Saint Louis University Dominates Week Three of Collegiate Chess League Spring 2025

Saint Louis University’s chess team continues to dominate in the Collegiate Chess League Spring 2025, with GM Robby Kevlishvili leading the charge with a perfect score of 4/4. GM Aryan Chopra also put in a strong performance, scoring 3.5/4 as SLU secured a victory over their rivals from Chennai, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, with a final score of 11-5.

Despite SRM’s modest lineup on paper, the team put up a tough fight in the early rounds, with their top players scoring convincing wins. However, SLU’s leaders managed to turn the tide and secure the win before the final round of games.

In a thrilling match, IM Srihari L sacrificed a bishop against Aryan but failed to convert his attack, ultimately leading to his defeat. SLU went on to win the second mini-match 3.5-0.5, with Aryan trapping IM A Ra Harikrishnan’s queen in the middle of the board.

The match was sealed when SLU scored 3-1 in the penultimate round, with Harikrishnan managing to beat two GMs. Saint Louis University now leads Division 1 of the Collegiate Chess League, with their next match scheduled for Saturday, February 15.

In a lower-ranked division match, Georgia Tech E emerged victorious over Duke University B in a close encounter. The players’ ratings ranged from 1323 to 1679, leading to entertaining swings in the games. GM Benjamin Bok was surprised by Gavin Jiang’s refusal to take a free rook, ultimately leading to Georgia Tech’s victory.

The Collegiate Chess League continues to showcase the talent of college students in the world of online chess, with a $25,000 prize fund up for grabs in the 2024 Fall Season. Stay tuned for more exciting matches and updates from the CCL.