CHESS TEAM MEMBERS TO VIE FOR GRANDMASTER STATUS

Nov. 18, 2009

The annual UT Dallas Grandmaster Invitational tournament gets under way on Saturday, Nov. 21, with two 10-player sections to give the team’s masters an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Pan-American Intercollegiate chess tournament.

Those in the top grandmasters (GM) section can also seek to achieve grandmaster norms; three are required for the prestigious and difficult title.

Those in the IM section can compete for norms for the international master title. This international tournament is rated by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), the organization sanctioned to award these international titles which are recognized throughout the world.

Visiting grandmasters with their FIDE ratings for the tournament include the following:

• GM Zviad Izoria from Republic of Georgia, 2589.
• GM Giorgi Kacheishvili from Republic of Georgia, 2583.
• GM Ildar Ibragimov from Connecticut, 2577.
• GM Babakuli Annakov from Texas, 2451.

In addition, UT Dallas’ own two GMs Alejandro Ramirez (2547), an arts and technology graduate student from Costa Rica; and Amon Simutowe (2481), an international political economy graduate student, will take part in the GM section.

Chess coach and International Master (IM) Rade Milovanovic has high expectations for the team to achieve multiple norms after their winning result against their recent victory over the University of Belgrade.

“The team is playing at a very high level. They just had a great score against a strong Belgrade team,” he said. “Someone will break through at this tournament.”

Six UT Dallas students rated as international masters will also be competing in the top section:

• IM Jacek Stopa (2493), of Poland, a junior majoring in international political economy.
• IM Marko Zivanic (2472), of Serbia, a computer science graduate student.
• IM Julio Sadorra (2478), of Philippines, a freshman majoring in psychology.
• IM Puchen Wang (2466), of New Zealand, a sophomore majoring in business administration.
• IM Daniel Ludwig (2461), from Florida, a freshman majoring in statistics.
• IM Salvijus Bercys (2439), from New York, a junior majoring in finance/science.

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Media Contacts: Karah Hosek, UT Dallas, 972-883-4329, karah.hosek@utdallas.edu
or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu