Ural State Mining University captured the first FIDE World University Team Championship title in Almaty, edging Saint Louis University over two tightly fought matches on Sunday.
Final Match Highlights
The final unfolded in two legs and followed the same script each time. On the top three boards, Arseniy Nesterov drew with Aryan Chopra, Rudik Makarian split the point with Bharath Subramaniyam, and Sergei Lobanov drew with Nikolozi Kacharava. The outcome hinged on board four, where Leya Garifullina defeated Thalia Cervantes Landeiro in both encounters. Those wins delivered back-to-back 2.5-1.5 results and a 5-3 overall victory for Ural State Mining University. Garifullina produced the only two decisive games across the eight boards in the final.
Earlier, the final day began with a ceremonial first move by Tursynzada Kuangaliyeva, Rector of the Kazakh National University of Sports, marking the close of a six-day event that started with 16 teams and finished with four.
In the battle for third place, the Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS) defeated the University of Texas at Dallas after a dramatic finish. UT Dallas won the first match 2.5-1.5, KNUS answered with a 2.5-1.5 win in the return, and the first tiebreak ended 2-2. The medal was settled by a sudden-death game, where Kazybek Nogerbek beat Aditya Samant to secure bronze for the hosts.
Ural’s Nesterov described the title as especially satisfying after a challenging route through the playoffs and credited strong support from the university for helping players balance academics with elite competition. Saint Louis University’s Subramaniyam highlighted the team’s close-knit spirit during the week. KNUS leader Nogerbek emphasized the importance of a home podium and his role in setting the tone on board one. UT Dallas’s Chatterjee Koustav noted the demands of combining a rigorous academic load with top-level chess and pointed to time management as a key skill honed by the sport.
The championship concluded with an awards ceremony featuring performances, national and FIDE anthems, and remarks from city and chess officials. Bronze medals were presented to KNUS, Saint Louis University received silver, and Ural State Mining University was awarded the trophy and gold medals.
Final Standings
- 1st: Ural State Mining University
- 2nd: Saint Louis University
- 3rd: Kazakh National University of Sports (KNUS)
- 4th: University of Texas at Dallas