Rui Naiwei

Rui Naiwei (Chinese: 芮迺伟^[1] Hanyu Pinyin: Ruì Nǎiwěi, Korean Hangul: 예내위 RR and M-R: Ye Nae-wi, born 28 December 1963) 9-dan was considered the strongest female player in the world for much of the 1990s and 2000s, and remains one of the top female players today. She dominated female players for much of her career, has beaten some of the top males, won titles open to both sexes, and has reached the highest overall rank of any female player in history.

According to GoRatings historical female list, Rui was #1 on the new-year rating lists 26 times, 1986–2012, with only Cho Hyeyeon topping it in 2005 with Rui second. On the overall rating list of 1998-01-01, she was ranked 17th, and ranked 18th on the 1994-01-01 list. This is by far the best ever world ranking by a woman. Her longevity is also phenomenal, dropping off #1 only in her 50th year. Even on the 2023-12-22 rating list at the age of 60, Rui was the #20-rated female player in the world, and #356 overall.

Table of contents In China, 1963–1990 Reason Rui left China In Japan, 1990–1996 In the USA, 1996–1999 In Korea, 1999–2011 In China, Again, 2011– Victories over all-time greats Head-to-head against other female rivals Titles Favorite players Personal life Books Links Pictures Notes

In China, 1963–1990

Born in Shanghai, China, Rui Naiwei began to play Go in 1975 and turned professional in 1985, becoming a 7 dan the same year. She was promoted to 8 dan in 1986 and 9 dan in 1988, the first woman to ever be promoted to this level.

Reason Rui left China

In 1989, during a China-Japan international match, they cruised through the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. Yoda Norimoto invited players to play fast go in his room. Rui and another female player on the team, Zhang Xuan, accepted the offer. But the Chinese team had a temporary rule against female players entering the rooms of male players. Both players were sanctioned, banned from the national Championship that year. Rui admitted a technical violation of a minor rule, but complained that she was insulted by the accusation of “misbehavior”. So she decided to leave China and play go abroad. (See Links below, Chinese Wikipedia article on Rui Naiwei)

In Japan, 1990–1996

Rui left China in 1990, moving to Tokyo, Japan where she studied Go as a student of Go Seigen and worked as a go teacher at a life insurance company. However, she was not allowed to enter any of the Japanese professional go association (Nihon Ki-in and Kansai Kiin) and so was unable to play professionally ( reference:Japan Times article) except for some unofficial magazine sponsored games.

In 1992, the same year she married, Rui also was invited to the quadrennial Ing Cup. Despite that this was Rui’s first tournament since she left China, she got through to the semi-finals where she lost to Otake Hideo 9-dan of Japan, but not before registering one win against him—to that point the greatest achievement by a female player in the game. (This was surpassed only recently; Choi Jung reached the final of the Samsung Cup in 2022.)

In the USA, 1996–1999

In 1996, Rui moved to the Bay Area of California, USA together with her husband, Jiang. The couple established the American Professional Go Association. She reached the final of the North American Masters Tournament in 1996, 1999, and 2000 (each time lost to her husband with 1–2 score).

In Korea, 1999–2011

In 1999, Rui and Jiang became Guest Professionals of the Hankuk Kiwon, moved to Korea and began participating in professional tournaments. She took, among other titles, the 43rd open (mixed gender) Kuksu title in 1999, beating Cho Hunhyeon 2–1, thus becoming the first woman to ever hold a major open title. In 2001, Rui and Jiang became regular professionals of the Hankuk Kiwon. She won another open title, the 5th Maxim Cup in 2004, beating Yu Ch'ang-hyeok in the final. (In the 4th edition in 2003, she had reached the final and lost to her husband Jiang.) She is the only woman to have won major titles open to both sexes.

Rui learned to speak fluent Korean. She said of her time in Korea:

I lived in Korea for exactly 12 years and 8 months. Korea is an unforgettable place for me. If it weren’t for Korea, I wouldn’t have been able to continue my professional career. I still haven’t forgotten how grateful I am to Korea.

In China, Again, 2011–

In 2011, Rui and Jiang returned to China where she plays in Chinese and international tournaments.

She has also occasionally been seen playing on IGS.

Victories over all-time greats

Based on Rui Naiwei, ratings and game list, as of 1 Jun 2025.

In official games, Rui has beaten some of the greatest (male) players in modern Go history, e.g.:

• Lee Sedol: 3–3
• Cho Hunhyun: 2–7
• Lee Changho: 4–5
• Nie Weiping: 1–0
• Cho Chikun: 1–2
• Kobayashi Koichi: 2–0
• Takemiya Masaki: 1–1
• Yoda Norimoto: 2–1
• Yoo Changhyuk: 3–6

Head-to-head against other female rivals

Even in her 60s, Rui is dangerous to other female pros who are decades younger.

• Choi Jung, 9p, current Korean and World #1 female: 3–4
• Yu Zhiying, 8p, #2 female in world, #1 female in China: 7–11
• Kim Eunji, 9p, #3 female and #1 female teenager in world, #2 female in South Korea: 0–0
• Zhou Hongyu, 7p, #4 female in world, #2 female in China: 6–2
• Ueno Asami, 6p, #5 female in world, #1 female in Japan: 1–1
• Lu Minquan, 6p, #6 female in world, #3 female in China: 6–9
• O Yujin, 9p, #7 female in world, #3 female in South Korea: 2–4
• Fujisawa Rina, 7p, #8 female in world, #2 female in Japan: 0–1
• Kim Chaeyeong, 9p, #9 female in world, #4 female in South Korea: 3–2
• Li He, 6p, #10 female in world, #4 female in China: 11–10
• Wu Yiming, 6p, #11 female and #2 female teenager in world, #5 female in China, who was inspired by Rui as a girl: 2–3
• Cho Seunga, 7p, #12 ranked female player and #304 overall, and #5 ranked player in Korea: 0–2
• Tang Jiawen, 6p, #13 female in world, and #6 female in China: 3–3
• Wang Chenxing, 5p, #16 female in world, #8 female in China: 10–10
• Gao Xing, 4p, #18 in world, #9 in China: 1–4
• Cho Hyeyeon, 9p, #19 female in world, once #1 and many years #2 female in world: 37–15
• Ueno Risa, 2p, #21 female and #3 female teenager in world, #3 female in Japan: 0–0
• Kim Hye-min, 9p, #25 female in the world, #8 female player in Korea: 7–1
• Kim Dayoung, 5p, Kim Chaeyeong's younger sister, #27 ranked female in the world and #9 female in Korea: 1–1
• Nakamura Sumire, 4p, #28 ranked female and #4 female teenager in the world, #4 ranked female in Japan: 0–0
• Lee Minjin, 8p, #29 female in the world, #10 female player in Korea: 5–8
• Xie Yimin, 7p, #30 ranked female in the world, #5 ranked female in Japan (#1 for many years): 2–0
• Joanne Missingham aka Hei Jiajia, 7p, #39 female in world, #1 ranked female player in Taiwan: 6–1
• Pak Chi-eun (Park Shiun), 9p, #68 in world (formerly #3 for 4 years), #23 in Korea (formerly #1): 16–14
• Suzuki Ayumi, 7p, twice Female Strongest, once Female Kisei: 1-1
• Kusunoki Teruko, 8p, 5× Female Honinbo, 3× Women's Kakusei: 2–0
• Kobayashi Chizu, 6p, 3× Women's Kakusei and All-Japan Women's Championship: 2–0
• Kobayashi Izumi, 7p, 3× Female Honinbo, 3× Female Meijin, 2× Female Kisei, once Teikei Cup Female Legends: 2–0
• Aoki Kikuyo, 8p, 5× Women's Meijin, 4× Women's Kakusei, once Female Kisei: 3–0
• Umezawa Yukari, 6p, 3× Female Kisei: 1–0
• Mukai Chiaki, 6p, once Women's Honinbo: 2–0
• Kim Eunseon 6p, Winner Baduk Masters Queen: 2–0
• Heo Seo-hyeon, 5p, Hyorim Cup winner: 0–1
• Kim Minseo, 4p: 1–0

Titles

Open titles in bold.

• 15th Jianqiao Cup (2017)
• 11th Jianqiao Cup (2013)
• 1st Guyun Jishou (2012)
• 5th Women's Kisung (2011)
• 16th Women's Kuksu (2011)
• 15th Women's Kuksu (2010)
• 6th to 12th Womens Myeongin (Jan 2005 - Feb 2011)
• 14th Women's Kuksu (2009)
• 12th Women's Kuksu (2007)
• 1st to 3rd Women's Kisung (Nov 2006 - Sep 2008)
• 11th Women's Kuksu (2006)
• 3rd Cheongkwanjang Cup (Jan 2005, as part of Team China)
• 5th Maxim Cup (March 2004)
• 1st Cheongkwanjang Cup (March 2003)
• 4th Womens Myeongin (2003)
• 8th Women's Kuksu (2002)
• 3rd Womens Myeongin (2002)
• 2nd Hungchang Cup (Feb 2001)
• 2nd Womens Myeongin (2001)
• 1st Eastern Airlines Cup (August 2000)
• 7th Women's Kuksu (2000)
• 43rd Kuksu (Feb 2000)
• 1st Hungchang Cup (2000)
• 6th Women's Kuksu (2000)
• 5th Women's Kuksu (1999)
• 4th Bohae Cup (1997)
• 3rd Bohae Cup (1996)
• 1st Bohae Cup (1994)

Favorite players

In an interview in Korean on 6 Sep 2024, Rui said she admires Choi Jung and Shin Jinseo:

Choi Jeong is one of my favorite players. We haven’t played a game together since I returned to China. Master Choi Jeong is a player I always cheer for. Master Choi Jeong has no weaknesses. She is strong in everything.

Shin 9-dan is a representative figure of Korean baduk, and he is a truly amazing player. Korean baduk doesn’t lose easily. It is aggressive and powerful. Fighting to the end and pushing the opponent is also a characteristic.

Personal life

Rui married Jiang Zhujiu in 1992, becoming the only 18-dan married couple in the world until 8 March 2025, when Park Ha-min 9p married Kim Chaeyeong 9p.

Books

Among the books written by Rui Naiwei are

• Essential Joseki
• The World's New Joseki

Links

• Rui Naiwei—by Jan van der Steen
• http://www.britgo.org/results/env/
• Photos on Flickr.com
• Chinese Wikipedia article has a link to her interview in 2001, where she explains why she left China. She committed a trivial violation of rules in the National Team and was disciplined in 1987. In addition, her request to play in Men’s section of the National Go Individual tournament, which gave better chances to represent China in Fujitsu Cup, was rejected.
• Rui Naiwei in Japan—thoughts, discussion on her experience in Japan.
• Go4Go
• Go Ratings and Games

Pictures

Wu Qingyuan and Rui Naiwei, 1997 (Image credit: Foxwq.com)

Rui Naiwei Wu Qingyuan, 2013 (Image credit: Foxwq.com)

Rui Naiwei, 2020 (Image credit: Foxwq.com)

Rui Naiwei vs Tang Jiawen, Female Mingren 2023 R2 (Rui won W+R) (Image credit: Foxwq.com)

Notes

[1] (from an article posted on Lifein19x19.com): “Rui Naiwei’s persistence was on display: Every Go friend who asked for an autograph received a carefully written “芮迺伟”. Regarding the 迺 character, Rui Naiwai was unsure when it started, but at some point reporters began using the character “乃”, which is similar in both meaning and sound. She said that this causes problems every time she goes to the post office.”