Mizzou to host the national collegiate chess championship

By Eric Stann

March 16, 2026
Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu
Photo courtesy of Ioan-Cristian Chirila

Months of preparation and high-stakes battles with kings, queens, knights and pawns have brought four players from the University of Missouri's chess team to one defining moment: competing in the U.S. Chess Federation's President's Cup — the national collegiate chess championship.

It's the third time in four years that Mizzou has reached this stage. And this year, the Tigers will have the home-turf advantage on March 21-22. The university is hosting the event for the first time — at Memorial Union — raising Mizzou’s profile on a national stage.

Mizzou earned their spot at the President’s Cup by finishing in the top four among 86 teams from 47 universities at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship. In Columbia, they will face off against teams from Webster University, Saint Louis University, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and University of Texas-Dallas.

“We are proud to host the President’s Cup here at Mizzou,” Cooper Drury, dean of Mizzou’s College of Arts and Science, said. “Our chess team is diligently preparing for the competition under the leadership of Coach Ioan-Cristian Chirila, and we’re excited to welcome top talent to campus. We’re grateful to our supporters whose enthusiasm and commitment continue to elevate the Mizzou Chess program.”

An elite roster

All four players on Mizzou’s President’s Cup roster — Aryan Tari, Isik Can, Mahel Boyer and Luka Budisavljevic — hold the title of Grandmaster, the highest honor in chess. Of the millions of chess players worldwide, only about 1,500 have earned this prestigious title from the World Chess Federation.

This elite lineup reflects a program built to win. In 2024 alone, Mizzou claimed three of college chess’s most coveted titles: the Pan-American Intercollegiate Championship, the President’s Cup and the Collegiate Chess League championship. These wins have built the program's national reputation for both traditional, face-to-face play and fast-paced online competitions.

That culture of excellence was intentional from the start. Mizzou Chess, part of the College of Arts and Science, launched in 2019 as a partnership with the renowned Saint Louis Chess Club, founded by Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and Rex Sinquefield. Dr. Sinquefield currently serves as a University of Missouri curator.

Mizzou Chess is designed to give students the opportunity to compete at the highest level while remaining fully engaged in their academic pursuits. Like the university's other competitive teams, the program relies on rigorous training to sustain championship success.

Head Coach Ioan-Cristian Chirila structures daily preparation around mastering chess’s three phases.

“The opening is about preparation and direction,” he said. “The middlegame challenges players to adapt and solve problems in real time. If the match isn’t decided before the third phase, the endgame requires precision and composure. Each area demands a different way of thinking.”

Preparing for the cup

Those principles guide the team’s daily routine as the Tigers prepare for the President’s Cup. Players combine individual study with collaborative team play, testing ideas and learning from mistakes to improve their decision-making.

Chirila also focuses on mental training just as much as game strategy, helping players build confidence and handle pressure during elite competition.

“Chess at this elite level is demanding mentally, and everyone prepares differently,” he said. “My job is to help them find what works best so they’re ready when the challenging moments happen.”

The team's dedication extends beyond the chessboard. The team maintains an average GPA of 3.6, demonstrating their commitment to academic achievement alongside competitive excellence.

As the university welcomes President’s Cup challengers this spring, the Tigers continue to elevate the team’s national profile while demonstrating the power of preparation, discipline and collaboration — lessons learned one move at a time.