS 7.0 8 6 2 0 87.5
2 Yudovich, Mikhail URS 6.5 8 5 3 0 81.3
3 Zagorovsky, Vladimir URS 5.5 8 4 3 1 68.8
4 Xu Tianli CHN 1.5 4 0 3 1 37.5
5 Huang Xinzhai CHN 1.0 3 1 0 2 33.3
6 Xu Hongshun CHN 1.0 4 0 2 2 25.0
7 Deng Wenxiang CHN 0.5 2 0 1 1 25.0
8 Jian Mingji CHN 0.5 3 0 1 2 16.7
9 Li Zhongjian CHN 0.5 3 0 1 2 16.7
10 Xu Jialiang CHN 0.0 1 0 0 1 0.0
11 Feng Bingrong CHN 0.0 1 0 0 1 0.0
12 Zhang Donglu CHN 0.0 3 0 0 3 0.0
-------------------------------------------------
-------------+-------------+--------------+------
TOTAL pts | m1 m2 m3 | gm + = - | %
-------------+-------------+--------------+------
USSR 19.0 | 7.5 6.5 5.0 | 24 15 8 1 | 79.2
China 5.0 | 1.5 2.5 1.0 | 24 1 8 15 | 20.8
-------------+-------------+--------------+------
1964
The third match was played in Moscow in 1964. The Chinese team led by Chief of National Sports Wushu (martial arts) Mao Bohao, while five team members were Jian Mingji, Xu Tianli, Zhang Donglu, Xu Hongshun, Huang Xinzhai, put their feet on Soviet soil on June 4th. This was the first time of Chinese national team to play abroad. China team played three friendly matches in Moscow.
The first one was played in Moscow University resulting in five draws, quite a good achievement! Unfortunately the second round played in the club of automotive factory in Moscow, was a one sided battle. Only Xu Tianli scarped a draw, while others lost. The third match was played in Moscow Chess Association's hall. The Chinese lost all the games.
-------------+-------------+--------------+------
TOTAL pts | m1 m2 m3 | gm + = - | %
-------------+-------------+--------------+------
USSR 12.0 | 2.5 4.5 5.0 | 15 9 6 0 | 80.0
China 3.0 | 2.5 0.5 0.0 | 15 0 6 9 | 20.0
-------------+-------------+--------------+------
1965
In December 1965, the Soviet chess team lead by GM Nikolai Krogius with his teammates Felix Ignatiev, Boris Shatskes, Yuriy Vasilchuk, Mamadzhan Mukhitdinov and Boris Shipov visited China. They played three friendly matches in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. In these three matches the Chinese team scored 10 wins 17 draws and 27 loses. China's Liu Wenzhe and Zhang Donglu both beat GM Krogius in their games and they were the best among Chinese players - 5 points out of 8 games with 62.5%! Liu Wenzhe became the first Chinese to beat a Grandmaster. In 1978 he represented China at the Chess Olympiad in Argentina and beat GM Donner in the
"Chinese Immortal". Earning title of IM he became one of most prominent and successfull Chinese players all-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Beijing, China, Dec 1965 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 pts
----------------------------------------------------------------
1 Krogius, Nikolai URS X · · · · · · · 1 · · · 1 1 3.0
2 Mukhitdinov, Mamadzhan URS · X · ½ · · · · · · · · 1 1 2.5
3 Shipov, Boris URS · · X · ½ · · · · · 1 1 · · 2.5
4 Liu Wenzhe CHN · ½ · X · ½ 1 · · · · · · · 2.0
5 Zhang Donglu CHN · · ½ · X ½ · 1 · · · · · · 2.0
6 Ignatiev, Felix URS · · · ½ ½ X · · 1 · · · · · 2.0
7 Shatskes, Boris URS · · · 0 · · X · · 1 · · · 1 2.0
8 Vasilchuk, Yury URS · · · · 0 · · X ½ · · 1 · · 1.5
9 Xu Tianli CHN 0 · · · · 0 · ½ X · · · · · 0.5
10 Xu Hongshun CHN · · · · · · 0 · · X · · · · 0.0
11 Wang Bijun CHN · · 0 · · · · · · · X · · · 0.0
12 Deng Wenxiang CHN · · 0 · · · · 0 · · · X · · 0.0
13 Li Zhongjian CHN 0 0 · · · · · · · · · · X · 0.0
14 Huang Xinzhai CHN 0 0 · · · · 0 · · · · · · X 0.0
----------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Shanghai, Dec 1965 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 pts
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Krogius, Nikolai URS X · · · · · · · 1 1 ½ · · · · · 2.5
2 Shatskes, Boris URS · X · · · · 1 · · ½ · 1 · · · · 2.5
3 Ignatiev, Felix URS · · X · · · · 1 · · · ½ · · · 1 2.5
4 Vasilchuk, Yury URS · · · X · 0 · · · · · · ½ 1 · · 1.5
5 Mukhitdinov, Mamadzhan URS · · · · X · 0 · · · · · 1 ½ · · 1.5
6 Xu Jialiang CHN · · · 1 · X · · · · · · · · · · 1.0
7 Zhang Donglu CHN · 0 · · 1 · X · · · · · · · · · 1.0
8 Qi Jingxuan CHN · · 0 · · · · X · · · · · · 1 · 1.0
9 Liu Wenzhe CHN 0 · · · · · · · X · · · · · 1 · 1.0
10 Xu Tianli CHN 0 ½ · · · · · · · X · · · · ½ · 1.0
11 Hong Kemin CHN ½ · · · · · · · · · X · · · · · 0.5
12 Xu Hongshun CHN · 0 ½ · · · · · · · · X · · · · 0.5
13 Wang Bijun CHN · · · ½ 0 · · · · · · · X · · · 0.5
14 Huang Xinzhai CHN · · · 0 ½ · · · · · · · · X · · 0.5
15 Shipov, Boris URS · · · · · · · 0 0 ½ · · · · X · 0.5
16 Jian Mingji CHN · · 0 · · · · · · · · · · · · X 0.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hangzhou, Dec 1965 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 pts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Shatskes, Boris URS XX ·· ·· ·· ·· 1· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 1· ·· 1· 3.0
2 Ignatiev, Felix URS ·· XX 1· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ½· ·· ·· ·· 1· ·· 2.5
3 Liu Wenzhe CHN ·· 0· XX ·· ·· ·· 1· ·· 1· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 2.0
4 Zhang Donglu CHN ·· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· ½· ½· 1· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 2.0
5 Mukhitdinov, Mamadzhan URS ·· ·· ·· ·· XX ½· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ½1 ·· ·· ·· ·· 2.0
6 Xu Tianli CHN 0· ·· ·· ·· ½· XX ·· 1· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 1.5
7 Vasilchuk, Yury URS ·· ·· 0· ½· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· ·· 1· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 1.5
8 Shipov, Boris URS ·· ·· ·· ½· ·· 0· ·· XX ·· ½· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 1.0
9 Krogius, Nikolai URS ·· ·· 0· 0· ·· ·· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· ·· 1· ·· ·· ·· 1.0
10 Qi Jingxuan CHN ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ½· ·· XX ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 0.5
11 Wang Bijun CHN ·· ½· ·· ·· ·· ·· 0· ·· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 0.5
12 Hong Kemin CHN ·· ·· ·· ·· ½0 ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· ·· ·· 0.5
13 Xu Hongshun CHN ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· 0· ·· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· ·· 0.0
14 Huang Xinzhai CHN 0· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· XX ·· ·· 0.0
15 Xu Jialiang CHN ·· 0· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· XX ·· 0.0
16 Li Zhongjian CHN 0· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· ·· XX 0.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
player cod pts gm + = - %
---------------------------------------------------
1 Shatskes, Boris URS 7.5 9 7 1 1 83.3
2 Ignatiev, Felix URS 7.0 9 5 4 0 77.8
3 Krogius, Nikolai URS 6.5 9 6 1 2 72.2
4 Mukhitdinov, Mamadzhan URS 6.0 9 4 4 1 66.7
5 Liu Wenzhe CHN 5.0 8 4 2 2 62.5
6 Zhang Donglu CHN 5.0 8 3 4 1 62.5
7 Vasilchuk, Yury URS 4.5 9 3 3 3 50.0
8 Shipov, Boris URS 4.0 9 2 4 3 44.4
9 Xu Tianli CHN 3.0 9 1 4 4 33.3
10 Qi Jingxuan CHN 1.5 3 1 1 1 50.0
12 Xu Jialiang CHN 1.0 2 1 0 1 50.0
12 Hong Kemin CHN 1.0 3 0 2 1 33.3
13 Wang Bijun CHN 1.0 5 0 2 3 20.0
14 Xu Hongshun CHN 0.5 4 0 1 3 12.5
15 Huang Xinzhai CHN 0.5 6 0 1 5 8.3
16 Jian Mingji CHN 0.0 1 0 0 1 0.0
17 Deng Wenxiang CHN 0.0 2 0 0 2 0.0
18 Li Zhongjian CHN 0.0 3 0 0 3 0.0
---------------------------------------------------
-------------+----------------+--------------+------
TOTAL pts | m1 m2 m3 | gm + = - | %
-------------+----------------+--------------+------
USSR 35.5 | 13.5 11.0 11.0 | 54 27 17 10 | 65.7
China 18.5 | 4.5 7.0 7.0 | 54 10 17 27 | 34.3
-------------+----------------+--------------+------
Overall history of four China - Russia matches (1958-1965)
------+-----+--------------+------+-----------+
TOTAL | pts | gms + = - | % |mtch + = - |
------+-----+--------------+------+-----------+
USSR | 69½ | 96 54 31 11 | 72.4 | 10 9 1 0 |
China | 26½ | 96 11 31 54 | 27.6 | 10 0 1 9 |
------+-----+--------------+------+-----------+
------+------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
TOTAL | 1958 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |
------+------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
USSR | 3 | 19 7½ 6½ 5 | 12 2½ 4½ 5 | 35½ 13½ 11 11 |
China | 0 | 5 1½ 2½ 1 | 3 2½ ½ 0 | 18½ 4½ 7 7 |
------+------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
Source & Bibliography:
- Chess in China (3/1995) pg 48
- Guoji Xiangqi Buju Yuanli (Xu Jialiang) pg 2-3
- Guoji Xiangqi Chubu (Xu Hongshun) pg 86, 108, 127-128, 138-139, 188-190
- Guoji Xiangqi Cidian (Lin Feng & Chen Guikang) pg 633-635
- Guoji Xiangqi Jiben Zhanshu (Wang Pinzhang & Liu Zhenguo) pg 183
- Guoji Xiangqi Zhanfa (Luo Yiping) pg 144-148
- Guoji Xiangqi Zhongguo Xuepai (Liu Wenzhe) pg 35-66
- Xiyangqi Chubu (Xu Hongshun) pg 96-97, 120, 139-140, 150-152, 201-203
- Zhongsu Guoji Xiangqi Youyisai Duiju Jilu (Part 1 & 2) (Bulletin)
Alexander Alekhine was the first great chess player to visit China in 1933. In an exhibition played in Shanghai, he was held to two draws, one to Xie Xiashun, nick-named "Centurian chess king" because at 100 years old, he was a strong player in all the three forms of chess. Xie helped to promote the game and was the top player in China after the 2nd World War. In 1936, in Guangzhou, the British sponsored a tournament with top players from Austria, Britain, China, Germany and the United States. Xie won the tournament convincingly by drawing one and winning the other 18 games. In 1987, Xie (who lived in Wenzhou) died at the age of 101.