The Chinese Chess Association announced on Thursday (19th) that super grandmasters Wang Tianyi and Wang Yuefei have been banned for life from the sport of Chinese chess.
On the morning of September 19, the Chinese Chess Association reported that the “Recording Gate” incident in April 2023 had raised public concern. The association, in conjunction with relevant parties, found that athletes such as Wang Tianyi and Wang Yuefei were involved in illegal activities such as buying and selling games to manipulate match outcomes. The duration and frequency of these violations were severe, with extremely serious implications.
According to the regulations, Wang Tianyi and Wang Yuefei were dealt with by receiving a lifetime ban and revoking all technical titles granted by the Chinese Chess Association, including the title of super grandmasters. They are prohibited from participating in any chess events and activities organized or authorized by the Chinese Chess Association and its member units.
In April last year, a recorded conversation between Wang Yuefei, a Chinese chess super grandmaster, and Hao Jichao was exposed, causing a significant uproar in the community.
In the recording, Hao Jichao admitted to using computer software to cheat in matches, and both individuals discussed Wang Tianyi’s involvement in buying and manipulating chess games, suggesting the use of “special methods” to cheat during matches. This recording quickly caused a storm in the Chinese chess community and became known as the “Recording Gate” incident.
According to reports from Economic Observer, in August this year, Wang Tianyi was arrested by the Hangzhou prosecutor’s office. He was suspected of engaging in buying and selling games, manipulating match results by offering benefits to opponents through Wang Yuefei, in order to gain advantages in chess ranking points. The total amount involved in Wang Tianyi and Wang Yuefei’s buying of games exceeded 800,000 RMB.
Public records show that Wang Tianyi was born in Beijing in 1989, showing exceptional talent in Chinese chess from a young age.
In 2012, Wang Tianyi won the National Chess Individual Championship and was promoted to the title of Chinese chess super grandmaster. Starting from 2014, Wang Tianyi held the top national ranking in chess player ratings for eleven consecutive years. In 2023, his rating reached 2800 points, a historic high in the Chinese chess rating system, earning him the title of “Number One in Chinese Chess”.
In March 2018, Wang Tianyi officially joined the Hangzhou Branch of the Chinese Chess Academy. The Hangzhou Branch is the only branch of the Chinese Chess Academy in China, established with approval from the China State General Administration of Sports Chess Center in 2004, with professional teams in Go, Chinese chess, and international chess.
Another banned player, Wang Yuefei, born in Tianjin in 1983, ranked 13th in the National Chess Individual Championship in 2004 and was promoted to the title of National Chess Grandmaster. In 2012, he won the men’s team championship in the 17th Asian Chess Championship, leading to his promotion to the title of Chinese chess super grandmaster.
According to “Chess Records 88”, Wang Yuefei had a close relationship with Wang Tianyi and they were called the “Two Kings of the Chess World”. They partnered in the Beijing team with Jiang Chuan and won two national championships in the Chinese Chess Super League, ranking high in the shooter standings.
In 2015, while in the Guangxi team, Wang Tianyi introduced Wang Yuefei and they teamed up to win the qualification rounds of the Chinese Chess Super League, regaining their first division status. Subsequently, they secured the championship three rounds early in the 2015 Chinese Chess Super League.
In 2022, Wang Tianyi became the head coach of the Hangzhou team and once again brought in Wang Yuefei as his assistant and team member, aiming for the Chinese Chess Super League championship.