Peng Xiaomin (born September 29,1961) is a Chinese chess grandmaster, who is popularly known for his extremely defensive style of play. He was born in Guangdong, China and started his career in professional chess in his early age. Remarkably, Peng won the Chinese Chess Championship five times (1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987).
Peng also represented his country in many international competitions. He played for China in nine Chess Olympiads with a total of 103 games (48 victories, 45 draws, 10 losses), and in multiple Asian Team Chess Championships where he won both individual and team gold medals.
Peng was the first Chinese player to receive the Grandmaster (GM) title from Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), the international chess governing body, which he was awarded in 1996. Now he works as a coach in the national team and has played an important role in the development of chess talents in China.
Peng was also the second to qualify for the Candidates Tournament, which decides the challenger for the World Chess Championship, following the footsteps of his predecessor, Ye Jiangchuan.
Despite his extensive knowledge and experience, Peng's style of play has been criticized for being too defensive. Some have described his playing's philosophy as "preventive," a method that allows him to avoid making errors while waiting for his opponent to do the same.
Outside of his chess career, Peng is a man of many talents. He enjoys playing the guitar, participating in various sports, and learning foreign languages.