Opening Moves in Alexandria: World Schools Team Championship 2025 Kicks Off

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The World Schools Team Championship 2025 has begun at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, just outside Washington, D.C. This is one of the biggest events in the global school chess calendar, bringing together hundreds of students from nearly 50 countries.

The championship is not just about winning trophies — it’s also a celebration of friendship, diversity, and a shared love for chess.

Players From Around the World

From unrated beginners to seasoned International Masters, the tournament is full of talent and potential. This variety has already produced exciting games right from the start.

  • Top Seed: Kazakhstan’s National School of Physics and Mathematics led by new Grandmaster Edgar Mamedov (average rating 2229)

  • Second Seed: India’s Velammal MHS School (average rating 2210)

  • Top USA Team: University High School, ranked third overall (average rating 2003)

  • The USA is represented by four schools in total.

The First Moves

The first round began at 11:30 AM. Ceremonial first moves were made by:

  • Arkady Dvorkovich – FIDE President

  • Timur Turlov – President of the International School Chess Federation

  • Hon. Chad Blackman – Minister of Educational Transformation, Barbados

  • Donald Rojas Fernández – Minister of Sport and Recreation, Costa Rica

Day 1 Results

In Round 1, the top seeds won comfortably. Round 2 brought tougher battles between closely ranked teams. By the end of the day, 11 teams had perfect scores with 4 match points:

  • KAZ – National School of Physics and Mathematics

  • IND – Velammal MHS School

  • ENG – Hampton

  • KAZ – Seed Educational Complex

  • NZL – Wellington College

  • SRI – Royal College, Colombo

  • KAZ – Astana 2 RSPM

  • USA – The Harker School

  • SGP – Raffles Institution

  • GRE – 1st General Lyceum of Xanthi

  • AUT – Privates Gymnasium Sacre Coeur Wien

Moment of the Day – A Costly Endgame Mistake

One of the biggest surprises came when Singapore’s Raffles Institution (19th seed) beat Switzerland’s Kantonsschule Alpenquai Luzern (5th seed) with a 3:1 score.

On board 4, a tense pawn endgame reached a decisive moment. White blundered with 60.Kd5??, allowing Black to break through and win. The correct move was 60.Kf3, keeping the king in front of the pawns and holding the position. This was a classic example of the opposition principle in pawn endgames.

What’s Next

Rounds 3 and 4 will be played on Monday, August 4. After eight rounds in total, the champions will be crowned on August 6. The tournament continues to showcase youth, skill, and the unifying power of chess.

Photos: Michal Walusza, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS

 

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