SLU Chess Teams Look to Win Twice at President's Cup

SLU Chess Teams Look to Win Twice at President's Cup

The best collegiate chess players in the nation are set to face off this weekend in Columbia, Missouri, for the U.S. Chess Federation's President's Cup.

For the first time, Saint Louis University will be sending two teams to the national collegiate chess championship. In addition to the men's squad, who won the national championship in 2022, a women's team will make the trip to take part in the inaugural women's tournament.

SLU Head Coach Varuzhan Akobian said he's excited about bringing two teams to the tournament.

"Our expectations are high; we are going into the tournament to win both national championships," he said. "I feel we have two very strong, talented teams that will be very competitive. I have the utmost faith in them."

The event, hosted by the University of Missouri, will take place on Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22. Action on both days starts at 10 a.m. Matches can be viewed online at Chess.com.

This is the 25th edition of the men's final, but the first year there are enough women's teams to have a national championship, Akobian said.

"This has been an idea for a few years, but it was finally organized this year," he said. "It is an amazing way to highlight the high-level chess of many of the female players in collegiate chess."

The SLU women secured a spot by being the top women's squad at the 2026 Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship. The SLU women have a history of top finishes in other competitions and now have the chance to play for a national title.

"It is incredibly important for the women's team to play for their own title," Akobian said. "The SLU collegiate chess program has been home to distinguished female chess players from around the world who have played for their respective countries' national teams."

The women are led by Grandmaster Thalia Cervantes, who has competed many times in the US Women's Chess Championship. The team also features Grandmaster Gabriela Antova, International-Master Sila Caglar from Turkey and FIDE-Master Dhyana Patel from India.

Akobian said the team should benefit from having experienced players.

On the men's side, SLU is looking for its second National Championship after taking home the top prize in 2022.

The men's team will be led by Grandmaster Aryan Chopra, who is currently ranked No. 85 in the world. 1. The team also features Grandmaster Viktor Gazik, Grandmaster Nikolozi Kacharava, and IM Tianqi "Steve" Wang. Wang is the captain of the A team this year.

"I would say that they all are standout performers in their own right," Akobian said.

Since qualifying in January, both SLU teams have been preparing for the National Championship, Akobian said.

"We are training very hard with team trainings led by me, and individual trainings with Assistant Coach Grandmaster Darius Swiercz," Akobian said.