UT students aim for titles

Chess Team Charges Back into Action
Grandmaster Invitational Has an Expanded Field of 20 Players for Two Sections
Nov. 21, 2008

The annual UT Dallas Grandmaster Invitational tournament gets under way on Wednesday, Nov. 26, with two 10-player sections to give the team’s masters an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Pan-American Intercollegiate chess tournament.

Those in the top grandmasters (GM) section can also seek to achieve grandmaster norms; three are required for the prestigious and difficult title.

Those in the IM section can compete for norms for the international master title. This international tournament is rated by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), the organization sanctioned to award these international titles which are recognized throughout the world.

…Seven UT Dallas students rated as international masters will also be competing in the top section:

IM Drasko Boskovic, 25, of Serbia, a senior business administration major.
IM Marko Zivanic, 24, of Serbia, a computer science major.
IM Davorin Kuljasevic, 22, of Croatia, a senior majoring in business administration.
IM John Bartholomew, 22, of the U.S., a senior majoring in business administration.
IM Salvijus Bercys, 17, a sophomore majoring in finance.
IM Jacek Stopa, 20, of Poland, a junior majoring in international political economy.
IM Puchen Wang, 18, of New Zealand, freshman majoring in business administration.

Here is the full article.