World Mind Masters announces the launch of the 2008 World Xiangqi Masters Tournament

Online qualifying opens soon, with prize money of US$40,000

London, August 28, 2008 - World Mind Masters, the only professional international promoter of intellectual games events in China, today announced the forthcoming launch of the 2008 World Xiangqi Masters Tournament, promoted in association with the Board and Card Games Directorate of the General Administration of Sport of China, the government body in charge of promoting the sport.

Xiangqi, the Chinese version of chess, has over 200 million regular players in China and many more around the world. Now in its fourth year, the World Xiangqi Masters Tournament will launch at the end of August, beginning with online qualifying rounds at the website www.worldmindmasters.com.

“We are delighted to be back for a fourth year and are looking forward to another successful and exciting competition,” said Sir James Hodge, the former senior British diplomat and Chairman of World Mind Masters Limited. “We remain committed to the promotion of intellectual mind sports in China and internationally. Xiangqi, which has held a unique place in the heart and culture of China for over 200 years, is gaining popularity around the world and we are proud to continue to have this opportunity to work with the Board and Card Games Directorate in the promotion of the sport,” he added.

The Word Xiangqi Masters Tournament is open to anyone with a computer and Internet access. Players who register are immediately placed within the World Mind Masters ranking system and a potential pool of millions of online qualifiers who play against each other to reach the top 32, winning all-expenses paid trips to Beijing for live knockout rounds.

As in previous years, the top 32 online qualifiers who make it to Beijing are reduced to 12, who go through to face China’s top 12 players in the finals. This 24-player knockout for the World Xiangqi Masters title culminates in a medals ceremony and banquet in Beijing’s legendary Great Hall of the People, with prize money totaling US$40,000.

“Last year the tournament was followed by millions of Xiangqi fans on China’s sports channel, CCTV-5, and received widespread online and print coverage. We are looking forward to building on that success in 2008, especially in this Chinese Olympic year with the spotlight focused on the country and its culture,” said Don Morris, CEO of World Mind Masters Limited. “Our new website will launch at the same time as the online qualifying rounds at the end of August, with a new look and feel, enhanced functionality, and with the aim of creating the largest online community of Xiangqi players in China and the world,” he added.

The 2008 World Xiangqi Masters Tournament commences with the online qualifying rounds at the end of August. The live knockout rounds and finals will take place in Beijing in early December with the medals ceremony and banquet at the Great Hall of the People on 12th December. The launch of the new website – www.worldmindmasters.com – will be announced shortly.

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About World Mind Masters
World Mind Masters Limited (WMM) is a rights and events owner and organizer dedicated to the major intellectual Asian and Western mind games. As the only professional international promoter of intellectual games events in China, WMM has established the official World Xiangqi Masters Tournament in partnership with the Board and Card Games Directorate of the General Administration of Sport of China. Having successfully hosted online and live World Xiangqi Masters events in 2005, 2006 and 2007, WMM intends to add to its stable of annual events by introducing championship events in other great intellectual mind games, including Go, Shogi, Checkers and International Chess.

This release was published on openPR.