Kingdom Woman

Whereas women made China a chess superpower, China’s first men’s World Champion, 丁立人 (Dīng Lìrén), apparently failed to turn his success into a springboard for a chess boom in the Celestial Empire. Thus thought 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán), a four-time Women’s World Champion, as she was interviewed by Melvyn Teoh for The Straits Times of Monday, December 9, 2024: “Even after his win, not many knew that the world champion was Chinese”, she said. “I think one of the reasons was that 丁 (Dīng) did not give many interviews after his win and he might have missed an opportunity to use his win as a platform to raise China’s profile in chess” — a field in which she instead excels and to which makes a valuable contribution. Now a Professor from the Peking University Physical Education and Research Department, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is indeed here in an academic capacity too: “I hope and am working to help grow chess (in Peking), our director of physical education is here in Singapore to watch this event and do the research required”.

侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) poses for pictures in the fan zone at the Equarius Hotel in Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. Photos: Desmond Wee/The Straits Times.