World Senior Team Championships: USA and England crowned champions

Press release by FIDE

From February 16–27, 2025, Prague hosted the World Senior Team Chess Championship. After over ten days and nine exciting rounds, champions emerged in each category.

50+ category

Top-seeded USA (GM Ehlvest, GM Kaidanov, GM Shabalov, GM Novikov and IM Rachels) secured first place in the 50+ competition, finishing with 15/18 match points after defeating the German squad Confluentia in the final round.

Team Italy (GM David, GM Godena, IM Bellini, IM Bellia and IM D'Amore) also won their last match, against Hungary, equalling the USA's score. However, the Italians had to settle for silver due to inferior tiebreaks (game points).

Kazakhstan (GM Kazhgaleyev, GM Kotsur, GM Temirbayev, IM Tikzhanov and IM Min), who led the event after eight rounds, faced a tough last-round pairing against England 1. After tense battles on all four boards, the match ended in a draw, leaving Kazakhstan with bronze, while England 1 finished in fourth place.

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Team USA facing Confluentia from Germany in the final round

Several players had a truly amazing event and delivered outstanding performances. GM Michael Adams scored 6½/8 on the top board for England, only losing to GM Lubomir Ftacnik in round seven, earning him the gold medal for board one.

GM Pavel Kotsur (Kazakhstan) grabbed gold on board two, while GM Alexander Shabalov (USA) claimed gold on board three. GM Mark Hebden (England) dominated board four. IM Carlo D'Amore greatly contributed to Italy's success, winning the reserve board medal.

The legendary Michael Adams

Final standings - 50+ category

...54 teams

All available games

65+ category

England 1 (GM Nunn, GM Flear, GM Kosten, IM Large and FM Chapman) dominated the 65+ category from start to finish, playing on the top board from round two onwards and conceding only two match draws.

Lasker Schachstiftung GK (GM Knaak, GM Yusupov, GM Meister, and Dr. Koehler), the top-seeded team, remained undefeated but managed only five match wins, finishing second.

Germany's Saxonia (Kyas, FM Schmidt, FM Baum, Pruefer and Okrajek) secured the bronze medal, as they outscored Israel by a mere half point in individual games.

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Legendary GMs Rainer Knaak and Artur Yusupov convincingly won individual gold medals on boards one and two, respectively.

FM Mario Sibilio (Italy) played amazing chess and delivered an exceptional performance on board three. IM Peter Large (England 1) scored an impressive 7/8 to become the best performer on board four. The medal for the reserve board went to IM Nicolas Giffard (France 1).

It was a very successful tournament for Dr. John Nunn

The women's teams competed in the same pools as the men but were ranked separately.

In the 50+ category, Czech Republic claimed gold, finishing ahead of China (silver) and the USA (bronze). In the 65+ category, Latvia took first place, followed by the Czech Republic (silver) and Poland (bronze).

This event once again proved that age is just a number, and that chess is timeless!

Vaisser, Anatoly2452

0–1

Knaak, Rainer2464

FIDE WSTC Open 65 2025 Prague26.02.2025[Carlos Colodro]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Nge2 b6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.f3 A theoretical, playable move, though not one favoured by top grandmasters nowadays. 9.a3 Bd6 10.b4 c6 11.Rb1 was played by Navara a couple of times, with good results, and e.g. a5 12.f3 only now pushing the f-pawn, after having pushed the queenside pawns. 9...Re8 10.Qc2 Bf8 11.g4

Vaisser, who won both the Russian Championship (1982) and the French Championship (1997), immediately pushes his g-pawn. A daring attempt, given the fact that Black has come out of the opening with a solid and sound setup. 11...h6 12.h4 c5 13.Ng3 Not the most accurate, giving Black a key tempo to develop his knight. White's best continuation is the straightforward 13.g5 hxg5 14.hxg5 when engines give Ne4 as the only move that keeps Black's advantage, e.g.: 15.fxe4 Qxg5+ 16.Kf2 c4 17.exd5 cxd3 18.Qxd3 with a double-edged position that favours Black due to the weakess of the white king. 13...Nc6 14.Qh2 cxd4 15.exd4 Nxd4

Black has both grabbed a pawn and developed his queenside knight with only two jumps. He is clearly for choice now. 16.g5 Nd7 17.Nb5 Ne6 18.Nf5 Ndc5 19.Rd1 Nxd3 20.Rxd3 Ba6 21.a4 Bxb5 22.axb5 Qd7 23.Qd2 d4 24.b4 Qxb5 25.Nxd4 Nxd4 26.Rxd4 With simple, positional moves Knaak has consolidated his advantage. He is both a pawn up and has the (much) safer king. Re2 27.Qc3 Rae8 28.Bd2 Qf5 29.Rg4 Rc8 30.Qd4 h5 31.Rg2 Qxf3 32.Rxe2 Qxe2 33.Re1 Qf3 34.Re3 Qd1+ 35.Kf2 a5 36.Re1 Qb3 37.Qxb6 axb4 38.Qb5 Qh3 39.Re4 Bc5+

The bishop rejoins the fun decisively after having sat still on f8 since move 10. 40.Be3 Qf5+ 0–1

The indefatigable Rainer Knaak turned 70 a couple of years ago

Final standings - 65+ category

...54 teams

All available games

Links

• Official website
• John Nunn: Fifty years of chess
• Congratulations! Rainer Knaak celebrates his 70^th birthday