Team China

China chess team eyes golds in Asian Games

(GAGOC)
Updated: 2010-08-17 14:47

Chinese national chess team has set the goal for the Guangzhou Asian Games in November, winning two gold medals at least while striving for a sweep of all four.

According to Ye Jiangchuan, Head Coach of the Chinese team, the just-concluded Sino-Russia Chess Match on Saturday has provided a valuable chance of warming-up for the players.

In the match, the Chinese players have kept a good state of mind and achieved victory. The experience has laid important foundation for the national team to attain the goal in the coming Asian Games in November.

Chess was first officially included as a medal sport in the 15th Asian Games in 2006 when three gold medals were at stake for a rapid chess individual competition for both men and women, and for the mixed team championship in the standard time control.

This year, according to the latest schedule of the 16th Asiad announced by Guangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee, four gold medals will be produced in the sport, namely both the men's and women's individual and team titles.

Up till now, the Chinese line-up for the Asian Games has been singled out, with the men's team consisting of Wang Yue, Wang Hao, Ni hua, Bu Xiangzhi and Zhou Jian, and the women's field including Ju Wenjun, Hou Yifan, Huang Qian, Zhao Xue and Wang Yu.

According to Ye, the traditional chess powers are western countries and China has no outstanding advantages in the sport in the history.

In addition, the overall quality of chess players in many other Asian countries has also improved rapidly in recent years.

All of those have set obstacles for the Chinese team to capture the gold medals in the Asian Games.

"Our main opponents are the players from India, Iran and Vietnam," said Ye, adding that the goal of Chinese team in the Guangzhou Asian Games is to win two gold medals.

However, the thorough analysis reveals that "two medals" is just a modest goal.

The Chinese women's team has achieved the world titles many times in recent years and their men peers also finished runners-up twice in international competitions.

Furthermore, the men's individual competition also promises hope for China with the absence of Vishwanathan Anand, the Indian top-level grandmaster in the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.