World chess champion Zhu Chen is preparing to do battle off the chessboard. The grand master plans to seek legal help to block a foreign company from using her name. 

Twenty-eight-year-old Zhu said that she was surprised to learn that a foreign enterprise had applied for registration of her name as a trademark, the China Sports Daily reported.

"I am aware that chess players enjoy rather good social status both here and abroad, but I did not know that my name was worth that much money until I read the news in the paper," said an indignant Zhu, who is in Shanghai competing at a live international blitz chess event.

"I think every Chinese citizen is entitled to protect his or her own name. Therefore I am going to ask for legal help," said Zhu, adding that she will employ lawyers to look into the matter.

The foreign enterprise, whose name was not revealed in the report, has applied for the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of China for registration of Zhu's name in both Chinese characters and in pinyin.

The enterprise can register the name only if Zhu fails to file a protest within three months after the administration releases the approval bulletin. 

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2004)