A new Qiwang - Go King - has been enthroned in China. Yu Bin 9-dan, perhaps aided by drawing Black, won the third and decisive game of the 7th Qiwang on 27 November 2000, forcing holder Ma Xiaochun 9-dan to resign.
Despite the joy of winning, Yu Bin, like Ma a native of Zhejiang Province where the final was played, may have to come to terms with the fact that - again like Ma - he will soon be over the hill. Chinese research indicates that the upper age limit for a top pro may now be 34. Ma is 36 and having trouble at the very highest level now, despite a recuperative break from go, and Yu Bin is 33.
Ma Xiaochun 9-dan revived hopes of holding on to his title in the 7th Qiwang tournament when he won Game 2 of the final in Sheng County, Zhejiang Province. He defeated challenger Yu Bin 9-dan by 2.25 points to tie the score at 1-1 on 26 November 2000.
The decisive Game 3 is scheduled for 27 November.
Ma Xiaochun during his recent LG Cup disappointment in Paris
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Older News From 24 November 2000: CHALLENGER TAKES FIRST GAME
The 7th final of the revived Qiwang tournament has begun in Sheng County, Zhejiang Province, home of the holder Ma Xiaochun 9-dan. Unfortunately for him, Yu Bin took the first game by 1.25 points on 24 November 2000.
Game 2 will take place at the same venue on 26 November, and if the score is then 1-1, the third and decisive game will be played on the day after.
Older News From 5 July 2000: YU THREATENS REGICIDE
Experience told as Yu Bin 9-dan overcame Beijing prodigy Kong Jie 5-dan in the challenge final of the 7th Qiwang on 4 July 2000. Qiwang means "go king". Yu will be trying to topple current crown-bearer Ma Xiaochun 9-dan from a throne he has held for several years.
Here is the challenge final game in downloadable sgf format.
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Older News From 4 July 2000: OUTSTANDING CHALLENGE POSSIBLE
The finalists of the challenge tournament to decide who tries to dethrone Ma Xiaochun in the 7th Qiwang tournament will be Yu Bin 9-dan and Kong Jie 5-dan. Playing in the semi-finals in Sheng County in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, on 2 July 2000, Yu beat Liu Jing 8-dan, while Kong overcame yet another upcoming prodigy, Wang Yao 3-dan.
It is hard to predict who will come out on top. Yu almost qualifies for veteran status and has been a very steady performer lately, but 18-year-old Kong from Beijing has a habit of living up to his name - Jie means "outstanding".
The challenge final is on 4 July. Here are the two semi-final games in downloadable sgf format:
We have learnt since our last report that a major sponsor of this revived event is the China Sports Newspaper.
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Older News From 28 May 2000: MA GETS TRIPLE CROWN BY DEFAULT
The Qiwang tournament has been revived after a gap of five years, and a nice spin-off for holder Ma Xiaochun is that he can now boast of being the holder of three current titles (the others are the Mingren and the Agon-Kiriyama Cup). He once held seven. The new sponsors are a clothing company from the obscure Sheng County in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. Why? That's where Ma was born! And that's where the final will be held.
The early rounds of the challengers' knockout of the new 7th term were held from 31 March to 5 April at the Zhongguo Qiyuan in Beijing. This produced the last four, who will play later to decide who faces Ma. They are Yu Bin 9-dan, Liu Jing 8-dan, Kong Jie 5-dan and Wang Yao 3-dan.
HOW DOES THE QIWANG TOURNAMENT WORK?
The Qiwang tournament was sponsored up to term 4 by the Zhongguo Weiqi Xiehui (Chinese Go Association), the Changshu Qianjinding-chang (Changshu Hoisting Jack Factory) and the Zhongguo Tiyubao-she (China Sports Paper). From term 5 the Changshu Factory was replaced by the Chongqing Huida Co. Ltd. (Chongqing is in Sichuan). Term 1 was for the Taihui Cup. Then they played to term 4 for the Tongrun Cup - Tongrun was the name of a famous Ming dynasty priest in Suzhou - then the Huida Cup. It was also supported latterly by Ing Foundation and winning gave the right to appear in the Ing Cup. As of 1995, first prize was 5000 yuan, with game fees 1000 yuan.
In its new incarnation from 2000 it is sponsored by the Babei Fushi (Babei clothing) company of Sheng County. We have no details yet of prize funds.
Latterly, and in its new form, the Qiwang is a knockout with a best-of-three final to find a challenger to the holder. In the 2000 event, the knockout began with 56 players (some seeded). Komi is 2.75.
Qiwang means King of Go. There was a tournament of the same name (in characters) in Korea, the Kiwang, but this has become the LG Cup.
QIWANG FINALISTS
The final used to start in December but finished in the following year, which is the one given below.
