Strategy 19x19: Kazan hosted the 7th Chinese Consulate General Weiqi Cup

The 7th Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China Cup for the ancient board game of Weiqi, known in Japan and the West as Go, started in the capital of Tatarstan. The tournament attracted nearly 150 participants; this is a record number in the history of the competition. The two-day competitions took place on 13-14 June, 2026. Winners and runners-up received points for participation in the Russian Championship, and the tournament itself served as the sixth stage of the Russian Cup in the sporting intellectual game of Go.

The event has been held since 2019 and has already become a significant annual event in Kazan’s sporting and cultural life. The Opening Ceremony of the 7th Cup, as before, took place in the building of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China – a picturesque mansion on the banks of the Kazanka River. Guests were treated to a rich cultural programme: musical performance with elements of contemporary Chinese music created an atmosphere of cultural dialogue and a symbolic union of the traditions of the two countries.

This year, the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Yekaterinburg joined the tournament series, expanding the project’s geographic reach and confirming the growing interest in developing Weiqi in Russia.

Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kazan, Cao Longquan, emphasised the special role of weiqi in strengthening Russian-Chinese ties.

“Go is a treasure born of Chinese civilization, with a history spanning over four thousand years. The 19x19 board and the black-and-white stones on it embody the profound philosophical wisdom of the Chinese nation: the harmonious unity of man and nature, hidden in the balance of the general and the particular; the dialectical thinking of the unity of opposites, manifested in the choice between the great and the small, the first and the last, attack and defence, advance and retreat. The Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era is at its best stage in its history, and weiqi (Go) serves as an important bridge uniting the peoples of Russia and China,” noted Cao Longquan.

The tournament organisers are the Kazan Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, the Go Federation of the Republic of Tatarstan, and the R.G.Nezhmetdinov State Educational Institution of Additional Education, the Republican School of Olympic Reserve in Chess, Checkers, and Go. They note that the competition not only identifies the strongest players but also contributes to the development of intellectual sports and the strengthening of cultural and diplomatic ties between Russia and China.

Photo from the Telegram channel of the Chinese Consulate General in Kazan