12/31/2017 – The Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championships (Pan-Am) concluded Saturday, December 30th, 2017, with Webster University becoming Pan-Am champions. Qualifying for the President’s Cup (the “Final Four of College Chess”) are the following schools: Webster University, Saint Louis University (2nd place), Texas Tech University (3rd place), and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (4th place). | Pictured: Webster’s “A” team with Coaches FM Truong and GM Polgar and the organizer of the Pan-Am Kelly Bloomfield. | Photo: A. Root

12/30/2017 – The Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championships (Pan-Am) had one dispute and several close matches in rounds 4 and 5. Despite announcements before each round to leave cell phones back in hotel rooms, in round 4 the Michigan “B” team forfeited a game because of a cell phone. Also in round 4, Webster’s “A” team and SLU’s “A” team notched 2½ : 1½ victories over their opponents. Thus, by Friday afternoon, both Webster “A” and SLU had won four out of four matches. In round 5, Webster “A” defeated SLU 2.5-1.5. The only other team entering round 5 with four match wins, the UTRGV “A” team, lost. Therefore Webster “A” is the only team with 5 out of 5 match wins going into the sixth and final round on Saturday morning. Pictured: Shimanov and Kovalyov | Photo: A. Root