Checkmate: AUA Students Advance in Chess

2 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia — The past two months have been rather active for the American University of Armenia (AUA) chess community. The AUA Chess Club, inspired by its latest success at the KCF University Cup, organized a chess tournament that aimed to bring together all the chess enthusiasts on campus. A total of 34 students, eight alumni and three faculty accepted the challenge. These amateur and professional players competed for three days. 

“The driving force behind the tournament was to unite the AUA chess community and provide an opportunity for chess enthusiasts to connect with one another, engage in friendly competition, socialize, and simply have fun. Such events are a great way to develop a sense of strong community built on a shared passion for this intellectual game,” says Kristine Smbatyan (BAB ‘24), the leader of the AUA Chess Club and organizer of the event. 

Veronika Khachatryan (BSDS ‘26) took first place in the competition, followed by Ani Ivanyan (BSCS ‘23) and Rafik Gasparyan (BSCS ‘25), who placed second and third, respectively. 

“One thing that stood out for me and for which I am truly grateful, was the tremendous support for our female players, as well as amateurs and beginner competitors. In turn, the participants invested considerable effort to create a positive and inclusive environment. The realization of such a communal and engaging atmosphere was a true highlight to witness,” says Kristine Smbatyan.

Another achievement worth spotlighting is the AUA team’s successful participation in the Collegiate Chess League International University Tournament. The AUA co-ed team competed in the 5th division and took third place.

Two teams, one men’s team and one women’s team represented AUA at the 24th Student Sport Games of the Republic of Armenia (RA). The annual games are organized with the support of the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports and in close cooperation with the Student Sports Federation NGO and other national sports federations. Participants came from 14 universities with over 100 students competing as individuals and as teams in blitz and rapid categories. 

The AUA Women’s Team placed first with Veronika Khachatryan achieving the highest standing among female competitors. “I was pretty excited to represent my university for the first time at the student sports games. It was a great accomplishment to come on top of the list against other teams. I felt very proud to hear AUA declared the winner,” recounts Veronika and continues, “Our success in the tournament was not just due to individual skills or talent, but rather the result of team effort. I believe that our teamwork and cooperation were crucial factors in our success, and I’m proud of the way we worked together. The team was expecting me to win, and that responsibility drew me to be more attentive and fulfill their expectations. I wouldn’t have succeeded without that support.”

The dedication and enthusiasm of AUA students is commendable. There are other opportunities forthcoming as we look forward to more accomplishments by AUA chess players. 

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.