"VAN" (Sports Desk - 04.08.2025) :: The World Schools Team Championship 2025 officially got underway today at Episcopal High School, located in the historic city of Alexandria, just outside Washington, D.C. A flagship event in the global scholastic chess calendar, the tournament brings together hundreds of students representing nearly 50 countries. While the players are here to compete for international glory, the championship is equally a celebration of friendship, diversity, and shared passion for the game of chess.
With participants ranging from unrated newcomers to seasoned International Masters, the tournament features a remarkable mix of talent and potential. This variety has already led to a wide spectrum of exciting games in the early rounds. At the top of the starting rankings is Kazakhstan’s National School of Physics and Mathematics, led by newly titled Grandmaster Edgar Mamedov, with a formidable average rating of 2229. Close behind is India’s Velammal MHS School, averaging 2210. The host country, the United States, is represented by four schools. Leading the American contingent is University High School, which holds third place in the starting rankings with an average team rating of 2003.
The tournament’s first round began promptly at 11:30. Ceremonial first moves were made on the top four boards by distinguished guests: FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, President of the International School Chess Federation Timur Turlov, Minister of Educational Transformation of Barbados Hon. Chad Blackman, and Minister of Sport and Recreation of Costa Rica Donald Rojas Fernández.
In the opening round, the top-seeded teams performed as expected, securing confident victories over their lower-ranked opponents. However, the second round saw the competition intensify as more closely matched teams faced off across the boards. By the end of the day, 11 teams had secured wins in both rounds and concluded Day 1 with a perfect score of 4 match points.
- National School of Physics and Mathematics (Kazakhstan)
- Velammal MHS School (India)
- Hampton (England)
- Seed Educational Complex (Kazakhstan)
- Wellington College (New Zealand)
- Royal College, Colombo (Sri Lanka)
- Astana 2 RSPM (Kazakhstan)
- The Harker School (USA)
- Raffles Institution (Singapore)
- 1st General Lyceum of Xanthi (Greece)
- Privates Gymnasium Sacre Coeur Wien (Austria)
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