Chess Teams Have Strong Start to Spring Season

02/27/2024

Saint Louis University’s chess squads have had a successful start to 2024.

In early January, the teams traveled to McAllen, Texas, for the 2024 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship. The Billikens B team of Gabriela Antova, Thalia Cervantes, Sila Caglar, and Dhyana Patel finished 17th overall out of 40 teams and were recognized as the Top All-Female Team.

The Billikens B team finished 17th overall out of 40 teams and were recognized as the Top All-Female Team at the 2024 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship. From left are Head Coach Varuzhan Akobian, Sila Caglar, Dhyana Patel and Thalia Cervantes. Not pictured is Gabriela Antova. Photo submitted.

“I am very proud of my team's performance,” said Varuzhan Akobian, SLU chess team Head Coach. “They all trained hard and played very well and won this important title for Saint Louis University.”

Cervantes was the third-highest-finishing female at the event.

The SLU A Team of Benjamin Bok, Nikolas Theodorou, Robby Kevlishvili and Dambasuren Batsuren placed seventh overall out of the 40 teams at the event. The University of Missouri team won the event.

On Feb. 15, the team took part in the 15th annual Southwest Class Championships. SLU Chess A Team members Kevlishvili and Dambasuren both finished in second place.

“Both Batsuren and Robby played excellent chess and rose in the world rankings,” Akobian said. “I'm very proud of their performance.”