SPICE team members embraces role as “hometown heroes”

SPICE (Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence) came within a half a point of winning their sixth consecutive national championship, falling short to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The victory would have also given Susan Polgar the record for most collegiate championships in the United States. Though even with success SPICE has enjoyed…

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SPICE Profiles: Vasif Durarbayli

Vasif Durarbayli has won three straight President’s Cups with Webster University’s chess team since joining in 2014. It might be hard to keep that streak going, according to Durarbayli. “Other teams know how strong we are,” Durarbayli said. “But on the other hand it puts us under pressure that we need to show that we…

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Cuban grandmasters upstage rivals at SPICE Cup

The rivalry between Webster University and St. Louis University (SLU) was front and center during the eleventh annual SPICE Cup, but two Cuban national chess players stole the show. Cuban grandmaster (GM) Lazaro Bruton Batista bested fellow Cuban GM Yunieski Quesada and SLU GM Darius Swiercz to take home the first place trophy. All three…

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Senior chess player secures President’s Cup big win

Vasif Durarbayli scored a clutch win in the final match against St. Louis University in the 2017 President’s Cup Collegiate Chess Tournament. With all of the support from Webster’s administration and students, Durarbayli said he felt proud being able to achieve a win for the team. “If the position doesn’t allow you to win, play…

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