UdeM hosts Canadian University Team Chess Championship

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The Canadian University Team Chess Championship will follow the Swiss tournament
The Canadian University Team Chess Championship will follow the Swiss tournament system, a format frequently used in chess competitions. Credit: Benoit Gougeon, Université de Montréal
The University of Montreal is hosting the Canadian University Team Chess Championship, expecting some 200 participants from across the country.

For the first time, from January 24 to 26, the University of Montreal will host the Canadian University Team Chess Championship, bringing together about 200 players from universities across the country.

The event, taking place at the MIL Campus, is being organized by the chess clubs of UdeM and McGill University.

Rian Hartner and Aurélien Bain-Thouverez are the two main organizers for UdeM, both undergraduate students in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

From unrecognized club to championship host

Two years ago, the two students and their colleague Julien Vadnais - now a UdeM geography graduate - attended the Canadian university championship at the University of Ottawa for the first time. "We had an incredible experience there, as the University of Montreal team won the championship that year," they recall.

Energized by this experience, they undertook to revitalize UdeM’s Chess Club and, since it was then largely inactive due to the pandemic, to have it recognized as a student group by the Student Engagement Center.

"During the health crisis, there was enthusiasm for online play, but when we returned to campus in person, we decided to rebuild the Club. Since then, about twenty of us have been taking part in its friendly meetings every Friday from 5:30 PM at the cafeteria of the 3200 Jean-Brillant building," explains Rian Hartner.

A Swiss tournament system

The Canadian University Team Chess Championship will follow the Swiss tournament system, a format frequently used in chess competitions.

Unlike elimination tournaments, this format allows all players to participate in the same number of matches and ensures that each player from each team will face opponents who have performed as well (or poorly!) as they have throughout the competition. Individual results are then compiled, and it’s the team’s overall performance that determines its ranking.

Each team will play five games lasting two to four hours - one on Friday, then two each on Saturday and Sunday. "It’s a very intense competition, almost like having an exam for each game, but it’s good to activate those neurons," the two organizers joke.

In total, about 200 people grouped in teams of four will participate in the Montreal championship. According to the organizers, 40% of the teams consist of masters or experts recognized by their respective federations, while 60% are at the regular level, "which is still very good," they assure.

The strongest teams will compete for honors in the Crown section of the tournament, while others will compete in the Reserve section.

UdeM’s strong showing

UdeM will be represented by three teams: two will compete in the Reserve section and one will face Canada’s best teams in the Crown section.

According to Rian Hartner and Aurélien Bain-Thouverez, the teams to watch come from the Universities of Waterloo, Toronto, and McGill.

"Fortunately, our top team will be led by Zong Yang Yu, a master’s student in statistics, currently ranked ninth in Quebec with an Elo rating of 2480," they note hopefully!

Special activities and online broadcast

The MIL campus atrium bleachers will welcome spectators. There will be a room for analysis and workshops, and spectators will be invited to listen to commentators who will explain the masters’ games.

Rooms will also be open for friendly chess games. Three workshops will help demystify this intellectual sport:
  • On Friday, January 24, National Master Raphael Nunez-Painchaud, a comparative literature graduate and member of the 2023 winning team, will analyze the match that led to UdeM’s victory in Ottawa.
  • On Saturday, January 25, Master Hong Rui Zhu, a pharmacy graduate and member of the 2024 team, will play simultaneous games against 20 people from the public.
  • On Sunday, January 26, Master Yilin Li, who promotes and teaches chess, will discuss women’s integration in tournaments. She served as translator for Tan Zhongyi, who was crowned world champion in 2017 and aims to reclaim her title from current champion Ju Wenjun.


Additionally, favorite teams’ games will be broadcast live online, with commentators describing the matches and tournament atmosphere. The broadcast will be available on YouTube, accessible through the UdeM Chess Club’s webpage during match days.

Quick Facts

What? Canadian University Team Chess Championship
When?
Where? UdeM MIL Campus Agora, 1375 Thérèse-Lavoie-Roux Avenue, Montreal
Who? 200 chess players from universities across Canada Free admission for all.