Grandmaster Meets Greatness: Harrow Hong Kong Hosts an Unforgettable Scholastic Chess Showdown
- Sunny Lo
- 9 hours ago
- 5 min read
The prestigious Harrow Hong Kong International School became the heart of Hong Kong’s chess scene this past weekend, as over 400 young chess players gathered for the Harrow Hong Kong 1st Scholastic Open Chess Tournament. What began as a scholastic tournament quickly transformed into an elite-level celebration of talent, learning, and inspiration—thanks in no small part to the presence of Grandmaster Ding Liren. | 位於屯門青盈路的哈羅香港國際學校，於週末化身為本地國際象棋熱點，迎來超過400位學生棋手參加「哈羅香港首屆校際國際象棋公開賽」。本次賽事不僅是一場學界棋藝競技，更因前世界冠軍丁立人特別到場，令整個活動昇華至國際級水平。 |
The tournament followed a 7-round Swiss format, with 15-minute rapid games per side, challenging every student to play smart, fast, and focused. Tension filled the air as each round unfolded like a battlefield of minds. Across the arena, tactical brilliance and heartbreaking blunders painted a vivid picture of chess at its most intense. But the highlight wasn’t just the competition—it was the experience. | 比賽採用七輪瑞士制，每方限時15分鐘，不設加秒，對參賽者的時間管理及臨場決策構成極大挑戰。場內對局節奏明快，氣氛緊張，每一著棋都蘊藏著對局雙方的思維交鋒。 |
Ding’s Ceremonial First Move kicked off the event with royal flair. A hush fell over the room as the former World Champion placed his piece on the board, electrifying the atmosphere with a single gesture. That moment alone lit a fire in the hearts of many young players, reminding them of the heights they could reach. | 賽事的亮點之一，是由丁立人進行的開棋儀式。他在指定棋枱上落下第一步棋，全場為之一靜，為比賽揭開序幕。這一刻，不單是象徵性的開始，更是對在場年輕棋手們的鼓舞與激勵。 |
Queuing Up for registration in the beautiful Temple of Harrow School.
420 students seated and ready for Round 1!
Warm welcoming words from Ms. Peck （Harrow School）, Mr. Kao （HKCCFL） and GM Ding Liren
And the rest followed: start round 1!
While Round 1 and 2 were going on GM Ding Liren met with several VIPs from HKCCFL, Harrow School Principal and parents as well as visiting coaches from Shenzhen.
Later, 20 lucky participants took part in a nerve-wracking puzzle race against Ding himself, solving the same set of 48 chess puzzles in a strict time frame—Ding had only 10 minutes, while the students had 20. With just three lives and escalating difficulty, each decision was a make-or-break moment. It was a thrilling and unforgettable challenge that pushed players to their limits. | 其後，20位學生參加了與丁立人的特別「解題挑戰」。參賽者需在限時內完成48道難度逐漸上升的國際象棋題目，丁立人僅限時10分鐘，而學生則有20分鐘。每位參賽者只有三次錯誤機會，挑戰極具刺激性，充分考驗思維速度與準確性。 |
As the rounds continued, so did the surprises. Ding returned to the arena to face multiple challengers at once in not one, but two simultaneous exhibitions—one with tournament participants, and one with fans and visitors. Calm, calculated, and commanding, Ding managed both boards and conversations, creating unforgettable moments for everyone he faced. | 賽事期間，丁立人亦進行了兩場車輪戰表演賽，分別對弈多位參賽學生及到場支持者。他以從容不迫的姿態面對十多名對手，展現世界級棋手的風範，讓在場人士留下深刻印象。 |
Between games, students proudly took part in group photos with the grandmaster, solidifying memories of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. During the certificate signing session, Ding personally signed each student’s participation certificate—a small but deeply meaningful souvenir from a world-class event. | 比賽空檔期間，學生們有機會與丁立人合照留念，並於簽名環節獲得其親筆簽署的參賽證書。這份證書不單代表一次參賽紀錄，更象徵著與世界級棋手同場交流的寶貴經驗。 |
Simultaneous chess against 15 of U7 and U9 students who won the lucky draw to get in.
After the simultaneous chess GM Ding Liren went on to do a puzzle race with U11 U13 U18 students selected by lucy draw too.
Lining up to get a signature from GM Ding Liren at the Signing Booth
After the Signing Session GM Ding Liren played another simultaneous chess event against chess enthusiasts who were not playing in the tournament.
An interested audience listened to GM Ding Liren answering questions from the audience with great support from two Harrow students.
To cap it all off, a Q&A session brought Ding face-to-face with his young audience. From training secrets to mindset tips, he answered every question with humility and insight. The prize ceremony followed, awarding the top performers across age categories—made even more special as trophies were handed out by the grandmaster himself. | 活動最後設有答問環節，學生踴躍提問，丁立人就訓練方法、比賽心態及成為頂尖棋手的關鍵等作出分享。壓軸的頒獎典禮上，各年齡組別的優勝者由丁立人親自頒發獎座，場面隆重且令人難忘 |
The Harrow Hong Kong 1st Scholastic Open Chess Tournament wasn’t just a competition—it was a celebration of passion, perseverance, and possibility. For these young chess warriors, it wasn’t just about how many games they won—it was about sharing the room, the board, and the dream with one of the greatest. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Harrow International School Hong Kong for hosting this remarkable event, and we warmly congratulate them on emerging as the Overall Champion. Below are the top 5 winners in each categories. | 「哈羅香港首屆校際國際象棋公開賽」不僅是一場比賽，更是一場啟發思維、凝聚社群的盛會，為香港及大灣區的年輕棋手提供一個展示實力與夢想的平台。最後, 我們衷心感謝哈羅香港國際學校對是次賽事的大力支持，並恭賀該校勇奪全場總冠軍殊榮。以下是每個組別的前5名得獎者。 |
Champion : Meng Shayne 1st runner up : Liu Zhijian 2nd runner up : Wong Catalina 3rd runner up : Chan Joseph 4th runner up : Ho Lucas Ming Yuk
Champion : Chong Jake 1st runner up : Mak Cheuk Lam 2nd runner up : 郭玖麟 3rd runner up : Liu Ernest 4th runner up : Lik Shun Nathanael Chan
Champion : Tan Yik Hin 1st runner up : Xuan Rui Teo 2nd runner up : Kwan Yat Calix Leung 3rd runner up : Or Lincoln 4th runner up : Wang Yuanjin Jake
Champion : Poon Pak Yu, Po Leung Kuk Camoes Tan Siu Lin Primary School 1st runner up : Fang Brandon Jun Qiao 2nd runner up : Hui Lok Cheung 3rd runner up : Lok Chee Ao 4th runner up : Leung Lucas Champion : Kao Jamison 1st runner up : Wu Matthew 2nd runner up : Cao Ethan 3rd runner up : Nguyen Paul 4th runner up : Hung Andrew | 冠軍 : Meng Shayne 第二名 : Liu Zhijian 第三名 : Wong Catalina 第四名 : Chan Joseph 第五名 : Ho Lucas Ming Yuk
冠軍 : : Chong Jake 第二名 : Mak Cheuk Lam 第三名 : 郭玖麟 第四名 : Liu Ernest 第五名 : Lik Shun Nathanael Chan
冠軍 : : Tan Yik Hin 第二名 : Xuan Rui Teo 第三名 : Kwan Yat Calix Leung 第四名 : Or Lincoln 第五名 : Wang Yuanjin Jake
冠軍 : Poon Pak Yu 第二名 : Fang Brandon Jun Qiao 第三名 : Hui Lok Cheung 第四名 : Lok Chee Ao 第五名 : Leung Lucas
冠軍 : Kao Jamison 第二名 : Wu Matthew 第三名 : Cao Ethan 第四名 : Nguyen Paul 第五名 : Hung Andrew
|
