2026 Fotile Cup Cultural Celebrities Invitational and the 15th National Amateur Go Open Competition Rules I. Host Organizations Chinese Weiqi Association II. Supporting Organizations Zhejiang Provincial Weiqi Association III. Host Organization Ningbo Go Association Cixi Go Association IV. Exclusive Title Sponsor Ningbo Fotile Kitchen Ware Co., Ltd. V. Co-organizers Cixi Yiyou Club (慈溪市弈友俱乐部) VI. Media Support Cixi Aiti Wang (慈溪爱体网) 7. Competition Dates and Venue (1) Cultural Celebrity Invitational Tournament: December 8–10, 2026 (check-in by 5:00 p.m. on December 7); Open Division: the first stage will be held from December 8 to 10, 2026 (check-in by 5:00 p.m. on December 7); the second stage will be held from December 11 to 12, 2026. (2) Venue: Platinum Hanjue Grand Hotel, Cixi, Zhejiang Province (888 Yangmei Avenue, Cixi City) VIII. Competition Events 1. Celebrity Invitational 2. Individual Open Tournament (Counted Toward Team Results) IX. Divisions (1) The Cultural Celebrity Invitational will be held as a separate division. (II) Open Tournament Open Division, Women's Division, Middle-Aged Division (born between 1976 and 1967), and Senior Division (born in 1966 or earlier). 10. Entry Procedures (1) Cultural Celebrity Invitational Eligibility: Participants must be prominent figures in the fields of science, education, culture, health, sports, and related areas. Entries are capped at 32 players and will close once the limit is reached. (II) Open Tournament 1. Go associations at all levels, clubs, training institutions, companies, schools, and other organizations nationwide may enter teams in the competition. Players in the Open Division must hold an amateur 5-dan (inclusive) or higher certificate issued under the supervision of the Chinese Weiqi Association. Players in all other divisions must hold an amateur 4-dan (inclusive) or higher certificate issued under the supervision of the Chinese Weiqi Association. 2. Invited female professional players, as well as newly promoted professional players from the youth division of the 2025 and 2026 National Go Professional Qualification Tournaments, will participate in the Open Division. 3. Players may register as a team or as individuals. The Open, Middle-Aged, and Senior divisions are open to both sexes; the Open and Women's divisions have no age restrictions. Each player may register for only one division. In each division, team results are calculated on the basis of the individual competition. Team events are contested by teams of three players, and team members must be determined at the time of registration. A team leader or coach may also serve as a team member. Where a region has many participating players, it may organize multiple teams. Entities with legal-person status may form teams to take part in the team event; all others will have only their individual results recorded. 4. The registering organization bears direct management responsibility for the team leaders, coaches, and players it enters in the competition. (3) Only players from Mainland China may participate. (4) To promote and uphold the core socialist values and the Chinese sporting spirit, and to ensure a fair competitive environment in Go events, the tournament will strictly enforce the *Disciplinary Code and Penalty Regulations of the Chinese Weiqi Association (Trial)* and the *Implementation Rules for the Management of Sportsmanship and Discipline in National Go Events and Activities*. XI. Competition Format (1) The latest Go competition rules approved by the Chinese Weiqi Association shall be applied. (2) The open tournament will be held in two stages. The first stage will use a Swiss-system format: 1. Each group will be paired separately, and the tournament will run eight to nine rounds depending on the number of registrants. 2. Divisions with fewer than 30 participants will be merged with the Open Division for play, and individual and team rankings will be calculated separately by division. 3. Ranking by total score: In the Open Division, the top fourteen players advance to the second stage; in the Women's Division, Middle-Aged Division, and Senior Division, the top eight advance. The first- and second-place finishers in the Open Division go directly into the second round of the second-stage knockout. (See Appendix 1 for the Open Division knockout bracket, and Appendix 2 for the Women's, Middle-Aged, and Senior Division knockout brackets.) (3) In the second stage, a knockout format will be used to determine each player's final placement. Except for the champion and runner-up, where players are tied, the final placements will be determined by their rankings in the first stage, with the higher-ranked player placed ahead. (4) Team results are calculated by adding together the individual total scores of the three team members in the first stage. Teams with fewer than three players will not be ranked in the team standings. (5) Time controls: In the first stage, each side has 50 minutes of main time, followed by three 20-second byo-yomi periods; a player who exceeds the time limit loses. In the second stage (knockout), each side has 60 minutes of main time, followed by three 20-second byo-yomi periods; a player who exceeds the time limit loses. A player who is more than 15 minutes late for any round forfeits the game. (6) The Cultural Celebrity Tournament will, in principle, be held as a single-division competition. If there is a marked difference in playing strength among the participants, the players may be divided into two groups, A and B, according to their actual playing strength, with each group playing its own competition. (7) Detailed rules for the competition will be announced separately in the Supplementary Competition Regulations. XII. Rankings and Prizes (1) If the Cultural Celebrity Tournament is held as a separate division, the top 16 finishers will be placed; if it is split into Group A and Group B, the top 8 finishers in each group will be placed. Prize winners will receive certificates of honor and prizes. (2) The top six teams in each group of the Open will receive trophies. (3) In the Open Division individual event, the top twenty-six finishers will receive honor certificates and prize money, and the top three will also receive trophies. First place: 42,000 yuan; second place: 20,000 yuan; third to fourth place: 8,000 yuan each; fifth to eighth place: 4,000 yuan each; ninth to fourteenth place: 2,000 yuan each; fifteenth to twenty-sixth place: 1,000 yuan each. (4) Women's Division (excluding female professional players): The top twelve individual finishers will receive certificates of honor and prize money, and the top three will also receive trophies. 1st place: 12,000 yuan; 2nd place: 6,000 yuan; 3rd–4th places: 3,000 yuan each; 5th–8th places: 1,500 yuan each; 9th–12th places: 800 yuan each. (5) The top twelve finishers in the Middle-Aged Division individual event will receive certificates of honor and cash prizes, and the top three will also receive trophies. 1st place: 6,000 yuan; 2nd place: 3,000 yuan; 3rd–4th place: 1,500 yuan each; 5th–8th place: 800 yuan each; 9th–12th place: 500 yuan each. (6) In the Senior Division individual event, the top twelve finishers will receive certificates of honor and prize money, and the top three will also be awarded trophies. 1st place: 6,000 yuan; 2nd place: 3,000 yuan; 3rd–4th places: 1,500 yuan each; 5th–8th places: 800 yuan each; 9th–12th places: 500 yuan each. Note: All prize amounts above are pre-tax, and prizes cannot be won in more than one division. (7) Awarding of Amateur Dan Ranks at the Open 1. Open Division: If the number of participating players ranked 5-dan or above reaches 150, the top three finishers will be awarded 6-dan (extended in sequence to the top 30). If the number of participating players ranked 5-dan or above reaches 100 but is fewer than 150, the top two finishers will be awarded 6-dan (with the award extended down to the top 20 finishers if the places are vacated); If the number of participants ranked 5-dan or above reaches 50 but is fewer than 100, the first-place finisher will be awarded 6-dan (extended to the top 10 finishers). 2. Middle-aged Group: If the number of participating players ranked 5-dan or above reaches 50, the first-place finisher will be awarded 6-dan (with the award extended in order down to the top 10 finishers). 3. Amateur dan ranks are awarded according to placement, and any carry-over of placements applies only to the rankings of amateur players. 4. Review of dan rank eligibility and issuance of certificates shall be carried out in accordance with the Chinese Weiqi Amateur Ranking System and Administrative Measures. (8) Participants are obligated to attend the opening ceremony, awards ceremony and other official events required by the Organizing Committee. Otherwise, the Organizing Committee will, depending on the circumstances, impose penalties such as a public reprimand, deduction of part of the prize money, or a ban from competition. 13. Registration and Check-in (1) Registration deadline: 18:00 on November 26, 2026. Contact: Huang Shuai (黄帅). Tel: 15058412375 (also on WeChat). (2) Check-in Participating players must check in by 5:00 p.m. on December 7, 2026. Check-in location: Lobby of the Platinum Hanjue Grand Hotel in Cixi (慈溪白金汉爵大酒店), No. 888 Yangmei Avenue, Cixi. Participants must submit a signed participation waiver (Appendix 3) at check-in. (3) All participants must arrange their own personal accident insurance for the duration of the competition (including travel to and from the event). Otherwise, the individual will bear full responsibility for any unforeseen consequences. 14. Participation Fees (I) Open Tournament 1. Each participating player must pay an event service fee of 280 yuan per person. Tel: 15058412375 (also available on WeChat). Please note: "Event service fee." 2. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses. The tournament's recommended hotel rates are: 230 yuan per person per night (twin room, breakfast included), totaling 690 yuan for three nights through noon on December 10; alternatively, a single room at 420 yuan per person per night (breakfast included for one), totaling 1,260 yuan for three nights through noon on December 10. Any amount above this will be subsidized by the tournament organizing committee. (2) Cultural Celebrity Division: No event service fee will be charged for this division. The organizing committee will cover participants' accommodation and meals; participants are responsible for their own round-trip transportation costs. 15. Referees and Dispute Resolution (1) The chief referee will be appointed by the Chinese Weiqi Association. The deputy chief referees, referees, members of the technical appeals committee, and other technical officials will be recommended by the host organization from among Level 1 and higher referees, in line with operational needs and the principle of keeping the team lean, and will take up their duties once confirmed by the Chinese Weiqi Association. (2) Any appeal against a ruling made by a referee (including the chief referee and deputy chief referees) during the competition must be submitted in writing within 20 minutes after the end of that round. The appeal fee is RMB 2,000. The fee will be refunded if the appeal succeeds and will not be refunded if it fails, in which case it will be turned over to the tournament organizing committee for disposition. (3) Any and all non-adjudicative disputes related to this event shall be submitted to the Organizing Committee or the Chinese Weiqi Association for resolution. 16. Any matters not covered here will be announced separately. The Chinese Weiqi Association reserves the right of interpretation of these regulations. Chinese Weiqi Association November 4, 2026 Attachment 3 2026 Fotile Cup Celebrity Invitational and the 15th National Amateur Go Open Disclaimer (Youth and Children Players) I, _________ (ID number: ___________________), voluntarily register to participate in the 2026 "Fotile Cup" Cultural Celebrities Invitational and the 15th National Amateur Go Open (hereinafter referred to as the "Event"). I and my guardian hereby voluntarily sign this Disclaimer: I. I and my guardian have fully understood the nature of this event, its risks, and the accidents that may occur, and have made the necessary precautions. Taking responsibility for my own safety, I voluntarily register to participate in this event and voluntarily sign this disclaimer. II. The participant and his/her guardian pledge that the personal information provided is true, accurate and complete. If any inaccuracy results in the participant being unable to compete, the participant and guardian bear sole responsibility. III. The participant and his or her guardian fully understand the participant's physical condition and confirm that the participant is in good health and meets the requirements for entry, has no physical discomfort or illness that could make him or her unfit to take part in this event, and has made full preparations for participation, including purchasing, before the event, personal accident insurance covering the duration of the event (including travel to and from the venue). After careful assessment, the guardian confirms that the ward's physical condition meets the requirements for participation and voluntarily accepts the corresponding risks. 4. I and my guardian are willing to assume all responsibility and risk arising during participation in the event and while traveling to and from it, and agree, to the extent permitted by law, to release the event's host, organizer, and other event organizing parties from any form of compensation for personal or property losses related to the event that I may suffer, including but not limited to bodily injury, partial or permanent disability, death, and medical or hospitalization expenses. For event-related losses that are not covered by the personal accident insurance described in the preceding paragraph, or for which the insurance payout is insufficient, I and my guardian are willing to bear them ourselves. I, my guardian, and my relatives and agents waive the right to bring a lawsuit or demand compensation against the event's host, organizer, and other organizing parties for any disability, loss, or death of mine that was not caused by the intentional misconduct or fault of the event organizing parties. 5. The participant and his or her guardian consent to receiving emergency first-aid medical treatment provided on site by the organizer during the event; however, any related expenses arising from hospital treatment and the like shall be borne by the team, or by the participant and his or her guardian. VI. The participant and the participant's guardian shall properly safeguard important documents such as personal identification, ensuring their safety and validity throughout the event. The participant and the participant's guardian undertake to look after their own personal belongings and shall bear the risk of, and responsibility for, any loss, damage or destruction of those belongings. VII. The participant and his or her guardian pledge to abide by all rules and regulations of this event, the decisions of the Organizing Committee, and the measures taken by the event organizers, including the host and the operating organization; not to use mobile phones or other communication devices during the competition; to attend the opening and closing ceremonies on time; and not to engage in any dishonest, unlawful or otherwise improper conduct, such as falsification or cheating. In the event of a violation of the above provisions, the participant voluntarily accepts the penalties imposed by the Organizing Committee or the event organizers in accordance with the "Disciplinary Code and Penalty Regulations of the Chinese Weiqi Association (Trial)" and the "Implementing Rules for the Management of Conduct and Discipline at National Weiqi Events and Activities." 8. The participant and his or her guardian pledge to give the highest priority to personal safety throughout the event: to stay out of hazardous areas, not to take part in high-risk activities, and not to consume alcohol, so as to ensure the participant's own health and safety. 9. The guardian agrees that, should any problem arise involving a minor player during the competition (including but not limited to physical injury, illness, property loss, or legal disputes), the participating player and the guardian shall handle such problems on their own and bear all liability and consequences arising from them. The tournament organizing committee and the registering entity are obligated only to provide coordination within their ability. 10. I and my guardian have carefully read and fully understood all of the above, confirm all of the foregoing content, and accept the corresponding legal responsibility. XI. This Disclaimer is signed voluntarily by me and my guardian. Should either of us violate any provision of this Disclaimer, we will bear all legal liability ourselves and will compensate the event organizer or host and their related parties for all losses thus incurred. (Please sign in regular script (kaiti) and make sure the signature is clearly legible.) Participating player (ward) signature: _______ Guardian's signature: _______ ____ (Year) ___ (Month) ___ (Day) 2026 Fotile Cup Cultural Celebrities Invitational and the 15th National Amateur Go Open Disclaimer (Adult Players, Team Leaders and Coaches) I, _________ (ID number: ___________________), voluntarily register to participate in the 2026 Fotile Cup Cultural Celebrities Invitational and 15th National Amateur Go Open (hereinafter referred to as the "Event"), and voluntarily sign this disclaimer: I. I fully understand the nature and risks of this event and the accidents that may occur, and I have taken the necessary precautions. I am registering for this event voluntarily, with a sense of responsibility for my own safety, and I sign this disclaimer of my own free will. 2. I hereby pledge that the personal information I have provided is true, accurate, and complete. If any inaccuracy prevents me from taking part in the competition, I will bear the responsibility myself. III. I fully understand my own physical condition and confirm that I am in good health and qualified to participate, that I have no physical discomfort or illness of any kind that might make me unfit to take part in this event, and that I have prepared thoroughly for participation. Before the event, I purchased "personal accident insurance" covering the duration of the event (including travel to and from the venue). IV. I am willing to bear all responsibility and risks arising during the event and while traveling to and from it, and I agree, to the extent permitted by law, to release the event's organizers, hosts and other event-organizing parties from any form of compensation for personal or property losses related to the event that I may suffer, including but not limited to bodily injury, partial or permanent disability, death, and medical or hospitalization expenses. For any event-related losses that are not covered by the personal accident insurance described in the preceding paragraph, or for which the insurance payout is insufficient, I am willing to bear them myself. I, together with my relatives and agents, waive the right to bring a lawsuit against the event's organizers, hosts and other event-organizing parties, or to demand compensation from them, for any injury, disability, loss or death of mine that was not caused by the intentional acts or fault of the organizing parties. V. I agree to accept the on-site emergency medical treatment provided by the organizer during the event. However, any related costs incurred for hospital treatment and the like shall be borne by my team or myself. 6. I will keep my personal identification and other important documents in a safe place and ensure that they remain secure and valid throughout the event. I undertake to look after my own belongings, and I bear the risk of, and responsibility for, any loss of or damage to them. VII. I pledge to abide by all of the rules and regulations of this event, the decisions of the event organizing committee, and the measures taken by the event organizers, including the hosts and the operating organizations. I will not engage in any dishonest or unlawful conduct, such as falsification or cheating. Should I violate the above provisions, I voluntarily accept any disciplinary measures that the event organizing committee or the event organizers may impose in accordance with the "Disciplinary Code and Penalty Regulations of the Chinese Weiqi Association (Trial)" and the "Implementation Rules on the Management of Conduct and Discipline in National Weiqi Events and Activities." 8. I pledge to take my personal safety extremely seriously during the event: I will not enter dangerous areas, will not take part in high-risk activities, and will not drink excessively, so as to ensure my own health and safety. IX. I have carefully read and fully understood the above content, confirm all of the above, and accept the corresponding legal responsibility. 10. This disclaimer is signed by me voluntarily. If I violate any provision of this disclaimer, I will bear full legal responsibility on my own and will compensate the event organizer or host and their related parties for all losses resulting therefrom. (Please sign in regular script (kaiti), and make sure the signature is clear and legible.) Signature: _______ ____ (Year) ___ (Month) ___ (Day) Click to download the attachment: Attachment 1: 2026 Fotile Cup Cultural Celebrities Invitational and 15th National Amateur Go Open — Open Division Knockout Bracket.docx Attachment 2: 2026 Fotile Cup Cultural Celebrities Invitational and 15th National Amateur Go Open — Women's, Middle-Aged and Senior Divisions Knockout Bracket.docx Attachment 3: Disclaimer for the 2026 Fotile Cup Celebrity Invitational and 15th National Amateur Go Open.docx
