2 to 6 November 2026 | Nanjing, China The 11th Silk Road International City Go Open Tournament (Jinling Wuxiang Cup), held from 2 to 6 November 2026 in Wuxiang, Lishui District of Nanjing, was once again a rich cultural experience, accompanied by some respectable results for the European players. This year’s edition brought together 63 players from 15 countries and regions, representing 21 teams and 24 cities, making it the largest edition of the tournament so far. The Silk Road Tournament was established in 2014 with the aim of bringing together Go players from countries along the historic Silk Road. Over the years, it has travelled through different regions of China and even reached Austria and Malaysia. This year’s edition was the first to take place in Nanjing, one of China’s most historically significant cities. Nanjing, whose name means “Southern Capital”, served as the capital of several Chinese dynasties and was an important political and cultural centre for centuries. The city is particularly famous for its impressive Ming Dynasty city walls, among the most remarkable surviving examples of ancient Chinese fortifications. The tournament took place in the Lishui District, near Wuxiang Mountain, an area known for its natural scenery and cultural heritage. The name Wuxiang (无想) can be associated with the Buddhist idea of freedom from distracting thoughts, something one might experience playing Go The competition was particularly strong this year, with some of China’s strongest amateur players and a professional player from Singapore competing for the podium. After eight rounds, Zhou Zhenyu 8d from Nanjing emerged as the undefeated champion, followed by Du Yang 8d from Xi’an in second place and Chen Yihang 1p from Singapore in third. The European players faced tough opponents throughout the tournament, but still managed to achieve some respectable results. The strongest European team, European Union 1, finished in fifth place in the team standings, behind Xi’an, Xi’an Huyi District, Lanzhou New Area, and Singapore. As has become a tradition at the Silk Road Tournament, the first round was played outdoors, after a cultural program during the opening ceremony. This year, the November weather was a little colder than in previous editions. The wind blew through the playing area, making the colourful flags flutter above the Go boards. Fortunately, the players had plenty of intense fights on the boards to keep them warm! The opening ceremony was once again attended by Chang Hao 9p, President of the Chinese Weiqi Association, alongside many important representatives of the Chinese Go community. Among them was Ge Yuhong, the founder and teacher of the Go school where European players are invited each year to study. This time, he also participated in the tournament himself. Li Ting 1p, team leader of the strongest European team, represented the European Go Federation. The remaining rounds took place indoors, in the woodcarving museum next to the tournament hotel. Surrounded by traditional craftsmanship, the players continued their battles in a rather unusual and atmospheric setting. Player | Country | Team | Place --- Ioan-Elian Grigoriu | Romania | European Union 1 | 13 Stanisław Frejlak | Poland | European Union 1 | 14 Bende Barcza | Hungary | European Union 2 | 27 Lothar Spiegel | Austria | European Union 1 | 29 Răzvan Andrei | Romania | Romania | 34 Chafiq Bantla | Germany | European Union 2 | 35 Petru Oancea | Romania | Romania | 36 Lucrețiu Calotă | Romania | Romania | 37 Mirta Grigoriu | Croatia | European Girls | 45 Anton Silfver | Sweden | Türkiye | 46 François Mizessyn | France | European Union 2 | 48 Bilge Göze | Türkiye | Türkiye | 56 Lilly Hu | Austria | European Girls | 58 Cherry Hu | Austria | European Girls | 61 The organisers put considerable effort into making the international guests feel welcome, and the hospitality throughout the event was excellent. A cultural excursion to Nanjing was organised, giving participants the opportunity to explore the city’s remarkable history. Among the highlights were the Nanjing City Wall Museum and Zhonghua Gate, part of the city’s extensive Ming Dynasty fortifications. Built in the 14th century under the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, Nanjing’s walls once protected the imperial capital. The tournament hotel itself was located in a relatively quiet area, with few places to explore nearby in the evenings, so some games were analyzed in local milk tea stores. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Chinese Weiqi Association, the local organisers, and everyone involved in making this year’s Silk Road Tournament such a memorable experience. We are already looking forward to the next edition of the Silk Road Tournament and to meeting our friends from around the world once again! Many thanks also to EGF Vice President Li Ting for looking after the whole process for the European players. Report: Mirta Grigoriu. Photos: Zeynel Bilge Göze, @alphagozze on Instagram.
