Mizzou, UT Dallas Lead Ahead Of Playoffs & SIG Predictions Challenge Is Here
The regular season of the 2023 Collegiate Chess League (CCL) fall season has come to a close and the University of Texas Dallas sits atop the table after their 14-2 drubbing of Columbia University (CU) on Saturday. Three of their players—GMs David Brodsky, Ivan Schitco, and Rahul Srivatshav—managed to score 4/4.
Saint Louis University (SLU), who had a chance to finish first, slumped to a 12.5-3.5 loss against The University of Missouri (Mizzou), whose GMs Grigoriy Oparin, Mikhail Antipov, and Luka Budisavljevic ensured that enough game points were scored to leapfrog their same-state rivals.
As we head into the CCL Playoffs, you can also predict the winners in SIG's Predictions Challenge here. The Playoffs commence on November 11 at 2:00 p.m. ET / 19:00 CET / 11.30 p.m. IST.
You can watch the 2023 Collegiate Chess League presented by SIG on Chess.com/TV. You can also enjoy the show on our Twitch channel and catch all our live broadcasts on YouTube.com/ChesscomLive. Games from the event can be viewed on our events page.
The live broadcast was hosted by Joe Lee and GM Benjamin Bok.
CU 2-14 UT Dallas
The match between CU and UT Dallas certainly looked to be a David and Goliath clash on paper. And with a single titled player, FM Aristo Liu, compared to UT Dallas' three GMs and one IM, CU required a miracle to keep their season alive.
Round one was the worst possible start for the underdogs as UT Dallas hammered home a 4-0 scoreline, with the most important win coming in Srivatshav-Liu. The players found themselves in a wild middlegame arising from the Indian Game: East Indian, Przepiorka Variation, and Srivatshav simply maneuvered his pieces better than his opponent.
While a 3-1 scoreline in the second round effectively confirmed their seventh-placed finish in the season, Liu could take solace in the attacking masterclass he produced against IM Andrei Macovei.
For UT Dallas, their performance outside of this game would have been flawless if not for a disastrous oversight by Macovei who blundered checkmate in one against CU's board four Aiyu Kamate in a completely winning position.
Fortunately, Macovei's team rallied around him and notched yet another 3-1 score, this time surpassing the required 8.5 score to win the match. Heralding to the rest of the competition, Schitco unleashed a string of sacrifices against Liu in round three.
Battered and bruised but fighting all the way to the end, CU, whose chances of qualifying for the playoffs were long gone, bowed out of the competition with their toughest result yet.
A puzzle-worthy tactic in Srivatshav-Kamate was the final touch in what can only be described as a comprehensive performance by the UT Dallas squad.
Mizzou 12.5-3.5 SLU
The local derby between the second and third-placed SLU and Mizzou was expected to be a blockbuster spectacle. However, void of one of their chief point scorers Bok (who instead opted to commentate the day's play for Chess.com), SLU suffered their heaviest defeat of the season.
From the get-go, Mizzou stamped their authority on the match, skipping out to a 3-1 lead as Oparin and Budisavljevic toppled WIM Sila Caglar and GM Robby Kevlishvili in a similar fashion, both winning a pawn and liquidating into simple endings.
A 2.5-1.5 score in the second round pushed Mizzou to within striking range of an important match victory though it was SLU's GM Nikolas Theodorou who stole the show with a brilliant knight sacrifice that flipped his game on its head.
As commentators Lee and Bok alluded to before the match, blowout round scores were not to be expected in this particular matchup so it was shocking for all watching when Mizzou claimed the third round 3.5-0.5 and won the match with a round to spare.
Even the indomitable Theodorou was dispatched in this round by Antipov.
Incredibly, this was Theodorou's first loss of the entire season!
Despite reaching a 9-3 scoreline after three rounds, Mizzou did not take the pedal off the gas and left SLU rueing the decision to rest their board two. In what would've been the board Bok played on in the final round, Antipov instead took on Kevlishvili's Sicilian Defense.
His win, which included a piece sacrifice for two pawns, was our Game of the Day and has been analyzed by GM Rafael Leitao.
As per the tournament rules, the top six teams will progress to the playoffs and play in a single-elimination bracket. Courtesy of finishing first and second, UT Dallas and Mizzou will rest in the first round and join in for the semifinals.
Games from the CCL can be found here.
SIG Predictions Challenge
The 2023 SIG x Collegiate Chess League Predictions Challenge is Here!
As the proud sponsor of the 2023 Collegiate Chess League, SIG has teamed up with Chess.com for the CCL Bracket Predictions Challenge. The bracket prediction winner in each of the 23 divisions will receive a prize valued at $100 USD or greater courtesy of SIG!*
To enter, make sure you drop your predictions before the playoff start. Predictions will be locked at 11 a.m. Pacific / 2 p.m. Eastern on November 11, 2023, so don’t miss out!
Will SLU defend their title in the Premier division, or will dark horses UTD win their first title? It's your turn to get involved and show support for your favorite teams. Happy hunting!
How To Participate
Click the bracket links above to go to the 2023 CCL prediction brackets. Make your predictions for each bracket in each of the 23 divisions for your best chance to win one of SIG's prizes. Please don't forget to include your email in your entry so that we can ensure you receive your prize!
Winners will be notified by email at the email address provided within approximately five working days after the end of the 2023 Collegiate Chess League.**
*One winner per bracket. No purchase is necessary to participate or win. Prizes cannot be transferred or redeemed for cash.
**The award of the prize may be subject to geographic limitations.
The CCL is the world's premier online chess competition for college students and this season, it is a team event that features a $25,000 prize fund thanks to tournament sponsor SIG. With 5+2 games making up the bulk of the season, expect to see plenty of excitement on the board.
Previous reports:
- SLU Defeat UT Dallas In Triple Overtime
- GM-Slayer Lee Leads Yale To Upset Over Mizzou
- Faultless Theodorou Cements Top Spot For SLU, UTRGV Conquers Yale
- UTD Defeats Mizzou In Top-Of-Table Clash, Liang Thrills For UChicago
- Antipov Perfect In Mizzou's Dominant Victory Over UChicago
- Bok, Oparin Star As 2023 Collegiate Chess League Launches
- Major Boost For Collegiate Chess League As SIG Signs For New Season
- Register For The Collegiate Chess League Fall 2023 Season
