International Master
Which title was conferred to Zhang Pengxiang in 1998?
Zhang Pengxiang Zhang Pengxiang ( ; born 29 June 1980 in Tianjin ) is a Chinese chess grandmaster and the 2007 Asian Chess Champion . In 2001 , he became Chinas 12th Grandmaster . Zhangs peak rating was 2657 in April 2007 when he was ranked 47th in the world . He has stated his desire to teach and give training to youngsters in China via an online classroom network . He lives in Beijing . Career . Zhang learned to play chess when he was 5 years old , and at the age of six he started to play in chess competitions at school . He became national youth champion in 1992 and 1993 . He became a FIDE Master in 1996 and an International Master in 1998 . He was national junior champion in 1999 . He was the runner-up at the 1998 Chinese national mens chess championships . He has been a Grandmaster ( GM ) since August 2001 , when he achieved his last norm at the Asian Continental Championships - won by Xu Jun - in Kolkata where he came fourth with 7.5/11 . Earlier that month , he won the Zhong Hong Real Estate Cup in Beijing with 8/11 . In November 2001 , he upset former world champion Anatoly Karpov ( who had an Elo rating 162 points higher ) in the first round at the FIDE World Chess Championships in Moscow . Zhang , ranked 113th in the world at the time , held Karpov to two draws in regular matches and forced him into the two tie-breaks . In the first rapid play tie-breaker Zhang won the first game ( Slav Defense ) where he mounted a stiff opposition as black that eventually Karpov ran out of time in a roughly equal position . In the second tie-breaker ( reverse colors ) , Karpov resigned as Black in 45 moves in a Giuoco Piano . Zhang won 3-1 overall . After that encounter with Karpov , Zhang said he had prepared for two months before the game in case he met him . I wanted to draw the first two games and to play the tie-breaks . My idea was to avoid the exchange of pieces to preserve my chances and to maintain tension in the game , Zhang said . I took the upper hand in the second tie-breaker . He used up his time and had to give up . These tactics proved to be a brilliant success against the 48-year-old Karpov , who had already conceded victory to Zhang four years before at an exhibition game in China . Zhang also said He is my idol , and I told myself during the game not to play softly just because of my admiration for him . Zhang has said he had been an admirer of the Russian grandmaster since he was five years old . It is still fresh in my memory that I read a chess book of Karpov by chance in 1985 which I liked very much , the 21-year-old said . It lifted me to a higher level . I was happy that I took on him in the first round . Zhang moved on to the next round to play Evgeny Pigusov of Russia but got whitewashed 2-0 . In February 2002 , Zhang came joint second with 6/8 ( joint fourth on tie-break ) at the 2nd Trignac International Tournament in France . In March 2002 he won the 9th Anilbal International Open in Linares with 8/10 . Also later in March 2002 , he came second at the 25th Ciudad de San Sebastian with 5.5/8 after the winner Yu Shaoteng . In September 2002 he also became the Chinese national champion for the first time in Qinghuangdao . In May 2004 , Zhang came second at the China Mens Team Championship with 8/10 . In August–September 2004 , he won the 6th Sants Hostafrancs A-Open with 8.5/10 in Barcelona after play-offs . In September 2004 he won the 14th Gros Xake Taldea International Open in San Sebastian , and in October 2004 , won the Essent Open in Hoogeveen with 7/9 . In December 2004 , he came fourth with 6.0/9 at the Singapore Masters . In February 2005 , Zhang won the Festival International des Jeux in Cannes with an almost perfect score of 8.5/9 . In March 2005 , he won the International Chess Festival in Bad Wörishofen with a score of 7.5/9 . In May 2005 , he came fourth at the Dubai Open , which was won by Wang Hao . In October 2005 , he came joint second ( third on tie-break ) with 5/10 ( 2684 TPR +71 ) at the 2nd Samba Cup in Skanderborg . In November 2006 Zhang won the 1st President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup in Manila by finishing in clear first with 7.5 points , and in December 2006 , he won the Singapore Masters . In September 2007 he won the Asian Individual Championship ahead of second place compatriot Wang Hao in Manila . He scored 8/11 with an Elo rating performance of 2713 . In April 2008 , he came a clear second at the 2nd Ruy López International Chess Festival in Mérida , Spain with a score of 5/7 and performance rating of 2772 . National team . Since 1997 , Zhang has been a member of the Chinese national chess team . He has competed at two Chess Olympiads in 2002 and 2006 ( overall : +5 , =1 , -4 ) . In 2003 , he won the individual gold medal at the 13th Asian Team Chess Championship in Jodhpur . He was also part of the 1999 team at the 12th Asian Team Chess Championship in Shenyang . He also competed at the 2005 World Team Chess Championship in Beersheba . China Chess League . Zhang Pengxiang plays for Hebei chess club in the China Chess League ( CCL ) .