Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship Concludes Successfully Chinese Players Crowned in Both Categories

The 2024 Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship, organized by the Hong Kong China Chess Federation, funded by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau's Arts & Sports Development Fund, and supported by the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation, has successfully concluded at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. The event attracted over 200 participants from around 30 regions. Over the course of seven days of intense competition, the champion of the Open Category was ultimately claimed by Chinese GM Bai Jinshi, while the Challenger Category saw fellow Chinese player Liu Ruhao emerge victorious. Notably, the remarkable 12-year-old CM Li Yiheng and 16 year-old Mikail Nur Azmir Chan respectively secured the titles of The Best Hong Kong Player in the Open and Challenger Categories!

The Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship 2024, lasting seven consecutive days, was held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

The Best Hong Kong Player in the Open Category is 12-year-old CM Li YiHeng .

Since its inception in 2009, the Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship has now reached its 12th edition, establishing itself as the region's most prestigious chess tournament. This year marked the first time the event was held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, drawing numerous world-class players and breaking previous records for both overall participation and the number of players holding FIDE titles. The introduction of separate Open and Challenger Categories allowed for greater inclusivity, enabling more competitors to engage in this prestigious contest.

The Best Hong Kong Player in the Challenger Category is 16-year-old Chan, Mikail Nur Azmir .

After an intense series of 9 rounds, the top three positions in the Open Category were claimed by Chinese GM Bai Jinshi, Indian GM S. P. Sethuraman, and Chinese IM Li Bo, while the Challenger Category top three were secured by Chinese and Hong Kong players, including Chinese player Liu Ruhao, Hong Kong player Mikail Nur Azmir Chan and Yu Lijie.

The Champion in the Open Category, GM Bai Jinshi from China (Left); the 2nd Place, GM S. P.Sethuraman from India (Right).

This tournament was also the first time to award norms to players in Hong Kong. Chinese player Meng Yihan has obtained a norm for “International Master” (IM), further elevating the international level and competitive standards of chess tournaments in the region.Additionally, several arbiters successfully completed the assessment through this tournament, meeting the standards set by FIDE and obtaining a norm for “International Arbiter” (IA) or “FIDE Arbiter” (FA), thereby enhancing the professionalism and international recognition of Hong Kong arbiters. Together, these accomplishments will strengthen Hong Kong's position as a leading center for chess in Asia.

Several Arbiters have obtained a norm for International Arbiter (IA) and FIDE Arbiter (FA),which has raised the level of professionalism and international recognition of Hong Kong arbiters.

The champion of the Open Category, Chinese GM Bai Jinshi mentioned, stated, “The overall level of this tournament was remarkable, with the quality of event organization in Hong Kong, the setup of the venue, and the competitive levels of the players all reaching an excellent standard. This is my second time participating in the Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship. My connection with this tournament began 12 years ago, when I first competed in 2012 and achieved second place. Winning the championship this time is a continuation of that experience, which was a wonderful opportunity for me at such a young age. I hope the tournament continues to improve and provides an even better platform for more young players in the future. If given the chance, I would love to participate in the tournament again.”

Awardees of the Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship 2024.

The champion of the Challenger Category, Chinese player Liu Ruhao, stated, “The tournament felt prestigious to me. I have been learning chess for about fifteen to sixteen years, and I had a significant regret in my childhood for never participating in any international competitions. This tournament has fulfilled that childhood dream. In the tournament, the most memorable moment was encountering a senior from my university in the fourth round. He usually studies at the Hong Kong campus while I am at the Shenzhen campus, and I’m very happy to meet like-minded friends in the tournament and increase our opportunities for engaging.”

The Champion of the Challenger Category is Liu Ruhao from China (Right).

The President of the Hong Kong China Chess Federation, KK Chan, remarked, “With the successful hosting of multiple tournaments, the development of chess in Hong Kong is advancing towards greater engagement and profile. In the future, we will continue to commit to organizing more major world tournaments. Next year, we will prepare for an Asian Amateur Chess Tournament with over three hundred participants, and we will organize a Hong Kong chess exchange group with more than one hundred members. We hope to provide chess enthusiasts with more opportunities and platforms to interact and learn from international players.”

Top 10 Awardees in the Open Category .

Top 10 Awardees in the Challenger Category .

The 2025 Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship, organized by the Hong Kong China Chess Federation, funded by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau's Arts & Sport Development Fund, and supported by the Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation, has successfully concluded at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. The event attracted about 400 participants from around 30 regions. Over the course of 7 days of intense competition, the champion of the Open Category was ultimately claimed by 20-year-old Mongolia's IM Amartuvshin Ganzorig, while the Challenger Category champion was won by 19-year-old China’s female athlete Zheng Xiner. Additionally, 16-year-old CM Jamison Kao was awarded the title of the "Best Hong Kong Player" in the Open Category!

The Hong Kong Interna onal Open Chess Championship 2025, las ng seven consecu ve days, was held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

This year’s event, once again held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, attracted a strong international field and set new participation records, featuring the highest number of Grandmasters (GMs) and International Masters (IMs) in the championship’s history, as well as reaching an all-time high in both the total number of FIDE-titled players and overall participants.

After 7 days and 9 rounds of intense competition, the top three places in the Open Category were claimed by Mongolia's IM Amartuvshin Ganzorig, China’s GM Peng Xiongjian and India’s GM N R Visakh. In the Challenger Category, the podium was swept by athletes from China and Hong Kong, China, including China’s Zheng Xiner, the only female player in the top ten, China’s Li Tianbo and Hong Kong, China’s Tong Ho Man.

The Best Hong Kong Player in the Open Category is 16-year-old CM Jamison Kao.

The performance of Hong Kong athletes also deserves recognition. In the Open Category featuring nearly 130 participants, 16-year-old CM Jamison Kao delivered a notable performance. Starting from 44th place, he advanced through intense competition to finish in 28th position, demonstrating clear progress in his competitive level and closing the gap with international athletes. This achievement reflects the steady growth of Hong Kong's young talents on the global stage.

The champion of the Open Category, Mongolia's IM Amartuvshin Ganzorig mentioned, “This is my first visit to Hong Kong, and the vibrancy of the city has left a deep impression on me. During the championship, I also took the opportunity to explore various parts of Hong Kong and experience its unique charm. The standard of this championship was exceptionally high with spacious and well-equipped venue. And the organizers' preparations were both professional and thorough. Winning the championship here in Hong Kong holds special meaning for me, and I truly cherish this competition experience.”

The champion of the Open Category, Mongolia's IM Amartuvshin Ganzorig .

The champion of the Challenger Category, China’s Zheng Xiner, stated, “I am satisfied with my performance in this tournament, especially with clinching a crucial victory in the final round under pressure playing against the Black, which ultimately secured me the Champion title on tiebreak points. Winning this championship is a tremendous source of encouragement for me, motivating me to continue striving for even better results in future competitions. I would also like to sincerely thank my coach. It is through his dedicated guidance that I have been able to shine on the chessboard.”

The champion of the Challenger Category, China’s Zheng Xiner.

Thirteen Years of Progress in the Asian Chess World   Leveraging World-Class Championship to Foster Economic and Cultural Integration

Since its inception in 2010, the Hong Kong International Open Chess Championship has now reached its 13th edition, developing into one of the largest open chess tournaments in Asia. This year's tournament not only provided a high-level competitive platform for athletes but also reinforced Hong Kong's reputation as a mind sports hub in Asia, laying valuable groundwork for hosting world-class international tournaments in the future.

Top 10 Awardees in the Open Category .

In terms of economic contribution, the championship successfully attracted athletes from around the world to Hong Kong, stimulating local tourism, hospitality, dining, and related consumption.It is estimated to have generated nearly 10 million Hong Kong dollars in economic benefits. This demonstrates the potential of large-scale mind sports tournaments to drive local economic growth and offers a positive reference for Hong Kong to continue organizing more high-standard international tournaments in the future. Moving forward, we aim to further leverage such events to solidify Hong Kong's reputation as a regional leader in mind sports, while fostering cultural exchange and synergistic economic development through the hosting of more high-quality tournaments.

Top 10 Awardees in the Challenger Category.

Mr. Geoffrey Kao, Honorary President of the Hong Kong China Chess Federation, stated: "This edition of the championship has been exceptionally successful. As the tournament enters its 13th edition, we will continue to strive for improvement and further enhance the quality of the event. We sincerely thank the government for its consistent support. Looking ahead to next year, we aim to expand the scale of the championship, contributing to Hong Kong's economic development while also fostering a more vibrant local chess ecosystem. We also hope to use chess as a driving force to promote mind sports as an athletic discipline that aligns with Hong Kong's unique potential and strengths."