UTRGV Chess Team claims top spot at Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship

Team defeats UT Dallas with a perfect six wins in final round

By Victoria Brito Morales

In a historic achievement, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Chess Team secured its first-ever outright victory at the Pan American Intercollegiate Chess Championship.

This past week, Jan. 2-5, the team traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, to compete in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for the prestigious President’s Cup that features the top four collegiate teams vying for the title of national collegiate chess championship.

In 2015, UTRGV had tied for first in the Pan American competition with Webster University, Texas Tech and Colombia University, with all teams advancing to the President’s Cup.

UTRGV President Guy Bailey congratulated the team on their recent success, recognizing not only the victory, but the hard work and dedication of the players and coaches.

“We are immensely proud of our extraordinary UTRGV Chess Team on achieving this remarkable milestone. This victory reflects their talent and teamwork, embodies the true Vaquero spirit, and sets a legacy of success for future UTRGV chess players,” Bailey said.

“By triumphing on such a prestigious stage, our team has put UTRGV firmly on the map, showcasing the exceptional caliber of our students and programs,” he said. “We can’t wait to cheer them on as they pursue their fourth President’s Cup title.”

UTRGV has a strong track record in the national competition having claimed three consecutive national championships at the President’s Cup in 2018, 2019 and 2021. There was no competition in 2020 because of COVID-19.

PATH TO VICTORY

In a stunning performance on Sunday, the UTRGV A Team triumphed over UT Dallas in the final round, achieving a perfect score of six points by winning all six matches. Out of 91 teams competing, UTRGV was the only team to secure a flawless performance.

The UTRGV A Team includes:

• Viktor Grazik (Grandmaster), a senior economics major from Bojnice, Slovakia
• Gleb Dudin (Grandmaster), a sophomore psychology major from Moscow, Russia
• Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux (Grandmaster), a junior biomedical sciences major from Montreal, Canada
• Juraj Druska (International Master), a graduate mathematics student from Liptovská Teplá, Slovakia
• Iraki Beradze (International Master), a graduate cybersecurity student from Tbilisi, Georgia

“We are ecstatic to be advancing once again to the President’s Cup,” said Bartek Macieja, UTRGV chess coach. “The team played with heart and skill, and the end result was well deserved. We look forward to representing UTRGV at the national collegiate chess championship in April.”

UTRGV will look to win its fourth national championship at the upcoming President’s Cup in April against Saint Louis University, Webster University and UT Dallas. The location will be announced at the end of January.

For more information on the UTRGV Chess Program, visit www.utrgv.edu/chess.