The World Senior Team Chess Championship took place in Prague from February 16–27, 2025. After nine rounds of intense competition over ten days, champions were declared in both categories.
50+ Category
The top-seeded team from the USA (GM Ehlvest, GM Kaidanov, GM Shabalov, GM Novikov, and IM Rachels) claimed first place in the 50+ category. They achieved 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 won their last match against Hungary and matched the USA`s score. However, Italy was awarded the silver medal due to lower game points in the tiebreaker.
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. After closely contested games on all boards, the match concluded in a draw. This result placed Kazakhstan in third, taking home the bronze medal, while England 1 finished fourth.
Team USA versus Confluentia from Germany in the decisive final round
Several players delivered exceptional performances throughout the tournament. GM Michael Adams of England achieved an impressive score of 6½/8 on the first board, suffering only one defeat against GM Lubomir Ftacnik in round seven. His performance earned him the gold medal for board one.
GM Pavel Kotsur representing Kazakhstan secured gold on board two, while GM Alexander Shabalov from the USA won gold on board three. GM Mark Hebden of England was dominant on board four. IM Carlo D`Amore made a significant contribution to Italy`s success, earning the gold medal for the reserve board.
The renowned Michael Adams
Final standings – 50+ category
| Rk. | Team | Games | + | = | – | TB1 | TB2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 24 | |
| 2 | Italy | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 23 | |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 24 | |
| 4 | England 1 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 24,5 | |
| 5 | England 2 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 24 | |
| 6 | Slovakia | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 22 | |
| 7 | Confluentia | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 22 | |
| 8 | Hungary | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 20,5 | |
| 9 | Canada | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 20,5 | |
| 10 | ŠK Moravská Slavia | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 20 | |
| 11 | Iceland | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 21,5 | |
| 12 | Czech Republic | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 21,5 | |
| 13 | Sweden | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 20 | |
| 14 | Scotland 2 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 20 | |
| 15 | Denmark | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 19 |
…54 teams
All available games
PGN data for all games is available for download.
Gideon Holt 
Elton Marrow