The World Senior Team Chess Championship was held in Prague from February 16th to 27th, 2025. After nine rounds of intense competition, champions have been crowned in both the 50+ and 65+ categories.
50+ Category
In the 50+ category, the top-seeded team from the USA (GM Ehlvest, GM Kaidanov, GM Shabalov, GM Novikov, and IM Rachels) claimed first place. They finished with 15 out of 18 match points, securing their victory with a final-round win against the German team Confluentia.
Team Italy (GM David, GM Godena, IM Bellini, IM Bellia, and IM D’Amore) also concluded the tournament with a win in their last match against Hungary, matching the USA’s score. However, due to tie-breaker rules based on game points, Italy was awarded the silver medal.
Kazakhstan (GM Kazhgaleyev, GM Kotsur, GM Temirbayev, IM Tikzhanov, and IM Min), who were leading after eight rounds, faced a challenging final round against England 1. The match concluded in a draw after closely contested games, resulting in Kazakhstan taking the bronze medal and England 1 finishing fourth.
Team USA versus Confluentia from Germany in the final round
Several players distinguished themselves with exceptional performances throughout the event. GM Michael Adams achieved a score of 6½/8 on the top board for England, his only loss being against GM Lubomir Ftacnik in round seven. This performance earned him the gold medal for board one.
GM Pavel Kotsur (Kazakhstan) won gold on board two, while GM Alexander Shabalov (USA) secured gold on board three. GM Mark Hebden (England) dominated board four. IM Carlo D’Amore was instrumental in Italy’s success and received the reserve board medal.
The legendary Michael Adams
Final standings – 50+ category
| Rk. | SNo | Team | Games | + | = | – | TB1 | TB2 | TB3 | TB4 | TB5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | USA | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 24 | 0 | 175 | 191,5 | |
| 2 | 4 | Italy | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 23 | 0 | 175 | 193 | |
| 3 | 5 | Kazakhstan | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 24 | 0 | 174 | 190 | |
| 4 | 2 | England 1 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 24,5 | 0 | 176 | 193 | |
| 5 | 16 | England 2 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 147,5 | 160 | |
| 6 | 6 | Slovakia | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 0 | 174 | 190,5 | |
| 7 | 8 | Confluentia | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 22 | 0 | 162,5 | 178 | |
| 8 | 9 | Hungary | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 20,5 | 2 | 164 | 180 | |
| 9 | 18 | Canada | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 20,5 | 0 | 159 | 175 | |
| 10 | 14 | ŠK Moravská Slavia | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 0 | 167,5 | 184 | |
| 11 | 3 | Iceland | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 21,5 | 0 | 176,5 | 192 | |
| 12 | 7 | Czech Republic | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 21,5 | 0 | 155,5 | 172 | |
| 13 | 10 | Sweden | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 0 | 157,5 | 174 | |
| 14 | 19 | Scotland 2 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 20 | 0 | 154 | 168,5 | |
| 15 | 15 | Denmark | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 158,5 | 174,5 |
…54 teams
