"Australia's Sydney Xiangqi Invitational Competition Simul was a perfect success"
The Australia's Sydney Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) Invitational Competition Simul was organized by the Australian Four Arts Chinese Scholar Association and the Australian Xiangqi Association with ending victoriously at Eastwood Plaza in Sydney on Saturday, March 9, 2024. It was a perfect success! Fifteen Xiangqi players registered to participate in the competition, and fourteen Xiangqi players arrived on time to challenge. In the first round, Grandmaster George Lu sat on the ring, and then in the second round, the China's first Queen of Xiangqi Grandmaster Huang Zijun sat on the ring. Most of the challengers were male Xiangqi players, and there were a few female Xiangqi players. Only one Westerner Xiangqi enthusiast participated in challenging for two rounds. Each game in the two rounds was a fierce battle, and the atmosphere was tense and warm.
In the first round, Grandmaster George Lu was aggressive in his moves, quick in his moves, and battled wits and courage. He was both offensive and defensive on the Chinese chessboard, and was scheming. The games were very intense, and Xiangqi fans and the audience were attracted and focused. In the end, Grandmaster George Lu won two and twelve draws. It can be seen that the Xiangqi skills are superb! Grandmaster George Lu had won multiple Australian Xiangqi individual championships and was the runner-up in the Hong Kong individual Xiangqi competition before coming to Australia.
In the second round, the China's first Queen of Xiangqi Grandmaster Huang Zijun was facing with the challenges of two female Xiangqi players and twelve male Xiangqi players, she sometimes concentrated on meditation, and sometimes struck as lightning, placing troops on the Chinese chessboard and attacking step by step. The games were quite exciting, so Xiangqi fans and spectators couldn't help but were applauding and cheering good! The first Queen of Xiangqi finally ended successfully with a total draw (fourteen draws). It can be seen that the Xiangqi skills are extraordinary! Grandmaster Huang Zijun is the Queen of Xiangqi that won the first Chinese Women's National Xiangqi Individual Championship.
Xiangqi friends, fans and spectators had a lot of fun during the event. They increased their interest in Xiangqi and their understanding of Chinese culture. They also learned that having Xiangqi games with friends can increase friendships and make more friends. Everyone was very satisfied with the performances of two Simul masters and thanked them for their decades of efforts in promoting Xiangqi in Australia. Moreover, they said they would continue to promote Xiangqi and work hard for the development of Xiangqi in Australia and the world throughout their lives. This is worth learning from everyone, paying respects to them!
The 103-year-old Mr. Huang Qinghui, a famous overseas Chinese leader and calligrapher in Sydney, watched the competition in a wheelchair and in good spirits. Mr. Huang is the honorary president of the Australian Four Arts Chinese Scholar Association. He has enthusiastically promoted Chinese culture in Australia for decades and won the Australian Chinese Outstanding Contribution Award to the Cultural Sector. Also, the former deputy mayor of Ryde City Mr. Zhou Shuo, a calligrapher and painterpresent Ms. Lin Jing, and a painter Ms. Lulu presented at the event. They are grateful for their support of Chinese culture and Xiangqi!
The China's first Queen of Xiangqi Grandmaster Huang Zijun also introduced her new Xiangqi book "XiangQi (Chinese Chess) Book 1: XiangQi Basic", the bilingual Xiangqi Chinese Chess book in Chinese and English, all have seen that she has quietly made a great contribution to the promotion of Xiangqi to the world that must be recorded in the history of Xiangqi! And her husband, Mr. Chen Shengying, graduated from Sun Yat-sen University in China, also completed the bilingual book "Chinese Historical Pictures Book" to introduce Chinese historical knowledge to overseas children in the form of pictures in Chinese and English. The China's first Queen of Xiangqi deserves the acclaim they are really a perfect couple to act as combining double swords to cooperate together, promoting Chinese culture and Xiangqi to the world, which is full of praise!
Due to the overwhelming response to this Xiangqi event, and in order to further promote Xiangqi, the Associations' president Grandmaster George Lu announced that the Australian Four Arts Chinese Scholar Association and the Australian Xiangqi Association would organize the Xiangqi study classes, and they had specially invited the China's first Queen of Xiangqi Grandmaster Huang Zijun to give lessons in person. The time is the afternoon of the third Saturday of every month, and the address is 167 Shaftsbury Road, Eastwood, Sydney. Seats are limited and No Fees! Please register as soon as possible, please contact the Associations' president Grandmaster George Lu on mobile phone: 0435724813. Or Mr Jeffery Tse on mobile phone: 0435497798.
Finally, I hope everyone will join me as the author in praying: Bless Xiangqi! Bless China! Bless Australia! Wish world peace! Wish mankind a better tomorrow!
(by Laoyang, Australia on March 26, 2024)
Some photos of the event are attached below:
