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SLU Chess Team Player Profiles

The members of the Saint Louis University chess team come from nine countries and hold dozens of honors. Members recently competed in tournaments in Greece and Turkey, improved their rankings among the world’s best competitive chess players, and gave TedxTalks in Germany.

Coaches

Headshot of Varuzhan Akobian

Varuzhan Akobian, Head Coach

Title: Grandmaster
Peak rating: 2673
Email: varuzhan.akobian@slu.edu 

Varuzhan was the U.S. Junior Champion in 2003, and the winner of the World Open in 2002, 2004, and 2007. He also played for the U.S. in the 2009 World Team Championship and helped earn the silver medal. He played on the bronze-medal-winning U.S. team in the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads. He was the 2014 US Championship Runner Up. Please email the head coach for any team or scholarship questions! 


Headshot of Dariusz Swiercz

Dariusz Świercz, Assistant Coach

Title: Grandmaster
Peak rating: 2670

Dariusz Świercz is an American chess Grandmaster. He earned his grandmaster title at the age of 14 years and seven months in 2009. In 2011, Świercz won the World Junior Chess Championship and in 2016 he won the 3rd Millionaire Chess. In 2018, he will represent the United States. He was a part of the US National Team in World Team Championships 2019 and Online Olympiad in 2021, contributing in the latter to the US Team winning a silver medal. 


2023-2024 Player Profiles  

Benjamin Bok

Benjamin Bok

Title: Grandmaster
Graduate student, Finance
Peak rating: 2645
Home country: The Netherlands

Benjamin Bok is one of the best players of his home country, the Netherlands. He has won many international tournaments, his biggest tournament victory being the 2015 London Chess Classic. In 2016, he made his debut for the Dutch Olympic team and he participated in the two most recent World Cups. In 2017, he reached the last 128 and in 2019, he reached the last 64. Benjamin has traveled to over 45 countries and competed against the very best in the world, including World Champion Magnus Carlsen and World Blitz number 1, Hikaru Nakamura, whom Benjamin defeated at the 2016 Isle of  Man International. Benjamin is currently ranked 56th (peak ranking 48th) in the world in speed chess and his goal is to keep pushing up the ranks. 

Accomplishments

  • Dutch Youth Champion U10, U12, U14
  • Player on the Dutch Olympic Team since 2016
  • Participation in the 2017 World Cup (Last 128) and the 2019 World Cup (Last 64)
  • Three-time Dutch Online Champion

Nikolas Theodorou

Nikolas Theodorou

Title: Grandmaster
Graduate student, Biostatistics
Peak rating: 2625
Home country: Greece

Originally from Greece, Nikolas started playing chess at the age of seven. Soon after his parents showed him how to move the pieces, he became enchanted by the complexity and elegance of the game and has been competing ever since. Nikolas became an International Master at the age of 16 and was even briefly ranked No. 1 in Europe and No. 4 in the world in his age group. His greatest accomplishment came at the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, where Nikolas obtained the Silver Medal on Board 2. Nikolas also enjoys playing speed chess online and reached No. 4 on the Chess.com World Blitz Rankings, scoring multiple victories against players such as Magnus Carlsen in one-minute chess and Hikaru Nakamura in three-minute chess. 

Accomplishments

  • 2022 Collegiate National Champion with SLU
  • Five-time winner of the Greek Youth Chess Championship
  • Shared first place at the 2016 Anogia International Chess Tournament
  • Member of the 2019 Pro Chess League Champions (Saint Louis Arch Bishops)
  • Member of the Greek National Chess Team in the European Team Chess Championship 2017 and World Online Chess Olympiad 2020
  • Silver Medal, Board 2, 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India
  • Represented Greece in multiple European and World Youth Chess Championships 

Robby Kevlishivili

Robby Kevlishvili

Title: Grandmaster
Graduate student, Finance and mathematics
Peak rating: 2541
Home country: The Netherlands 

Born in the Netherlands in a Georgian family, Robby Kevlishvili started playing chess at age 4. His father taught him the rules, and Robby joined a local chess club at age 6. Soon after, he started competing in national championships, with many European and world youth championships to follow. Now at SLU, Robby is an undergraduate studying finance and mathematics. 

Accomplishments 

  • World Blitz Champion U12 (2013)
  • Dutch U20 Champion at age 16 (2017)
  • Silver medalist European U18 Team Chess Championship with The Netherlands (2019)
  • Winner of the Open Vandoeuvre tournament in France (2018)
  • U7, U8, U9, U12, U14 Dutch champion
  • Current World Rapid No. 3 U20 and current World Blitz No. 10 U20 (February 2021)
  • 2022 Collegiate National Champion with SLU 

Akshat Chandra

Akshat Chandra 

Title: Grandmaster
Graduate student, Philosophy
Peak rating: 2536
Home country: United States 

Akshat was born in Livingston, New Jersey, and is the only American Grandmaster on the SLU team. He started playing chess when he was around 9-and-a-half years old. In fewer than five years, he approached the Grandmaster rating and recorded one of the fastest rises in the world. He was awarded the International Grandmaster title in 2016. Akshat was the 2015 US Junior Champion, 2015 U.S. National High School Champion, 2015 National High School Blitz Champion, and 2013 U.S. National K-9 Champion, all in his first appearances. Akshat also holds the distinction of being the only player to have achieved sole first in two of the top U.S. Collegiate Open tournaments: the University of Texas at Dallas Fall Fide Open and the Webster University SPICE Cup.

Akshat finished high school when he was 16. Thereafter, he moved to St. Louis pursued chess and, after two years, began his college studies at Saint Louis University. Now he is studying philosophy for his graduate studies. 

Accomplishments 

  • 2022 Collegiate National Champion with SLU
  • 2019 SPICE CUP Champion
  • 2018 UTD Fall Fide Open Champion
  • 2015 U.S. Junior Champion
  • 2015 National High School Champion
  • 2015 National High School Blitz Champion
  • 2013 K-9 SuperNationals Champion
  • 2013 North American Youth U18 Champion 

Headshot of Batsuren Dambasuren

Dambasuren Batsuren

Title: Grandmaster
Freshman, Psychology
Peak rating: 2525
Home country: Mongolia

He was Candidate Master (CM) in 2014, FIDE Master (FM) in 2015, International Master (IM) 2017. He was awarded the title of Grandmaster in 2020. As of July 2021, he is the second-highest ranked player in Mongolia. 

Accomplishments 

  • Won Mongolian Chess Championship 2022 

Headshot of Nicholas Ladan

Nicholas Ladan

Title: National Master
Freshman, Neuroscience
Peak rating: 2273
Home country: United States 

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Nicholas has long been a formidable opponent in the Illinois chess scene. With strong performances at the 30th Chicago Open and 5th Carolinas Classic, he achieved his National Master title in 2021. Nicholas is pursuing a major in neuroscience with a passion for research. 

Accomplishments

  • First place, 2023 U.S Junior Open
  • Two-time Illinois High School Chess Champion 

Ralph Tan poses for a photo while sitting in front of a chess board

Ralph Tan

Title: National Master
Sophomore, Computer science and finance 
Peak rating: 2016 
Home country: United States 

A Cleveland native, Ralph has been one of the top players in his native state of Ohio. His strong performances include 7/9 at the 2023 U.S. Open and 3/5 at the 2019 Ohio Chess Congress, where he gained his National Master title. When he is not pursuing his double-major, Ralph directs tournaments and teaches classes at the St. Louis Chess Club. 

Accomplishments

  • 2019 Ohio High School Chess Champion
  • First place, 2023 Memphis Open 

Gabriela Antova

Gabriela Antova

Title: Woman Grandmaster
Senior, International business
Peak rating: 2335
Home country: Bulgaria

Gabriela started playing chess at the age of 6, and her passion for the game has stayed with her ever since. Growing up, she traveled the world competing in both prestigious youth events and open tournaments where she had the opportunity to show her talent. She achieved early success at the world and European championships, which inspired her to train and dedicate even more time to chess. Currently, Gabriela is pursuing her final woman grandmaster norm and aiming to further advance her position on the women’s rank list.

“For me, chess has always been more than just a game: I believe it is really a way of life and a chance to show what I am capable of," she said. "I am grateful to be part of one of the nation’s greatest chess teams and hope to achieve new career heights with SLU.” 

Accomplishments 

  • Multiple Bulgarian National Champion
  • Five-time medalist of the European Youth Chess championship
  • Third place at the World Youth Chess Championship
  • European Youth Team Champion (2019)
  • Member of the Bulgarian national team for the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2020
  • Fifth place on Board 4, 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India 

Headshot of Thalia Cervantes

Thalia Cervantes

Title: Woman Grandmaster
Junior, Sports business
Peak rating: 2338
Home country: United States

Thalia Cervantes was born in the chess-rich country of Cuba. Thalia has always been a leading junior player representing Cuba and continued winning tournaments after transferring to the U.S. Federation in 2014. Thalia is pursuing a degree in sports business, which ideally combines with her ambition in chess. 

Accomplishments

  • Second place, US Girls Junior Championship 2022
  • Silver Medalist with Team USA in the 2021 Chess Olympiads
  • First place, 2018 Pan-American Girls U20

Headshot of Sila Caglar

Sila Caglar

Title: Woman International Master
Sophomore, Neuroscience
Peak rating: 2306
Home country: Turkey

Accomplishments

In 2013, Sıla Çağlar won the European School Chess Championship in the girls U09 age group. In 2016, she won the Turkish Youth Chess Championship in the girls U12 age group. Sila Caglar repeatedly represented Turkey at the European Youth Chess Championships and World Youth Chess Championships in different age groups. In 2016, in Prague she won European Youth Chess Championship in the girls U12 age group and received Women FIDE Master (WFM) title. Sıla Çağlar two times played Cervantes for Turkey team in the European Girls' U18 Team Chess Championships (2016-2017). Also she participated in European Individual Women Chess Championships 2017,2018, 2019. In 2020, she was awarded the FIDE Women International Master (WIM) title.


Headshot of Dhyana Patel

Dhyana Patel

Title: Woman FIDE Master
Freshman, Data science
Peak rating: 2155
Home country: India

Dhyana Patel at the age of 7 started playing chess inspired by her brother. With the endless victories and still going on she claimed the WCM, WFM title. In her journey her family, friends played a major role along with the sponsorships of PSP Pvt. Ltd and SAG.

Accomplishments

  • Western Asia Youth Championship, 2018 U18 Girls
  • AICF National Under 16 Girls Online Chess Championship 2021
  • AICF National Under 18 Girls Online Chess Championship 2021 

Gabriela Feller poses for a photo while sitting in front of a chess board

Gabriela Luisa Vicente Feller 

Freshman, Nutrition and dietetics
Peak rating: 1920
Home country: Brazil 

Gabriela is a National Master from Brazil who holds the distinction of being one of the top female chess players in Brazil. Besides playing chess, Gabriela records lessons and content for Chess.com Portugal. She is studying nutrition and dietetics with the goal of pursuing a career in nutrition. 

Accomplishments

  • Second place, 2021 U20 Brazilian Youth Championship - Women 

Headshot of Layla Rodriguez

Layla Rodriguez

Sophomore, Economics and marketing
Peak rating: 1330
Home country: United States

Layla is a freshman at Saint Louis University who started playing chess in second grade. She started playing chess in a club at her elementary school but soon played in more competitive tournaments and began traveling for national tournaments. She is part of the Queens United, an initiative to expand competitive female presence around elementary schools in Chicago. 


Chess Team Alumni

  • Cemil Can Ali Marandi
    School of Science and Engineering
    Home country: Turkey
  • Nozima Aripova
    Arts and Sciences
    Home country: Uzbekistan
  • Dorsa Derakhshani
    Arts and Sciences
    Home country: Iran
  • Alexander Ipatov
    School of Science and Engineering
    Home country: Ukraine
  • Francesco Rambaldi
    School of Business
    Home country: Italy
  • Dariusz Swiercz
    School of Business
    Home country: Poland
  • Yaroslav Zherebukh
    School of Business 
    Home country: Ukraine
  • Stavroula Tsolakidou
    Arts and Sciences 
    Home country: Greece
  • Karen Hoshino
    Arts and Sciences 
    Home country: Japan