Host Team takes Gold at 13th FISU World University Chess Championship
This Sunday, 24 August, saw the ending of the 13th FISU World University Chess Championship after six days of competition in Katowice, Poland. Nine rounds were played in this tournament which took place on the sixth floor of the Park Hotel Diament.
In the women’s competition, the winner was known since Saturday, Klaudia Kulon (POL) being ensured of her title, but she continued to perform at her highest level until the end of the WUC defeating during the 9th round the Chinese player Zhang Xiaowen (WGM – Elo 2375) to finish on an almost perfect score of 8.5 while remaining undefeated. Three players concluded the week with the same score of 6 points but it was Munguntul Batkhuyag (MGL) who finally took the silver medal while Ding Yixin (CHN) completed the podium offering to China its only medal in this championship.
In the men’s competition, after two draws from the leaders after 8 rounds, Bukashvin (RUS) and Grigoryan (ARM) respectively against Andriasian (ARM) and Shimanov (RUS), it was Sjugirov (RUS – GM – Elo 2658), the n°1 seed of the tournament and top 80 world chess player, who took the gold medal in a tournament in which all medallists achieved the same score of 6.5 points. Silver went to Grigoryan (ARM – GM – Elo 2595) while Bukashvin, another Russian player, completed the podium taking the bronze.
In the team competition, the host nation could celebrate a large victory (20.5 points) thanks to the good week of Klaudia Kulon, Dariusz Swiercz and Michal Olszewski. Silver went to Russia (18.5 pts) with Sanan Sjugirov, Ivan Bukashvin and Lidia Tomnikova taking the best over Armenia (18) in a team composed of Karen Grigoryan, Zaven Andriasian and Maria Gevorgyan.
The next edition (14th) will take place in Abu Dhabi (UAE), in 2016.