On May 4, 2024, in the final game of the Dream Lily Cup finals, Chongqing chess player Li Xuanhao defeated Dang Yifei 3-1 and won the championship. Li Xuanhao became the 50th world champion in the history of Chinese Go, and the fourth Go world champion in Sichuan and Chongqing after Gu Li, Yang Dingxin, and Dang Yifei. In this year's Dream Lily Cup, Li Xuanhao defeated many masters successively, and finally defeated Dang Yifei in the final, realizing his first world championship dream. This marks a new era for Chinese Go, with the younger generation of players beginning to emerge and challenge traditional strong players.
Li Xuanhao was born in Chongqing on February 1, 1995, and has shown an extraordinary talent for Go since he was a child. He started learning Go at the age of 6 and won the national championship in the children's category at the age of 10. After entering the Chongqing Chess Academy, Li Xuanhao's strength has risen steadily, and he has won the championship of important events such as the National Games and the Sinology Cup.
In 2015, Li Xuanhao was admitted to Southwest University. During his university years, he focused more on improving his chess skills and was determined to become a first-class professional chess player. Every day, in addition to classes, the rest of the time is spent fighting on the chessboard, repeatedly studying and reviewing, and summing up lessons and lessons.
Li Xuanhao's dedication finally paid off, and in 2019 he won the title of the highest-level nine-dan chess player in China. In the years that followed, he won many top domestic competitions, and once topped the domestic ranking rankings. However, the World Series title was still a source of desire for him.
In 2022, Li Xuanhao went all the way to the final in the 14th Chunlan Cup, but unfortunately stopped at the runner-up. The loss strengthened his determination to claim the World Title. Luckily, the Dream Lily Cup offered him a new opportunity.
The opponent in the final, Dang Yifei, is extraordinary, a veteran who has twice reached the finals of the World Series, has great experience and is highly recognized for his strength. In the first two games of the finals, the two sides were reinvigorated, and Dang Yifei took the lead. In the third game, Dang Yifei reversed and pulled the total score to 1-2, and the game was confusing.
In the crucial fourth game, the two sides will kick the goal. First of all, there was a situation of ice and fire, and Dang Yifei held the black chess game at the beginning, building a big appearance in the area on the right. Li Xuanhao is white, although he started mediocre, but he responded calmly and gradually got better. The chess strength of the two sides gradually became equal, and the court was full of ups and downs and suspense.
By the 60th move, black had the upper hand for a while, but was quickly restrained by white. After that, the chess game gradually reached a stalemate, and the two sides were cautious, but the undercurrent was surging. The moves and styles between the fallen sons all reflect the precise calculation and skillful control of the two of them on offense and defense.
During the competition, the atmosphere was warm and tense. The commentators were amazed, and the audience held their breath. One son is wrong, the whole game is wrong, this peak duel of life and death is interlocking, cruel and exciting, almost hanging people's hearts in space.
Just when the atmosphere reached its peak, in the 168th hand, Dang Yifei conceded defeat categorically, and the court was solemn. At this moment, the final champion of the final is about to be determined. Dang Yifei left the scene calmly, while Li Xuanhao took a long breath and showed joy on his face. With an aggregate score of 3-1, the Chongqing rookie finally won the Dream Lily Cup, becoming the first chess king among the new generation of Chinese Go players to reach the top of the world.
Li Xuanhao's championship is undoubtedly a boost to the entire Chinese Go community. The strength of Go in China is somewhat backward compared with the rest of the world, and there is a lack of rookies, which once made people worry. And the birth of Li Xuanhao's champion is like a ray of sunshine, bringing a ray of life to the dull Go world.
As a leader of the new generation of chess players, Li Xuanhao used his strength and fighting spirit to show us the unlimited potential of the younger generation. His success will surely inspire more young players to seek breakthroughs, burst out with vigor and vitality, and contribute to the Chinese game of Go.
Li Xuanhao has also become a model for the younger generation to learn. This young man from Chongqing overcame all the way, withstood setbacks again and again with tenacity and endurance, and finally waited for the final glory. His story is inspiring and shows us the power of perseverance. Behind any great achievement, persistent dedication is indispensable.
Li Xuanhao's title also adds luster to the heroic city of Chongqing. The city has always been a fertile ground for Go talents, and famous players such as Gu Li and Dang Yifei are all from here. Now, another local son of Chongqing has reached the top of the world, which has a positive significance for invigorating the city's Go atmosphere and enhancing the pride of citizens.
Li Xuanhao's championship can be called a spring thunder in the Chinese Go world, indicating that the ice and snow will eventually melt and new vitality will be born. We sincerely hope that there will be more new stars rising in the future to relay the glory of Chinese Go.