Dozens of Chinese chess masters have been caught fixing matches in important tournaments and using various methods to cover up their actions.
According to Ms. Cai Hong Diem - Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee of the Chinese Chess Center, under the General Administration of Sports of China - the violations of the recently suspended chess masters lasted for more than 10 years, from 2012 to 2023.
Ms. Cai said that the problem of match-fixing in Chinese chess at the highest level has two characteristics: it has existed for a long time and has many participants. The tournaments where match-fixing occurs are usually super tournaments, such as the national individual championship, the national team championship (Giap Cap Lien Tai) and some other national-scale events.
The main purpose of match-fixing players is to level up, share prize money, or improve their Elo ranking.
The level of Chinese chess players is divided into many levels, such as level 3, level 2, level 1, Grandmaster and the highest level is Special Grandmaster. For each level, players will receive different treatment from the host club, from tournaments and the chess community. For example, there are tournaments that are free of charge, or even pay to have Grandmasters or Special Grandmasters participate. China currently has about 40 Special Grandmasters and several hundred Grandmasters.
According to Cai, many players have fixed the results of multiple games to ensure they are promoted. For example, Zhao Xinxin was accused of fixing the score to win a final game and qualify for the Special Grandmaster title in 2005. When the incident was exposed, he was banned from competing for a year.
Through intermediaries, some players negotiated with each other to arrange the results of the national tournament, to win a place on the international team. This affected the fairness of the competition. There were also players who directly arranged and acted as intermediaries, discussing match-fixing. In the leaked recording, Special Grandmaster Wang Yaofei was considered a middleman.
There are players who are coaches, who have created a fund by collecting money from team members, to fix matches for the common result. At the right time, they will use the fund to fix matches.
Chinese chess tournaments are usually held in a round-robin format, with two teams with the highest scores advancing to the finals, or four teams advancing to the semi-finals. Teams that have no goals left in the final rounds may attempt to fix matches by accepting defeat in exchange for a sum of money from the top teams. This also happens in individual tournaments, with a similar format.
According to lawyer and chess player Tai Dat, the amount of money that teams or players pay to fix matches varies, and there is no common standard. For famous players, who belong to teams with strong sponsors, they will have to pay around 20,000 yuan (70 million VND) for a winning game. Unfamous players can also sell a game for 4,000 yuan (14 million VND). Chess king Ham Ham told the police that he once sold a game for 200,000 yuan (700 million VND).
Ms. Cai added that the players' methods were sophisticated, carefully concealing their violations. The players discussed how to fix matches through meetings in private rooms, or talked on the phone. Some players brought large amounts of cash to the tournament to make transactions, or asked relatives and friends to transfer money.
A total of 43 players were punished, receiving different sentences, from public criticism to lifetime bans. For example, Special Grandmaster Cao Yanluo was publicly criticized, and Meng Shen was banned for 6 months. Wang Tianyi, Zheng Weidong, and Xinxin were banned for life and stripped of their Special Grandmaster titles.
The representative of the Disciplinary Inspection Committee also revealed that in the process of imposing punishments on each individual, they consulted many experts. There was no leniency towards any player, even if they contributed a lot to Chinese chess, such as Thien Nhat, Duy Dong and Ham Ham. Therefore, the 5 players banned for life were all Special Grandmasters, winning many international titles.
The chess center has set up a special task force to rectify the chess industry, conduct self-inspection and self-correction. The players who violated the rules have also agreed to return the bribes and publicly disclose the match-fixing. From these statements, more masters will be punished.
43 players have been punished for match-fixing.
1. Vuong Thien Nhat, Trieu Ham Ham, Uong Duong, Trinh Duy Dong, Vuong Duoc Phi: Permanently banned from competition, stripped of CXA technical titles. Banned from participating in all chess tournaments and activities organized or authorized by CXA or its affiliated units.
2. Vuong Khuech: Banned from competition for 7 years and 6 months, stripped of CXA technical title. During the ban period, not allowed to participate in tournaments and related activities.
3. Sun Yat-yang: Banned from competition for 7 years, stripped of technical titles and banned from participating in similar events during the ban period.
4. Trieu Kim Thanh: Banned from competition for 6 years, stripped of technical titles and banned from participating in related activities during this time.
5. Truong Than Hoanh: Banned from competition for 4 years and 6 months, stripped of technical titles and banned from participating in related events.
6. Liu Junda, Yu Yixiao, Sun Yongzheng, Cheng Ming, and Hao Jichao: Banned from competition for 4 years and 3 months, stripped of technical titles, and not allowed to participate in any CXA activities during the ban period.
7. Trinh Nhat Hoang: Banned from competition for 4 years and banned from participating in related events.
8. Dang Phi, Ly Thieu Canh, Trieu Dien Vu, Nhiep Thiet Van, Vu Tuan Cuong: Banned from competing for 3 years and not allowed to participate in CXA events.
9. Mieu Loi Minh, Hoang Truc Phong, Ton Han Hao, Duong Minh, Tu Mo Mo (under 18 years old at the time of violation): Banned from competing for 2 years.
10. Trieu Vi, Luc Vi Thao, Duong Huy, Ly Tieu Long, Trinh Vu Hang, Truong Mo Mo (under 18 years old at the time of violation), Ma Thien Viet, Ly Ngai Dong: Banned from competing for 1 year.
11. Vuong Vu Hang, Trieu Duong Hac, Thoi Cach, Manh Than, Ta Quy, Trieu Tu Vu: Banned from competition for 6 months.
12. Cao Nham Loi, Hoang Van Tuan, Thai Huu Quang, Luong Van Long: Accept public criticism.