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The state of Missouri has stamped its supremacy on collegiate chess after Saint Louis College received the 2024 Collegiate Chess League (CCL) ultimate in opposition to Webster College and the College of Missouri (Mizzou) secured victory of their third-placed playoff on Sunday.
Enjoying in opposition to Webster College within the title match, SLU’s workforce, that includes GMs Nikolas Theodorou, Benjamin Bok, Robby Kevlishvili, and Dambasuren Batsuren scored 12-4, profitable the championship with a spherical in hand and claiming the $5,000 prize offered by SIG within the course of.
Collegiate Chess League Playoffs – Standings
The CCL Spring season, Offered by SIG, is received by none apart from SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY! Congratulations to all our gamers this season 🥇#CCLFinals pic.twitter.com/JtX7sFf84h
— CollegiateChessLeague (@CollegiateChess) March 24, 2024
Spurred on by the tantalizing prospect of sending off CCL retiree Bok with a 3rd straight title, workforce SLU commenced the ultimate with a complete 3-1 victory. Wins for Theodorou and Bok have been bolstered by Batsuren’s win over Webster’s board one and playoffs ring-in, GM Benjamin Gledura.
For Webster, which has lengthy been hailed as one of many prime schools for chess within the U.S., the beginning was disappointing, nevertheless on paper, their four-GM lineup had the chops to mount a comeback.
Nerves on either side dictated proceedings within the second spherical through which SLU as soon as once more got here out on prime with a 3-1 win. Following a purple patch of type within the common rounds and playoffs, Bok surged to his second straight win, defeating GM Yasser Quesada Perez from the white aspect of an English Protection: Neo Catalan.
In the meantime, Theodorou executed the cleanest win of the day in opposition to GM Harsha Barathakoti from the white aspect of a double fianchetto setup. Our Sport of the Day, which GM Rafael Leitao has analyzed may be seen under.
Whereas the 2 3-1 wins have been a formidable begin for SLU, they have been unfortunate to not seal an additional half-point after Dambasuren inexplicably blundered a rook in a very profitable place and needed to accept a draw.
Though SLU’s boards one and two have been unstoppable all season, their boards three and 4; Kevlishvili and Dambasuren shone within the third and decisive spherical of the match. Piling distress on Webster’s Perez, Kevlishvili received for the primary time within the finals on the essential time as Dambasuren wrapped up the match with a win over Bharathakoti which featured the one good transfer of the championship match.
With their third straight title already confirmed, SLU cruised by the final spherical and scored one other 3-1 victory, handing Webster their worst defeat in current CCL reminiscence. Bok would later laud the efforts of Batsuren who scored 3.5/4, stating: “He actually stepped up his recreation, and that made all of the distinction.”
After six seasons Bok’s departure will go away a gaping gap in SLU’s illustrious workforce nevertheless trying on the college’s official chess web page, the likes of WGM’s Thalia Cervantes and Gabriela Antova will maintain their lineup aggressive.
Regardless of falling simply wanting establishing an all-Missouri ultimate, Mizzou bagged the bronze medal and $1,000 prize for his or her efforts. Enjoying in opposition to the 2023 finalists UTRGV, Mizzou repelled a GM Gleb Dudin-led onslaught to take the match by a three-point margin.
The actual spotlight of the match was the astounding 3.5/4 rating notched by Dudin who did the whole lot he might to offer his workforce an opportunity. Even GM Mikhail Antipov could not deal with the chaotic ferocity of UTRGV’s MVP.
On the finish of the day although, consistency paid off for Mizzou, and with every participant scoring a minimal of two/4, Mizzou would assure a minimal of eight factors.
After his heroic quarterfinal efficiency, GM Raja Harshit featured closely on board 4 as he dispatched IMs Shawn Rodigue-Lemieux, Ekin Ozenir, and Tianqi Wang, the latter of which featured a picturesque mating web.
For the final two seasons, Missouri’s universities have imprinted their authority on the CCL nevertheless when the Summer season season commences later in 2024, count on to see Webster and UTRGV come again with a vengeance.
The Collegiate Chess League is the premier on-line chess competitors for school college students. The 2024 CCL Spring Season is a workforce occasion beginning January 20 at 2 p.m. ET/20:00 CET/0:30 a.m. IST and that includes a $25,000 prize fund.
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