In just five short years, the Mizzou Chess Team has electrified the college chess scene with dominant performances on the biggest stages in the game. Under the guidance of head coach Cristian Chirila — a chess grandmaster from Romania who’s played the game since the age of 5 — Mizzou’s meteoric rise has cemented its place among the nation’s top college chess programs.

Fresh off the team’s most recent win at the 2024 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship — the most prestigious event in the Americas — MU’s chess stars have qualified for the 2024 President’s Cup, informally known as the Final Four of college chess, taking place this weekend in Dallas. It’s their second consecutive trip.