Source: CCTV.com

10-03-2007 14:53

The Olympics can provide tremendous business opportunities for the host country and the rest of the world. Trans-nationals are willing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to become Olympic commercial partners. And small businesses or even individuals also have a chance for a piece of the action.

In late June, the 13th World Olympic Collectors Fair came to Beijing. And it's here that the hero of this story introduced his invention.

Wang Zhenqi, chess inventor, said, "I've invented a chess game that's also a quiz. Olympic knowledge is part of it. I call it New Olympic Chess."

The board is in the shape of the Temple of Heaven. Game rules are similar to Chinese checkers. There are cards with Olympic knowledge on them.

The inventor, Wang Zhenqi, is from the northern city of Tianjin. He came to Beijing in the late 1990s. Wang tried many sales jobs without success.

One day while promoting sports equipment at a school, Wang realized most games for Chinese kids are really boring.

Wang said, "It would be good if I can invent something with which children can learn through playing."

Wang himself likes playing Chinese chess very much, so he decided to create a chess and quiz game for children. The inspiration came in 2001, with Beijing's successful Olympic bid. After two years of hard work, Wang came up with New Olympic Chess.

Invention is one thing, marketing is quite another.

Wang visited at least five schools every day to promote his game, but no one was interested. And when he was down to just about the last penny in his pocket, his family began to doubt him.

Wang said, "My mother asked me whether this was the right way to make money. She said I should have given her the money I had earned before my chess idea to raise the family living standard, instead of investing in the game, which has no bright future."

Wang's persistence finally paid off. In early 2005, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games, or BOCOG, held an activity to collect cultural items relating to the Games.

Wang Zhenqi's chess set won an award for best creativity.

Then the media coverage started. Promoting the New Olympic Chess in schools became much easier.