Where Horses and Chariots Clash: The Rise of Lingnan’s Chess Tradition! The Breakthrough Journey of Guangzhou Chess King Li Duo

By the Pearl River’s grand banyan tree, the leaves whisper softly as Li Duo concentrates on his next move. This player, honored as the “Guangzhou Chess King,” recently took second place in a provincial tournament and achieved a historic milestone for Guangzhou in the China Sports Lottery Folk Chess King Championship.

The Chu-Han Divide in His Bloodline

Li Duo’s chess journey started with a family rite of passage. His grandfather loved setting up the board beneath the park’s trees, and his father would hold his hand while playing against the grandfather. While other children chased cicadas and fished, these three generations engaged in strategic battles inspired by “The Art of War” within the confined squares. “Grandpa said the chessboard is a miniature kingdom,” he still recalls the rhythmic sounds of the moves, “each step forward or backward is a real-life choice.”

To enhance his skills, his father tirelessly sought out local chess master Chen Qiu (now head coach of Guangdong’s Ten Tigers), initiating systematic training. This blend of family heritage and professional guidance allowed him to stand out from a young age.

In 2025, Li Duo chose to settle in Guangzhou for family reasons and decided to restart his journey there. He said, “This is my wife’s hometown and a fertile ground steeped in chess culture.” Coincidentally, in early July, he learned from the Chess Association that the China Sports Lottery National Folk Chess King Championship was underway, inspiring him to open a new chapter of his chess career on this land.

Life-and-Death Battles on the Folk Chess Stage

The 2025 Chess King Championship has kept Li Duo busy and fulfilled over recent months. “The intensity of the qualifiers and city-level matches exceeded expectations,” Li Duo said. “News reports mentioned that this year’s Guangzhou qualifier had more participants than ever before, with the number of matches tripling; the finals gathered top players over seven rounds, making each game a do-or-die battle where one mistake could mean elimination.” Facing fierce opponents, he chose to turn pressure into focus: “I make myself slow down, watch for opponents’ weaknesses, and counter every move.” This calm mindset helped him repeatedly turn the tide at critical moments.

On September 27, at the Guangzhou city final, Li Duo advanced steadily with exceptional skill, calm judgment, and steady nerves, emerging from a strong field to claim the title “Guangzhou Chess King.” When he learned he would represent Guangzhou in the provincial competition, Li Duo admitted feeling calm but determined: “I aspire to get closer to the national chess king title.”

On October 12, at the provincial finals held in Guangzhou Cultural Park, Li Duo ultimately fell short against the champion, but his runner-up finish set a new best record for Guangzhou Sports Lottery in this event. “A chess match is like a battlefield, but the real contest isn’t just on the board,” he smiled, “when you know you represent a city, every move carries immense weight.”

The Awakening of a Chess Heritage Bearer

“Second place at the provincial level is not the end but a call to action,” Li Duo believes. This achievement is not only a personal breakthrough but also a milestone for Guangzhou’s chess community and reflects structural changes happening in the city’s chess scene.

Li Duo notes that in recent years, more young people have been introduced to chess through online platforms and school clubs. Their lively thinking and willingness to innovate inject fresh energy into the traditional Lingnan chess style. Meanwhile, support from government and social sectors has pushed professionalization and popularization forward simultaneously: “From grassroots competitions like the Chess King Championship to professional arenas, they collectively build a diverse, thriving ecosystem for Guangzhou chess. This runner-up finish symbolizes the overall strength improvement of Guangzhou chess and marks our steady progress from ‘folk enthusiasm’ to ‘competitive excellence.’”

As the newly crowned Guangzhou Chess King, Li Duo feels the responsibility he carries goes beyond personal victories; it’s about inheriting the Lingnan chess legacy and promoting chess culture: helping more youth understand that chess is not just about winning or losing but a discipline of wisdom, patience, and vision. Therefore, he plans to focus on youth promotion by collaborating with schools and communities to launch “Chess Wisdom Classes,” and experiment with fun competitions and online matches to harmonize ancient chess with the growth of a new generation. “What I hope to see is not only more rising stars from Guangzhou on the stage but that the Chinese wisdom embedded in chess becomes a lifelong spiritual asset for children.”

An Unceasing Chess Journey

Standing at a new starting point, Li Duo’s gaze is fixed on the national championship: “This provincial contest revealed the gap clearly; next year, I will refine details with more systematic training and, carrying the hopes of Guangzhou chess fans, challenge the national chess king title.” His message to Guangzhou chess enthusiasts is: chess is like life, built on “persistence” and mastered through “fearlessness of defeat”: “I have seen many talented players, but those who endure are always the ones who quietly set the pieces again and start a new game after losing.”

The future belongs to the young who take up the banner; may they bring resilience and vision, letting Guangzhou chess’s future roar with chariots and horses, where generals and commanders shine!