2019 World Go Masters Championship format unveiled

The schedule for The International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) World Masters Championship was announced at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

The prestigious sports event will take place this year in China's Hengshui city in Hebei Province, from May 13 to 18.

The organizers outlined The format with special appearances from Go grandmasters Ke Jie and Nie Weiping. 21-year-old Ke is a Chinese professional Go player of 9 dan rank and is ranked number one under The ranking system of The Chinese Weiqi Association.

He has continuously held The ranking since late 2014. Nie, on The oTher hand, is a 66-year-old veteran of Go and won The inaugural World Amateur Go Championship way back in 1979.

He was given 9 dan rank in 1982 and went on to become famous in The Go world after guiding China to victory in The China-Japan Supermatches, outmaneuvering several top Japanese players, including his teacher, Fujisawa Hideyuki.

The multi-sports event will include Go, Chess, Chinese Chess, Draughts and Bridge. Seventeen smaller events with 99 titles will be up for grab in total. Nearly 200 players from more than 40 countries and regions will compete in The mega mind event.