At the crossroads of horse and chariot battles, the Lingnan chess tradition thrives: The breakthrough journey of Guangzhou Chess King Li Duo’s “chess life.”

The large banyan tree by the Pearl River whispers in the breeze, with Li Duo deeply concentrating on his moves at the chessboard. Known as the “Guangzhou Chess King,” he just claimed runner-up in a provincial tournament, also achieving a historic milestone for Guangzhou in the China Sports Lottery Folk Chess King Contest.

The Chu-Han boundary runs through his veins.

Li Duo’s journey in Xiangqi started with a family-like initiation. His grandfather loved setting up the board under the park’s trees, while his father held his hand as they played against the grandfather. While other children chased cicadas and fish, these three generations engaged in a battle of wits inspired by “The Art of War” within the small board. “Grandpa said the chessboard is a miniature kingdom,” he still recalls the sound of moves falling one after another, “each step forward or back reflects real life.”

To enhance his skills, his father tirelessly sought out local Xiangqi 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 shine from a young age.

In 2025, due to family reasons, Li Duo chose to settle in Guangzhou and decided to restart his journey there. He said, “This is my wife’s hometown, and also fertile ground soaked in Xiangqi culture.” Coincidentally, in early July, he learned from the Xiangqi Association about the ongoing China Sports Lottery National Folk Chess King Championship, and he hoped to open a new chapter of his chess life on this land.

The life-and-death struggle on the folk competition 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 far exceeded expectations,” Li Duo said, “News reports also noted that this year’s Guangzhou qualifier had more participants than previous years, with over three times the number of matches; the finals gathered top players over seven rounds, making every round a do-or-die battle—one wrong move could mean elimination.” Facing fierce opponents, he chose to turn pressure into focus: “I let myself ‘slow down,’ observe opponents’ weaknesses, and respond move by move.” This calm mindset helped him repeatedly turn the tide at critical moments.

On September 27, at the Guangzhou city-level finals, Li Duo advanced steadily through the competition with extraordinary skill, calm judgment, and steady nerves, emerging from many strong contenders to win the title of “Guangzhou Chess King.” When he learned he would represent Guangzhou at the provincial level, Li Duo admitted feeling calm but with a clear goal: “I aspire to get closer to the national chess king title.”

On October 12, at the provincial finals held in Guangzhou Cultural Park, although Li Duo ultimately lost to the champion, his runner-up finish set a historic best for Guangzhou Sports Lottery in this event. “A chess game 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 the chess tradition’s inheritor.

“The runner-up 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 the Guangzhou division in the Chess King Championship, reflecting structural changes in the city’s Xiangqi scene.

Li Duo noted that in recent years, more young people have been introduced to Xiangqi through online platforms and school clubs. Their active thinking and willingness to innovate have injected new vitality into the traditional Lingnan chess style. Meanwhile, support from government and social forces has advanced both professionalization and popularization of the sport: “From grassroots events like the Chess King Championship to professional competitive stages, together they build a diverse and healthy ecosystem for Xiangqi development in Guangzhou. This runner-up is a microcosm of Guangzhou’s overall strength improvement and marks steady progress from ‘folk enthusiasm’ to ‘competitive excellence.’”

As the newly crowned Guangzhou Chess King, Li Duo feels the responsibility he bears goes beyond personal wins and losses; it is about inheriting the Lingnan chess tradition and promoting Xiangqi culture: helping more young people understand that Xiangqi is not just a game of victory or defeat, but a cultivation of wisdom, patience, and vision. Therefore, he plans to focus on youth promotion, cooperating with schools and communities to launch “Xiangqi Wisdom Classes,” and experimenting with fun competitions and online matches to resonate the ancient game with new generations. “What I hope to see is not only more new talents emerging on the stage but also the Chinese wisdom embedded in Xiangqi becoming a lifelong spiritual treasure for children.”

The never-ending path of chess.

Standing at a new starting point, Li Duo’s sights are set on the national championship: “This provincial competition made me see the gap clearly. Next year, I will refine details through more systematic training and, carrying the hopes of Guangzhou chess fans, challenge the national chess king.” His message to Guangzhou chess enthusiasts is: chess is like life, with “persistence” as the foundation and “fearlessness of loss” as the essence: “I’ve seen many talented players, but those who keep going are always the ones who quietly reset the pieces and start a new game after failure.”

The future belongs to the young who take up the banner; may they carry resilience and vision, letting Guangzhou’s Xiangqi future roar with horses and chariots, as generals compete for glory!