The UT Dallas chess team started the 2013-14 season with a strong showing at the 79th Annual Southwest Open, which was held Aug. 30-31 in Irving.
The top spots in the tournament went to UT Dallas students, including Grandmaster (GM) George Margvelashvili, a finance graduate student who finished first. GM Julio Sadorra, a senior studying business administration, tied teammate GM David Berczes, an international political economy freshman, for second and third.
“We are ready for another good year,” said Jim Stallings, director of the UT Dallas chess program. “With new recruits joining our team, combined with our returning players, this is the strongest we have ever been.”
Margvelashvili, whose home country is Georgia, is among the new players entering the University this year. Also new to the team are Berczes from Hungary; GM Nadezda Kosintseva, an accounting major from Russia; GM Leonid Kritz, a finance graduate student from Germany; Woman International Master (WIM) Mariam Danelia, an international political economy freshman from Georgia; and Ryan Moon, an economics freshman from Duluth, Ga.
“We are very excited to now have a total of eight players with a Grandmaster title, the highest chess rating possible,” said chess team coach Rade Milovanovic. “They are a talented group of young men and women from across the world.”
The team will play next in the U.S. Class Championships, Sept. 28-29 in Houston.
