Zhang Pengxiang

Infobox Chess player


|playername = Zhang Pengxiang
|birthname = Zhang Pengxiang
country = CHN
datebirth = birth date and age|1980|6|29
placebirth = Tianjin, China
datedeath =
placedeath =
title = Grandmaster (GM)
worldchampion =
womensworldchampion =
rating = 2643
(No. 83 on the July 2008 FIDE ratings list)
peakrating = 2657 (April 2007)

Zhang Pengxiang (zh-stp|s=张鹏翔|t=張鵬翔|p=Zhāng Péngxiáng; born June 29, 1980 in Tianjin) [ [http://www.chessinchina.net/html/CHNrating05.8.htm 中国国际象棋运动员等级分数据库 ] ] is a Chinese chess Grandmaster, and is the reigning Asian Chess Champion. [ [http://www.fide.com/news.asp?id=1416 FIDE Online. Tournaments News: Zhang Pengxiang Wins VI Asian Championship in Cebu, Philippines ] ]

In 2001, he became China's 11th Grandmaster.

He has stated his desire to teach and give training to youngsters in China via an online classroom network. He lives in Beijing.

Chess career

Zhang learnt chess when he was 5 years old, and at the age of six he started to play in chess competitions at school. He became National Youth Champion in 1992 and 1993.

He became a FIDE Master in 1996, and an International Master in 1998. He was National Junior Champion in 1999.

In 2001, he finally became a Grandmaster, and in 2002, won the National Chess Championship. [http://www.chessinchina.net/html/07zhangpengxinag.htm 亚洲冠军张鹏翔 ] ] Zhang's peak rating was 2657 in April 2007 when he was ranked 47th in the world.

Individual

He was the runner-up at the 1998 Chinese national men's chess championships. He has been a Grandmaster (GM) since August 2001, when he achieved his last norm at the Asian Continental Championships - won by Xu Jun - in Kolkata where he came fourth with 7.5/11. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=765&codt=1 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report October 2001 ] ]

Earlier that month in August 2001, he won the Zhong Hong Real Estate Cup in Beijing with 8.0/11. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=96&codt=1 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report October 2001 ] ]

In November 2001, he upset former world champion Anatoly Karpov (who had a higher ELO rating of 162 points more) in the first round at the FIDE World Chess Championships in Moscow. Zhang, ranked 113th in the world at the time, held Karpov to two draws in regular matches and forced him into the two tie-breaks. In the first rapid play tie-breaker Zhang won the first game (Queen's Gambit Declined Slav [ [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1209744 Anatoly Karpov vs Zhang Pengxiang, 2001 ] ] ) where he mounted a stiff opposition as black that eventually Karpov ran out of time in a roughly equal position. In the second tie-breaker (reverse colors), Karpov resigned as black in 45 moves in a Giuoco Piano [ [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1209764 Zhang Pengxiang vs Anatoly Karpov, 2001 ] ] . Zhang won 3-1 overall."People's Daily" interview. " [http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200111/30/eng20011130_85716.shtml Zhang Pengxiang - Chinese Dark Horse who Beats Karpov] ". November 30, 2001.]

After that encounter with Karpov, Zhang said he had prepared for two months before the game in case he met him. "I wanted to draw the first two games and to play the tie-breaks. My idea was to avoid the exchange of pieces to preserve my chances and to maintain tension in the game," Zhang said. "I took the upper hand in the second tie-breaker. He used up his time and had to give up." These tactics proved to be a brilliant success against the 48-year-old Karpov, who had already conceded victory to Zhang four years ago at an exhibition game in China. Zhang also said "He is my idol," and "I told myself during the game not to play softly just because of my admiration for him." Zhang has said he had been an admirer of the Russian grandmaster since he was five years old. "It is still fresh in my memory that I read a chess book of Karpov by chance in 1985 which I liked very much," the 21-year-old said. "It lifted me to a higher level." "I was happy that I took on him in the first round." Zhang moved on to the next round to play Evgeny Pigusov of Russia but got whitewashed 2-0.

In February 2002, Zhang came joint second with 6.0/8 (joint fourth on tie-break) at the 2nd Trignac International Tournament in France. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=557&codt=3 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report April 2002 ] ] In March 2002 he won the 9th 'Anilbal' International Open in Linares with 8.0/10. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=62&codt=4 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report July 2002 ] ] Also later in March 2002, he came second at the 25th Ciudad de San Sebastian with 5.5/8 after the winner Yu Shaoteng. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=112&codt=4 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report July 2002 ] ] In September 2002 he also became the Chinese national champion for the first time in Qinghuangdao. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=761&codt=6 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report January 2003 ] ]

In May 2004, Zhang came second at the China Men's Team Championship with 8.0/10. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=393&codt=12 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report July 2004 ] ] In August-September 2004, he came second at the 6th Sants Hostafrancs A with 8.5/10 in Barcelona. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=518&codt=14 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report January 2005 ] ] In September 2004 he won the 14th Gros Xake Taldea International Open in San Sebastian, [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=237&codt=14 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report January 2005 ] ] and in October 2004, won the Essent Open in Hoogeveen with 7.0/9. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=351&codt=14 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report January 2005 ] ] In December 2004, he came fourth with 6.0/9 at the Singapore Masters. [ [http://www.fide.com/news.asp?id=593 FIDE Online. Tournaments News: Megaranto Susanto is the winner of Singapore Masters & Bachtiar Achmad has won the Challengers International Open ] ]

In February 2005, Zhang won the Festival International des Jeux in Cannes with an almost perfect score of 8.5/9. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=739&codt=15 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report April 2005 ] ] In March 2005, he won the International Chess Festival in Bad Wörishofen with a score of 7.5/9. [ [http://www.fide.com/ratings/trarc.phtml?event16=1156&codt=16 FIDE Online. Archive - Tournament report July 2005 ] ] In May 2005, he came fourth at the Dubai Open, which was won by Wang Hao. In October 2005, he came joint second (third on tie-break) with 5/10 (2684 TPR +71) at the 2nd Samba Cup in Skanderborg. [ [http://www.chessage.com/database/trnmnt.php/id/05Sam 2nd Samba Cup in Skanderborg ] ]

In November 2006 Zhang won the 1st President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup in Manila by finishing in clear first with 7.5 points [ [http://www.fide.com/news.asp?id=1180 FIDE Online. Tournaments News: Zhang Wins GMA Cup. Sheikh Sultan Meets President Arroyo ] ] , and in December 2006, he won the Singapore Masters.

In September 2007 he won the Asian Individual Championship ahead of second place fellow compatriot Wang Hao in Manila. [ [http://www.philchesslive.com/ :: 6th Asian Individual Chess Championship :: ] ] He scored 8/11 with an Elo rating performance of 2713. [ [http://chess-results.com/Tnr8048.aspx?tnr=8048&art=9&lan=1&mm=1&m=-1&snr=2 Schach Turnierergebnis Server chess-results.com ] ]

In April 2008, he came a clear second at the 2nd Ruy López International Chess Festival in Mérida with a score of 5/7 and performance rating of 2772.

National team

Since 1997, Zhang has been a member of the China national chess team. He has competed at two Chess Olympiads in 2002 and 2006 (overall: +5, =1, -4). [ [http://www.olimpbase.org/players/prv5j35f.html OlimpBase :: Men's Chess Olympiads :: Zhang Pengxiang ] ]

In 2003, he won the individual gold medal at the 13th Asian Team Chess Championship in Jodhpur. He was also part of the 1999 team at the 12th Asian Chess Team Championship in Shenyang. [ [http://www.olimpbase.org/playersa/prv5j35f.html OlimpBase :: Men's Asian Team Chess Championship :: Zhang Pengxiang ] ]

He also competed at the 2005 World Team Chess Championship in Beersheba. [ [http://www.olimpbase.org/playerst/prv5j35f.html OlimpBase :: World Men's Team Chess Championship :: Zhang Pengxiang ] ]

ee also

*Chess in China

References

External links

*fide|id=8600970|name=Zhang, Pengxiang
*chessgames player|id=51558
* [http://www.newinchess.com/Zhang_Pengxiang__-ip-45547.html NICBase Online Info] Profile.