Before reading this article, I sincerely invite you to click the "Follow" button, so that you can continue to push such articles in the future, and it is also convenient for you to discuss and share, your support is the driving force for us to insist on creating~
Text: Peng Yibin
Edit|t
introduction
In 1988, the state awarded Nie Weiping the title of "Chess Saint", and he is also the only "Chess Saint" since the founding of New China. In the first Sino-Japanese Go Tournament in 1985, Nie Weiping turned defeat into victory after falling behind the Japanese team 5-7, winning an absolute victory for China and setting off a domestic Go boom.
But after Nie Weiping got the title of chess saint, Deng Xiaoping had another entrustment for him, I think it's better for you to be a common man.
(Nie Weiping)
1. Nie Weiping withstood the pressure and won the game
Deng Xiaoping has many hobbies in his spare time, and he once said that he can still play bridge, which shows that his brain can still turn. Among Deng Xiaoping's bridge friends, there are Hu Yaobang, Wan Li, and Nie Weiping. Although Nie Weiping is good at Go, he is also very fond of bridge, and for them, playing bridge is a way to relax and entertain.
In 1984, Nie Weiping also deliberately played a continuous game of bridge in Beidaihe, Deng Xiaoping and Wan Li, and the three of them fought without a win. With several people with common hobbies, Nie Weiping and Deng Xiaoping also have a good relationship, and in the key game in 1986, it was Deng Xiaoping's encouragement that made Nie Weiping calm down.
(Nie Weiping)
The first China-Japan Go Tournament was played against Koichi Kobayashi from Japan. Kobayashi beat six Chinese players in a row, and when everyone thought Japan was going to win the match, Nie Weiping withstood the pressure and decided to play. Although China and Japan had established diplomatic relations at that time, everyone did not let go of the feud between family and country decades ago, and everyone hoped that China could suppress Japan.
But in this situation, Nie Weiping faced Kobayashi Koichi and others on August 27 and 29, and then defeated Hideyuki Fujisawa, a six-time champion of Japan and known as a "lifelong chess saint", in November. After the Chinese side won the game, Japan's face was damaged, so in the second ring match, two Japanese super-first-class players were invited at that time.
(Nie Weiping)
At that time, the magazine "New Sports" invited everyone to predict that out of 9,955 letters from Chinese readers, 5,640 believed that the Japanese team would win. After all, at that time, Japan chose Masaki Takemiya and Hero Otake, who were Japan's super-first-class players and had never played against the Chinese team before.
For us, two unfamiliar players must have increased the difficulty of the game. Under the unprecedented pressure of the national audience, the other players of the national team were eliminated one after another, and only Nie Weiping was left in China, and he faced five first-class Japanese players. In other words, Nie Weiping must win 5 games in a row to win the championship, and the remaining 5 Japanese players are the main force.
The pressure on Nie Weiping became very high, when Deng Xiaoping invited Nie Weiping to his home to play bridge on his day off before the final. As soon as he ate and drank, Nie Weiping said that he had quit drinking, in order to have a good game. Deng Xiaoping asked him about the situation of the game, and when he learned that the situation was urgent, Deng Xiaoping only said two words: "Mourn the soldiers." ”
(Deng Xiaoping and Nie Weiping play bridge)
This made Nie Weiping a little confused, originally thought that the old man was going to praise a few words, why didn't he follow up? But Nie Weiping knew that Deng Xiaoping was not an ordinary person, so he pondered that the "mourning soldiers" were followed by "sure to win", that is to say, the old man thought that he would win, but he did not say it.
Nie Weiping believes that this is to prove that he will definitely "win" with facts. Deng Xiaoping's encouragement gave Nie Weiping self-confidence, after all, Deng Xiaoping thought that he would win, could it be that he would lose? So he simply calmed down his mentality, and with a good mental state, he really won the second championship with one pick five.
It can be said that Deng Xiaoping's encouragement to Nie Weiping played a decisive role.
(China-Japan Competition)
Second, a kind and people-friendly old man
For Nie Weiping, although Deng Xiaoping was a great man of the country, he was also very concerned about life in the market. At that time, the National Sports Commission team was training in Beidaihe, and when Nie Weiping was visiting the old man, he asked the secretary, and the other members of the national team also wanted to visit the old man, I don't know if it can?
originally thought that the old man was in charge of the overall situation of the country for a day and had no free time, but who knew that the old man would say directly after knowing that he could. As a result, the members of the Go team were received by Deng Xiaoping. At that time, there was a player named Liu Xiaoguang in the national team, Liu Xiaoguang had an excellent record of four consecutive victories in the Sino-Japanese ring match, and he was also a talent of the national team.
(Liu Xiaoguang)
As soon as Deng Xiaoping heard about Liu Xiaoguang's achievements, he immediately said, "Come, touch a cup." Liu Xiaoguang suddenly became the third person in the national team who was fortunate enough to clink glasses with Deng Xiaoping. Deng Xiaoping's actions immediately eliminated the tension in the hearts of the team members, and in a happy and peaceful atmosphere, everyone also relaxed a lot.
It can be seen that the old man himself is a kind and people-friendly person. For example, Nie Weiping said that when he was in Beidaihe, he often saw Deng Xiaoping instructing his grandchildren to play Go. He also said that the old man's Go and bridge skills are not bad, and Deng Xiaoping's concern for himself also made Nie Weiping often sigh that the old man also shares the same fate with the people in small matters.
(Deng Xiaoping)
3. Deng Xiaoping: It's better for you to be an ordinary person
In 1988, the name of "Chess Saint" Nie Weiping spread all over the country, and later Nie Weiping himself said that the name of Chess Saint made him uneasy for decades. He said that he was proud at the beginning, and then he was uneasy, he used to be young and vigorous, and he felt that he deserved it, but later he realized that this was the country's encouragement and affirmation of him, but it was also surprisingly high.
But it is precisely the coexistence of pressure and motivation that makes Nie Weiping better. He also recalled that after he won the title of chess saint, Deng Xiaoping invited him to his home for dinner. Nie Weiping was chatting with the old man, and everyone else said that it was a good thing to get the chess master, but the old man pondered for a moment and said, "It's not good to be a saint, it's better to be a common man." ”
(Deng Xiaoping)
These words also made Nie Weiping quickly sober up from his honor, once a person is enshrined as a "saint", then your every move will be infinitely magnified. The slightest mistake can be turned out, let alone him, a chess master. If you lose a game, I'm afraid everyone will be disappointed in themselves.
Thinking like this, Nie Weiping's pressure came to his face, he knew that the old man generally didn't talk much, and he cherished words like gold, but his admonition to himself must be sincere.
Over the past few decades, he has kept this passage in his heart, although he often shows his head, but as a public figure, Nie Weiping has always been a master, and he also hopes to contribute to the development of China's Go industry.
It is said that after Nie Weiping's one-on-five victory in the second session that year, the old man specially asked the secretary to call his home to congratulate him. As a result, Nie Weiping was busy reviewing after the game and couldn't receive the call in person, which also made him a little regretful, but he also sighed that the old man was worried about himself in his heart, he was eloquent and strategic, and he also remembered ordinary people.
(Nie Weiping)
Resources
In 88, Nie Weiping won the title of chess saint Deng Xiaoping admonished: It is not good to be a saint. [OL].2022.01.27.
Playing cards, playing chess and drinking together, Nie Weiping personally felt the power of the great man. [OL].2004.09.03.
Nie Weiping played bridge and deliberately lost thousands of miles and was criticized by Deng Xiaoping. [OL].2008.08.06.