Chess, as a precious traditional cultural heritage, has been passed down for thousands of years. However, Ruiming Zhang is using her wisdom and innovation to combine this Chinese intellectual sport with modern technology, hoping to help more people understand the charm of chess.
As a rising star in the chess world, Ruiming Zhang’s achievements have far exceeded the realm of pure chess skills. As a well-known player in the industry, she created a unique chess teaching method called ”Zhang’s Chess Training Method with Artificial Intelligence”, combining AI to fill the gaps in chess education. Notably, Ruiming Zhang’s teaching method has shown excellent results and received high praise from participants.
Looking back at Ruiming Zhang’s growth journey, her extraordinary talent is evident. At just 12 years old, she won the championship in the women’s Chinese chess division at the Second National “Chess Youth Cup” Competition, winning across age groups. This achievement not only demonstrated her exceptional chess skills but also predicted her bright future in the chess world.
However, Ruiming Zhang’s path to success was not smooth sailing. As an Asian female player, she had to face gender discrimination and inequality prevalent in the industry. Instead of arguing, Ruiming Zhang responded by winning matches with her skill, convincing opponents through her abilities. She firmly believed that true skill knows no gender. She stood out in the Washington State Women’s Championship, winning first place, and also ranked 12th among all participants, fully demonstrating her capability. She ultimately received an invitation to join the Chinese National Chess Team.
In the chess world, being invited to join the Chinese National Chess Team is viewed as an extremely high honor and achievement, which is particularly significant for an Asian female player. It requires not only exceptional professional skills and outstanding competition results but also overcoming the industry’s prevalent gender inequality issues. The World Chess Federation (FIDE)’s July 2019 report directly reflected this imbalance: among chess players with International Master titles, there were 1,643 men but only 37 women. The United States Chess Federation (USCF) data shows that as of March 2021, women only accounted for 15% of registered players. This demonstrates the small representation of female players internationally. The fact that Ruiming Zhang could secure one of these few positions shows that both talent and effort are indispensable.
Ruiming Zhang’s achievements in chess not only demonstrate her exceptional chess skills but also highlight her original contributions to this traditional cultural field. One of her brilliant matches was included in the important publication “National Youth Chess Competition Series: 2012 National Youth Chess Competition Women’s Division Match Selection and Commentary,” an honor that itself is a high recognition of her chess skills. This series collected the most representative and strategically profound matches from the national youth chess competitions. Ruiming Zhang’s inclusion as a young Asian female player not only reflects her outstanding personal ability but also establishes an important milestone in the traditionally male-dominated chess field.
Through long-term theoretical study and practical training, Ruiming Zhang gradually developed her unique chess style and tactical thinking. She created a distinctive playing style known in the industry as ”Zhang’s Chess Training Method with Artificial Intelligence.” This creativity not only makes traditional chess teaching more modern and engaging but also fills some voids in the current chess education field. Her initiative provides students with a more intuitive learning experience, making complex chess knowledge easier to transmit. Ruiming Zhang states that the inspiration for this teaching method comes from her thoughts on combining chess with technology, hoping to use modern technological means to help more people understand the charm of chess and spark their interest and passion for the chess career.
Ruiming Zhang’s exploration of combining AI technology with traditional chess teaching received breakthrough recognition at the 2023 GenAI Summit. This summit, which gathered elite figures from Southern California’s political and business circles, witnessed the innovative value and social impact of “Zhang’s Chess Training Method with Artificial Intelligence.” The attendance of Irvine’s Mayor and Vice Mayor demonstrated the local government’s high regard for educational innovation. When presenting the certificate of honor, the Mayor particularly emphasized three important aspects: First, ”Zhang’s Chess Training Method with Artificial Intelligence” demonstrated innovative applications of artificial intelligence technology in traditional cultural inheritance, setting an example for Irvine’s development as a technology innovation center; Second, this deep integration of education and technology perfectly aligns with the city’s direction in promoting educational modernization; Finally, by stimulating youth interest in AI and technology, it opened new paths for future talent cultivation in the city.
“We encourage innovators like Ruiming Zhang to continue exploring AI technology applications, and we believe that through these efforts, Irvine will become a global model city for education and technology innovation,” the Mayor’s words not only highly recognized Ruiming Zhang’s achievements but also demonstrated the city’s firm support for technological innovation. To promote this vision, the Irvine city government launched a series of supporting measures. Under this context, Ruiming Zhang’s ”Zhang’s Chess Training Method with Artificial Intelligence” gained unprecedented development opportunities. Through deep integration with the city’s development strategy, her innovative education model not only serves chess enthusiasts but also provides valuable practical experience for the entire educational technology field. This approach of combining traditional culture with modern technology is becoming an important example of promoting educational innovation.
Ruiming Zhang has injected new vitality into this ancient sport with her wisdom and innovation, while also paving the way for more women and minorities in the chess world. Looking to the future, Ruiming Zhang states that she will continue to dedicate herself to chess education innovation and promotion, pushing forward the global spread of chess culture through continuous exploration of new teaching methods and cooperation models.
