Xiangqi, like chess, is mostly played by men. Along with tea drinking and calligraphy, it has staid mandarin roots. It has also long been the game of choice for uncounted millions in less genteel circumstances. They smoke, and sometimes gamble, in parks and cafes, beneath village gates, and on sidewalks.

Chinese and Vietnamese women learn the game as children, but usually give it up. I've asked many why: they always say it was by choice. Even those who pursue high education are content to leave the game to men.

In the late 1970's, after the Cultural Revolution, China's sports officials set out to alter this picture. They likely knew full well that they were following a trail blazed by the Soviet Union in the 1930s. Throughout the nation, schoolgirls were encouraged to play both chess and xiangqi. The most talented were plunged into Soviet-like training programs.

Those who chose chess, got the chance to strike out into a vast international network. By Asian standards, the chess world is enormously rich and well lit. Victories bring high publicity at a low cost, to the delight of officials. And led by Jun XIE, China's women have served up two decades of delights, including two world championships, and several braces of Olympic medals. This has created a real threat to xiangqi's place in China’s sporting establishment.

For the women who chose Chinese chess, world renown is only a dream. In their fiercely competitive orbit, the lights shine inward. They are famous all over China, and role models for millions of schoolgirls. Women have mastered xiangqi before - the author of a famous Qing dynasty text is said to be a woman - but never on this scale, and never so well.

China's first wave of female xiangqi players took up the game during the 1970s, achieved expertise in the 1980s, and continued to win major titles until the mid-1990s. They are truly a special group, connected by strong rivalries and close friendships. Their pioneer was Hua GAO of Anhui province, who played only against men when she started, and who mentored the other women. In group photos from the 1980s, a young prodigy named Ming HU clings to GAO, as though for protection. Yet it was the others who needed protection from HU: her six national championships, including a ferocious five in a row (1990-94), make her China's greatest female player.

Yu Ying HUANG (L) battles the great Ming HU during the 1995 world women's championship in Singapore

Two members of this group have already been introduced to Mindzine readers: Yu Ying HUANG, who helped analyze the first Qin LU versus the world game; and Ye LIN, who helped analyze the second. Both won Chinese women's championships during the 1980s, both left China, and both later won world women's championships.

HUANG is Cantonese, grew up in Guangzhou, and was trained at an athletic complex in that city. She won her national title in Inner Mongolia in 1988. She represented China at the first world women's championship in 1990, but was upset by Singapore's Sim Hua TEO. After this, she was eclipsed by the rampant HU, whose winning streak included world championships in 1991 and 1993. HUANG gave up her professional chess career, and emigrated to Canada.

The world women's championship is decided by a short tournament held every two years as part of the "World Xiangqi Championships", or "World Cup". This event is organized by the China-based World Xiangqi Federation, which puts most of its effort into a concurrent international tournament. The women's competition always seems desperately thrown together, and never draws enough players. While some say that it's not a true world championship, it is the only one these women have. The winner gets a grandmaster title.

At the 1995 World Cup/world women's championships in Singapore, HUANG and I both represented Toronto. She was there to win money, and lose to Ming HU. I was there to learn, having been playing for only a year. She wore a grim game face in the playing area, but was compulsively funny in private. Before Round One, she paid me what may always be my most cherished compliment. Calling me back from the elevator, she racked her brains for an inspirational message that would fit her limited English. Finally, she burst out: "You can win! You play ... so so!"

HU cut through the field. HUANG did as well, but with greater difficulty. She spent much of her free time practicing with the Taiwanese men. With Black against Hu, she chose a counter-punching line, and achieved a gritty draw. In the seventh and last round, HU was trounced by Sim Hua TEO, HUANG's former nemesis. HUANG was exultant. She posed for photo after photo with the other women, HU nowhere in sight. Years later, she told me: "I was lucky... very, very lucky!"

Amazingly, Ming HU has scarcely been heard from since. Younger players have snapped up most of the top titles. There is now a large, talented pool that develops balanced skills at a younger age. One of these is Yi Peng GAO, who represented China at the 1997 World Cup in Hong Kong. Like HU, she came in as a heavy favorite, no doubt grateful to HUANG's infant children for their mother's absence. And like HU, she was tripped up by a former comrade.

Ye LIN joined the circuit earlier than either HUANG or HU. Whereas HUANG is a self-confessed lazy natural, LIN is studious and nervous. Her wealthy father was tortured and publicly humiliated during the Cultural Revolution. She used xiangqi to help her family escape from poverty and menial labour.

She was Sichuan province's first strong female player. She won her Chinese women's championship in Guangzhou in 1981, the year of Xiao Ping DENG's "one country, two systems" policy. She did it the same way that DENG became leader: by "hanging around". She locked up second place, and then watched from the sidelines as Hua GAO unexpectedly lost in the last round.

To build her confidence, the Sichuan coach took his team up a neighbouring mountain, and told LIN: "Now you are on top of the xiangqi world". Despite this, LIN went on to gain a reputation as an excellent player who doesn't win major titles. She became interested in the west, studied English, and later moved to Italy.

Play through the analysis by clicking on the Java link or download the text files by clicking on the other links, then choosing Save file.

In Hong Kong, LIN repeated her winning formula from 16 years before. She hung around, as other Asian favorites faltered. GAO took the lead, and was half a point clear when she met LIN. LIN carried the advantage, but could only draw. Then history repeated itself. With a last round bye, LIN watched from the sidelines as GAO crumbled to defeat against Taiwan's Hong Siu LIU. The old generation had struck again. Play through LIN's first game in the tournament in Java viewer.

The 1999 World Cup was rescued by Shanghai after cash-strapped Macau reneged on its promise to host. Perhaps this is why the women's tournament was such a bust. A mere six players came, down from 12 in 1995, and nine in 1997. LIN, HUANG, TEO, and LIU were all absent. China's Hai Ying JIN won as a matter of course, giving the second generation their first world championship.

China's Hai Ying JIN (L) sizes up Vietnam's Thi Ngoc Giao CHAU during the 1999 world women's championship in Shanghai

A bright spot was the robust play of Vietnam's Thi Ngoc Giao CHAU, a young unknown. Vietnam is currently using international tournaments to experiment with new players. It is also now recruiting and training school girls, following China's example. Playing Black against the vastly more experienced GAO, CHAU went straight for the throat, and eventually lost a complex punch-up.

Somewhat sadly, the women watching this tournament were stronger than the players. The observers included the brilliant teenager Guo Feng ZHANG, currently China's top-rated woman, and the illustrious Shanghai veteran, Xian Li SHAN. And, just like in the old pictures, Ming HU was inseparable from Hua GAO.

During the tournament, I asked Toronto team leader, Elton Yuen, to set up interviews with grandmasters. I gave Ming HU a high priority - she really impressed me in Singapore, and I have read many of her games. After Round Four, I went for lunch, planning to rest before playing again. Elton walked into the cafeteria, saw me, saw HU and GAO together, walked over to them, then to me, and said "Hu's ready. Get your tape recorder." In a later story, I'll tell you what she said.

Games

Bi Jun LIU (Australia) vs. Yu Ying HUANG (Toronto), 1995 World Women's Championship, Singapore. Click here to get the game in a text file (WXF format), or here for an algebraic text file.

This bitter first-round struggle was recognized as one of the best games of the entire World Cup. It pitted Yu Ying HUANG against a former Guangdong province team-mate, also a threat to win the tournament. HUANG fell into great difficulties, and several people told me that she was going to lose. It was the last game to finish: with the hall almost empty, Ban LO and I sat in the audience area, and watched our team-mate break Red's stranglehold and launch a pristine counter-attack.

Ye LIN (Italy) vs. Ming Chuo CHIENG (Hong Kong), 1997 World Women's Championship, Hong Kong. Click here to get the game in a text file (WXF format), or here for an algebraic text file.

This game is an "instructive opening disaster". It shows the importance of precise piece placement. Black fails to properly brace her right side, and allows what would otherwise be a harmless invasion. The combined attack of cannon and rook that ends the game is both basic and devastating. It represents a large branch of technique that students must learn.

Hong Siu LIU (Taipei) vs. Yi Peng GAO (China), 1997 World Women's Championship, Hong Kong. Click here to get the game in text file (WXF format), or here for algebraic text file.

This last-round upset handed Ye LIN the championship. Red seizes material and wins a violent shootout, with both kings in danger.

Hai Ying JIN (China) vs. Thi Ngoc Giao CHAU (Vietnam), 1999 World Women's Championship, Shanghai. Click here to get the game in text file (WXF format), or here for algebraic text file.

The Chinese champion needs all her skill to neutralize her inexperienced opponent's tactical ideas.