PCU Student Chess Cup 2023: Celebrating Fair Play and Chess Excellence with a Multitude of Participants in Antwerp
PCU Student Chess Cup 2023: Celebrating Fair Play and Chess Excellence with a Multitude of Participants in Antwerp
PCU Student Chess Cup 2023 started with AP Blitz Tournament on Friday, November 24.
- Global Participation
The PCU Chess Cup has garnered an impressive participation with 113 accredited players, representing 31 universities spanning across 15 countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, UK).
In a testament to their passion for the game, a substantial majority of participants in the PCU Chess Cup actively chose to engage in the AP Blitz tournament, despite its optional status and not being a mandatory component of the official competition
A total of 89 students, representing 25 universities spanning across 12 countries, showcased their prowess in 9 intense rounds of Blitz chess on Friday, November 24.
Following the Official Opening Ceremony on Saturday, November 25, the main competition started in the Swiss System unfolding on 56 tables.
In total, on 25-26 November 2023, in 9 rounds of the PCU Chess Cup, 495 games were played by 113 chess players.
- Champions Emerge: High-Level Play Rewarded
Celebrating Chess Diversity the PCU Chess Cup, with its blend of FIDE and non-FIDE participants, celebrates the essence of chess – a game that transcends titles and embraces the beauty of diverse playing styles.
The players, ascended to victory, demonstrated a amazingly high level of play, making the tournament a true showcase of chess excellence. The unpredictability of chess unfolded with unexpected results, injecting an extra layer of excitement into the tournament. Some players’ performance surpassed their federation ratings, indicating a level of play that exceeded the numerical assessments.
Congratulations to the champions of AP Blitz Tournament:
1st Place - Aras Vardanyan (Vilnius University, Lithuania)
2nd Place - Daniel Grimm (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary)
3rd Place - William Boudry (Artevelde University of Applied Sciences, Belgium)
Congratulations to the PCU Student Chess Cup 2023 Champions:
1st Place - Daniel Grimm (Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary)
2nd Place - Natan Pirard (KU Leuven, Belgium)
3rd Place - Aras Vardanyan (Vilnius University, Lithuania)
It's commendable that Daniel Grimm's victory in the tournament is perceived as well-deserved, especially considering the strategic decision not to opt for a quick draw early on. This choice, coupled with strong play throughout, reflects a commitment to genuine competition.
The Full Results and Final Ranking are available on the website: https://pcucommittee.com/chess/#toggle-id-3
- Emphasis on Fair Play
In a remarkable collaboration with the Royal Belgian Chess Federation, AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts played host to the PCU Student Chess Cup 2023. The tournament not only glorified chess brilliance but also laid a strong emphasis on fair play and universal friendship.
In a celebration of sportsmanship and friendship, the University of Konstanz team, participating in the PCU Chess Cup 2023, has been awarded the prestigious Fair Play Award. This recognition is a testament to their outstanding fair play behavior, as acknowledged by the Referees, Organizing Committee and the event staff.
The team's commitment to fair play went beyond the chessboard, resonating through their interactions with fellow teams. Referees and organizers noted positive attitude of the players, graciousness in victory and defeat, and adherence to the principles of fair play throughout the tournament.
The Fair Play Award is not merely a recognition of victories on the chessboard but a testament to the dedication to the principles of integrity, respect, and equity.
The commendable Fair Play behavior of players from two other teams, the University of Essex and the University of Munster, was also recognized and rewarded.
Our gratitude and congratulations to the Fair Play champions of the PCU Chess Cup 2023!
Here's to celebrating the chess community's commitment to honorable competition and congratulating all teams involved for embodying the true essence of sportsmanship at the PCU Chess Cup!
Alina Baranova
General Manager Communication
The Committee of Panathlon Clubs of Universities
19 ° PCU University Games
The 19th edition of the PCU University Games (futsal, basketball and volleyball) kicked off on April 25, and finished on April 27, 2018 in the northern Belgian city of Antwerp with the participation of more than 450 athletes.
These Games are organized by the Association of Universities of Antwerp and approved by the PCU Committee in order to promote ethics in sports, Fair Play and friendship.
P.I. International President Pierre Zappelli attended, on Thursday April 26th , the convivial dinner of the "Yerun Sport Day"- Network of Young European Research Universities (Yerun), whose aim is to strengthen and develop cooperation in the field of scientific research, academic education and service to society among a group of leading universities of Europe. (www.yerun.eu).
He also attended the Futsal semi-final match, held on Friday April 27th, between the Selected students of Iran (Champion of 2016) and the Catalan National University Selection.
The first edition of the PCU International University Tennis Tournament ("PIUTT")
Students of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia won the PCU International University Tennis Tournament 2017
From 20 to 22 October 2017 Dubna hosted the 2nd PCU International Tennis Tournament (PIUTT) – a yearly tennis tournament organized by the University of Antwerp with the assistance of the Dubna State University and endorsed by the PCU Committee to promote ethics in sport and principles of fair play and Universal friendship.
PCU University Games
EU Sport Forum
The PCU Games ensure a free sports and events program for universities and university colleges worldwide, including a free Panathlon International membership. The main objective is to offer students a platform where sport is considered as a valuable instrument to develop international interaction and experience, with emphasis on Fair Play and Universal Friendship.
The 18th PCU Games are organized from 26 to 28 April 2017 in Antwerp (Flanders, Belgium). Men’s Futsal, Volleyball, Basketball and women’s Basketball and Volleyball are programmed. Registration is simple as explained on this website and the registration deadline is 1 March 2017.
ENRICO PRANDI TROPHY
Not only the competition winners are awarded but also the winner of the overall Fair Play ranking. The Enrico Prandi Trophy is a prestigious award, unique in the world of university sport and the highest merit a university can achieve in relation to ethics in university sport. Different from almost all other university sports events, the main objective of the PCU Games is to offer students, universities and university colleges a worldwide platform where sport is considered as a valuable instrument to develop international interaction and experience, with emphasis on Fair Play and Universal Friendship. Enrico Prandi, born on May 21, 1945 (Italy), is the Past President of Panathlon International, former member of the International Olympic Committee Cultural Commission and former President of the Italian Basketball League. He initiated in 2010 the idea to create a university platform within Panathlon International to promote ethics in sport also within the worldwide university community.
HOSTING CONCEPT
To guarantee a free program, the hosting rights of the PCU Games are granted to one single university community for a term of more years. The host is consequently ensured of the necessary return by means of publicity on a long term and is able to downsize logistic and financial requirements. The Antwerp University Association is our first partner within this new format. The Antwerp University Association is a structural cooperation of four higher education institutions in metropolitan Antwerp with about 40.000 students.
HOST ORGANIZATION
Sport, Fair Play and international interaction are considered within the Antwerp University Association as highly important for the educational development of students. Also the universal Panathlon values and the recognition of the association by the International Olympic Committee are considered as complementary with the mission of the Antwerp University Association. As a result the Antwerp University Association agreed to host the PCU Games for the next years.