Chinese chess village shaken by match-fixing

Chess - Photo 1.

Wang Tianyi - China's number one chess player is also involved in a scandal - Photo: CN

Origin and investigation process

The scandal broke out when Hong Zhi, a famous Chinese chess player, publicly denounced the "dirty moves" that were tainting the chess world.

Special Grand Master Hong Zhi is said to have recorded a secret conversation between Wang Yaofei and Hao Jichao in 2023.

In the recording, Yao Fei and Ji Chao discuss in detail the fixing of chess games with many other players, including Wang Tianyi, China's number 1 player. Previously, Hac Ji Chao had sought out Hong Zhi to confide in him after being banned from competing for 1 year by the Chinese Chess Association (CXA).

Hong Tri advised his juniors to call Wang Yaofei to discuss this matter. Wang Yaofei was a close brother of Wang Tianyi.

It is worth mentioning that Hong Tri is suspected of secretly recording the conversation between Ke Sieu and Duoc Phi without their knowledge. Afterwards, Hong Tri himself released this recording on social media, under an anonymous account. Ironically, "the net of heaven is vast, although it is sparse, it is difficult to escape", Hong Tri probably did not expect that he himself would also be caught up in legal trouble.

Chinese media reported that Hong Zhi and two other players, Xie Jing and Xu Chao, are being prosecuted for match-fixing, intentionally losing or drawing games to gain illegal profits. While Xie Jing and Xu Chao have bowed their heads and admitted their guilt, Hong Zhi has remained silent, raising further suspicions about his role in the scandal.

Subsequent investigations have gathered solid evidence, including audio recordings, showing the involvement of many top players in the chess match-fixing ring.

Severe charges and penalties

The shocking recording has sparked a large-scale investigation in the Chinese chess community.

As a result, in September 2024 and early 2025, the Chinese Xiangqi Association (CXA) imposed heavy penalties, permanently banning four "chess kings" including Wang Tianyi, Zheng Weidong, Zhao Xinxin and Wang Yang.

In addition, 41 other players also received appropriate punishments, ranging from public reprimands to indefinite bans from competition. Notably, in both of these announcements, Hong Tri is currently not on the list of punishments.

The scandal has caused great anger and disappointment among the chess fan community, both inside and outside China.

The Chinese Xiangqi Association (CXA) confirmed that the list of players to be punished has not stopped, and the investigation is still expanding. "We will announce further punishment decisions soon," a representative of CXA recently stated.

The Chinese chess village, once a symbol of dignity and honor, is now in an unprecedented crisis.

This scandal not only eroded fans' trust, but also sounded the alarm about transparency and fairness in sports, raising big questions about the future of this intellectual sport.