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A pioneering deal between Brain and china is set to
open Chinese chess (Xiangqi) to a truly global audience for the
first time.
Britain's Brain Games Network has agreed with
the China Chess Institute exclusive rights to co-host and broadcast
the World Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) Championships for the next five
years.
Under the agreement the world championships
will be open to all players worldwide via the Brain Games Network
website. This will create unprecedented opportunities for an estimated
one billion enthusiasts to test their skills against the masters
of the games.
Sir Jeremy Hanley, chairman of Brain Games Network,
commented "Only because of the internet can Chinese chess players
from anywhere in the world experience the excitement of participating
in and watching live a truly global championship tournament."
The agreement establishes an annual World Xiangqi
Challenge, in which 32 Xiangqi Grandmasters and masters will participate.
The first tournament will start in February 2001 with play-offs
open to everyone through the Brain Games Network website, and will
culminate in July 2001 with the spectacular prospect of finals held
in the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace or even on the Great Wall.
The winner will go to challenge the world's
most advanced Chinese Chess supercomputer, in a Man Versus Machine
contest reminiscent of Kasparov's classic chess battle with IBM's
Deep Blue.
Not everyone will be keen to take on a Xiangqi
Grandmaster, but the website - www.braingames.net - will have something
for everyone. The Xiangqi pages will be accessible by early 2001
in Chinese, English and Spanish.
"Xiangqi has been an integral part of Chinese
culture for thousands of years," said Secretary-General of
the China Xiangqi Association, Hu Haibo. "We are very excited
that using today's technology, it will reach an even wider audience
of intellectual games enthusiasts."
(People's Daily 11/21/2000)
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