MGI: The Chinese Opening

The Chinese opening has its own history. It was really not invented in China. A lower Chinese opening (Q16, R9 and Q3) was appeared in some games by Japanese players. It is often told that Honinbo Dosaku liked playing an opening that is akin to this opening, and that is now called "a small Chinese opening". As it didn't go with a highly sophisticated style which was developed in the mid-Edo era, it went down. An amateur, Yasunaga who was a great friend of Go Seigen and Kitani, studied on this opening and actually applied it in his games many times in 1950s - 60s. Then, he traveled in China and played and taught young Chinese players. They learned it immediately and have studied deeply since. The reason why it is called the "Chinese" opening is that it was fond of very much by the first modern Chinese player, Chen Zu de.