CHINA

Chinese Chess Scandal Erases Decade of Champions Amid Match-Fixing Probe

By Qin Jianhang

Published: Apr. 14, 2026 12:48 a.m. GMT+8

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From left to right: Hong Zhi, Xie Jing, Xu Chao.

The cascading fallout from a match-fixing scandal in Chinese chess is continuing to reshape the sport.

On April 13, the Chinese Xiangqi Association announced a new round of penalties for rules violations, issuing lifetime bans to grandmasters Hong Zhi, Xie Jing and Xu Chao. The three were stripped of their technical titles and permanently barred from participating in or organizing any events under the association and its affiliated units.

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Chinese Xiangqi Association issued lifetime bans to grandmasters Hong Zhi, Xie Jing, Xu Chao for match-fixing on April 13; stripped titles.
Shen Peng (8-year ban), Jiang Chuan (5-year); third notice from 2023 "recording gate" probe.
Scandal penalized all 2012-2023 national champions; six sentenced to 1-4.5 years prison in Sept 2025.

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Who’s Who

Beijing DeHeng Law Offices: Cai Yi, a national master and attorney at Beijing DeHeng Law Offices, told Caixin the scandal originated from a March 2023 social media dispute between Wang Tianyi and Hao Jichao, leading to a leaked recording.

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