Chinese club aiming for Asian chess title
By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter
Published: December 27, 2008, 23:32

Al Ain: Li Zunian, the coach of Chinese Club Qi Yuan, said that his team came to Al Ain not only to take part in the first Asian Champions League but also to win the title.
"We are the champions of China this season and we want to win the Asian Champions League title to add to our achievements," Zunian said yesterday.
"The best and strongest chess clubs in Asia are taking part in this championship, winning the title will be a good achievement for my club and myself."
Qi Yuan is placed as joint leaders after winning their second successive match. The team features: GM Wang Hao, GM Wen Yang, GM Zhou Jianchao, Zhou Weiqi and Zhang Pinqin.
"I have been playing competitive chess for 35 years and this is the first ever competition for Asia on club level.
"Winning it will make history." Li added.
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The coach said that both Al Ain's A team and Fajr Shams from Iran are strong teams and he expects both clubs to compete hotly with his team for the title.
"Al Ain have a good team of four Grand Masters including the first and third ranked players," he said.
"They are the team to beat if you want to win the title.
"Fajr Shams is an excellent team and will compete strongly for the title."
Regarding the technical standards of the championship, Li said: "It is not of the same standards of the Chess Olympiad or the European championship but that will not continue for long because the Asian Chess in improving greatly and will soon be of the same standards of Europe if not more improved. Such competitions will help to achieve that goal in the near future."
He pointed out that China did not achieve the expected results in the last Chess Olympiad in Dresden this year.
"Most of the members of the Chinese women team were young and lacked experience to achieve the expected results," he said.
"Our results were disappointing because were one of the favourites to take leading places but that was because of the replacement phase which the women team is going through at the moment.
"But the men team achieved good results and lost only one or two matches against better and stronger teams," he added.
Regarding problems faced by the sport in China, Li said: "We have so many brain sports in China including our own Chinese Chess but large numbers of youngsters are practising chess nowadays and I am sure the future of the game in China in glorious and full of great prospects."