Wang Chenxing 5P (left) secured her first major international title when she defeated defeated Yu Zhiying 5p to win the final of the 4th Bingsheng Cup, on September 12, 2013. On her journey to the final round, Wang defeated last year’s winner Rui Naiwei 9P, Xie Yimin 6P, and Li He 3P.
However, 15-year-old Yu Zhiying deserves recognition in her own right. If she had defeated Wang, she would have broken the world record for youngest international title holder in the go world. The current record is held by Lee Changho 9p for his win at the 3rd Tongyang Securities Cup in 1992 when he was 16 years and 6 months. At 15 years and 10 months, Yu’s triumph would have shattered Lee’s 20-year streak.
First played in 2010, the Bingsheng Cup remains the only women’s individual international go tournament. It draws the top 16 players from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Europe, North America, and Oceania. Named after Sun Zi (aka Sun Tzu), the author of The Art Of War, the Bingsheng Cup is held annually at the Sun Wu Memorial Hall on Qionglong Mountain in Suzhou, China. For more information about the 4th Bingsheng Cup including photos, a post-game interview with Wang, and game records, visit Go Game Guru.
– Annalia Linnan, based on a longer article by Go Game Guru; photo courtesy of Go Game Guru
via American Go E-Journal http://www.usgo.org/news/2013/09/wang-chenxing-takes-first-international-title-with-bingsheng-cup-win/
With this win – her first major international title – Wang has become a new star in the Go world.
Wang’s previous international victories include the 1st Tri-Nation Pair Go competition in May 2013 (her partner was Chang Hao 9p) and the 2nd Huang Longshi Cup women’s team tournament, which China won in 2012.
However, this is her first individual win on the international stage. She also has several domestic Chinese titles to her name.
Wang’s given name, Chenxing (晨星), means Venus.
Sun Wu Memorial Hall
The 16 player knockout tournament started on September 8, and the final was played on September 12, at the Sun Wu Memorial Hall, Qionglong Mountain, Suzhou, China.
Sun Wu was one of the names of the renowned Chinese military general who is also known as Sun Zi (and known by many as Sun Tzu in the West) – the author of The Art of War.
Wang Chenxing (left) plays Yu Zhiying at the Sun Wu Memorial Hall, in Suzhou, China.
The final game
In the final showdown, Yu Zhiying built big territories in the top right area and the top left corner.
Meanwhile, Wang developed her left side moyo in exchange.
The game was very close at the end of the middle game, but Yu made a small mistake in the endgame.
Wang seized her chance and punished black’s mistake.
Yu tried to save all of her stones, but Wang didn’t allow it. She kept attacking and captured Yu’s black center stones.
Wang also defeated Xie Yimin 6p, Rui Naiwei 9p and (last year’s winner) Li He 3p, while Yu eliminated Okuda Aya 3p, Mukai Chiaki 5p and Tang Yi 2p en route to the final.
Rui Naiwei 9 dan – the Iron Lady – was defeated by Wang Chenxing.
This year, the Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese representatives were all eliminated before the semifinals.
Joanne Missingham 6p, who usually plays for Taiwan, but represented Oceania again in the Bingsheng Cup, was knocked out by the formidable Rui Naiwei in the first round.
An interview with Wang Chenxing
There was an interview with Wang Chenxing after the final game. Here’s an edited translation:
Reporter: How did you find the final?
Wang: The opening went smoothly and I thought it was ok.
I felt I was winning once we reached the endgame stage.
Reporter: How does it feel to win your first (individual) international title?
Wang: I don’t feel like it’s real yet because I only just finished the game.
Reporter: Are you a hard worker or a genius?
Wang: Maybe half and half. 
I can’t really say I’m a hard worker though. I’m interested in many other things besides Go.
Reporter: What’s your goal from here?
Wang: I hope to win some more titles. I’m also interested in the Chinese women’s league, which began this year.
A near miss at a world record
Yu Zhiying, the runner up, came ever so close to breaking the world record for the youngest international title holder in the Go world.
Yu Zhiying just missed out on a new world record (and her first international title) at the 4th Bingsheng Cup. If Yu had won, she would have bested Lee Changho’s 20 year old record as the youngest international title holder.
The record for the youngest international title holder is still held Lee Changho 9p – at 16 years and 6 months (1992) – who won the 3rd Tongyang Securities Cup. It’s now stood for more than 20 years.
Following that is Fan Tingyu’s 16 years and 7 months (2013) – after his recent 7th Ing Cup win.
If Yu Zhiying had won the final, she would have smashed the record – her age at the time of writing is 15 years and 10 months.
Unfortunately for Yu, it wasn’t to be, but the youngster still has a bright future ahead of her.
The Bingsheng Cup
The Bingsheng Cup was first played in 2010 and is held annually at Qionglong Mountain, Suzhou, China.
The original name of the tournament is the Qionglong Mountain Bingsheng Cup, and it’s sometimes referred to as the Qionglong Cup (in English) because of this.
Currently the only women’s individual international Go tournament, it uses a knockout format for the top 16 players from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Europe, North America and Oceania.
Amateurs are allowed to take part if they win the right to represent their region.
The time limit for games is 2 hours main time and 5 x 1 minute byo-yomi.
The first prize is 250,000 RMB (about $40,000 USD at the time of writing) and the runner up receives 100,000 RMB.
Qionglong Mountain is where Sun Zi (aka Sun Tzu) wrote The Art of War (孫子兵法), and is called the mountain of the wisdom.
Bingsheng (兵圣) literally means ‘soldier saint’ – named in honor of Sun Zi. The second character also appears in the names of the Qisheng and Kisei (Go saint) tournaments.
Park Jieun 9p won the 1st and 2nd Bingsheng Cups, and Li He 5p won the 3rd.
4th Bingsheng Cup full results
The round of 16
- Xiao Ailin 3p (Taiwan) defeated Manuela Marz (Europe)
- Li He 5p defeated Chen Wanyu (USA)
- Rui Naiwei 9p defeated Joanne Missingham 6p (Oceania)
- Wang Chenxing 5p defeated Xie Yimin 6p
- Tang Yi 2p defeated O Junga 2p
- Choi Jung 3p defeated Lu Jia 2p
- Yu Zhiying 5p defeated Okuda Aya 3p, and
- Mukai Chiaki 5p defeated Park Jieun 9p.
Quarter finals
- Li He 5p defeated Xiao Ailin 3p
- Wang Chenxing 5p defeated Rui Naiwei 9p
- Tang Yi 2p defeated Choi Jung 3p, and
- Yu Zhiying 5p defeated Mukai Chiaki 5p.
Semifinals
- Wang Chenxing 5p defeated Li He 5p, and
- Yu Zhiying 5p defeated Tang Yi 2p.
Final
- Wang Chenxing 5p defeated Yu Zhiying 5p.
Weiqi To Go 