Database confusion

[Roger de Coverly]

I was asked this morning if I could find any games by IM Hao Wang as all the games under that name seemed attributed to the 2700+ GM also of that name. Assuming the FIDE rating database to be correct regarding events played , it became apparent that most if not all the IM's games had been attributed to the GM. I don't know if he's resident in Europe, but he has played a number of tournaments in Europe over the past year including the Coventry Open and the XTX Markets about to start.

Historically in the UK there was always confusion between GM Julian Hodgson and John Hodgson as well as between AP Smith and AA Smith and no doubt others. Results data now more or less avoids such confusion by using rating codes. Game databases rather less so, it would seem.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Not to mention that both players are often referred to as Wang Hao as well......

[John Upham]

ChessBase lists

six Hao Wangs

The GM has 2197 games listed. YoB is 1989

The IM has 100 games listed. YoB is 2005

[Ian Thompson]

Not to mention that both players are often referred to as Wang Hao as well......

That's correct, isn't it (as in the way another Chinese person would refer to him)? The error is in databases, and other sources, referring to him as "Wang, Hao", which then gets changed to "Hao Wang", as if it were a western name, that are wrong.

[Tim Spanton]

It somewhat depends on what is meant by "wrong" and "right." In Chinese, the family name is usually given first. However, databases will typically list the family name(s) - some cultures, for example, the Spanish, typically have two family names - in one column, and the given name(s) in a separate column, not differentiating over which comes first. To add to the confusion, the family name(s) can be called the "Last name," and the given name(s) can be called the "First name," but the columns are often arranged so that Last comes before First.