They didn’t make the Finals last season, but the University of Missouri-Columbia (Mizzou) has added a new player and appears ready to regain the championship form that they displayed in 2024. IM Amilal Munkhdalai came from Mongolia to join the school this winter and joined the team in their opening match against the University of Virginia (UVA). Mizzou dominated the match from start to finish, beginning their season with an impressive 14-2 victory.
Munkhdalai joined a strong team of GMs Aryan Tari, Isik Can, and Luka Budisavljevic. UVA failed to win a match last season and is hoping to turn a fresh page in 2026. They have some strong titled team members, but it’s difficult to compete against schools that offer scholarships to top chess players. UVA’s team included FM Jason Morefield, NM Owen McCoy, IM Joseph Levine, and NM Alex Shrauger.
Collegiate Chess League Division 1 — Fall 2025 Week 6 Standings
Mizzou 14-2 UVA
Mizzou never gave their opponents an opening in their debut match of the season. Tari and Budisavljevic both scored perfect 4-0 results, demonstrating strong play throughout. Check out Tari’s technique against Levine in a sharp French Defense. It wasn’t perfect, but Black was under pressure throughout.
Budisavljevic was willing to take risks to beat his lower-rated opponents. This battle against Morefield, UVA’s top board, is a good example.
UVA’s two points came from Shrauger and McCoy. Even those required some good fortune. Can you spot the forced mate that would have given Munkhdalai his own 4-0 result?
Despite that miss, Munkhdalai was in good spirits in a post-match interview. The freshman Economics major said that “I’m loving every bit of everything at this university.” He admitted feeling a little nervous at the start of the match, but found his form to score a solid 3/4.
You can watch the match between Mizzou and UVA, hosted by Joe Lee.
The Collegiate Chess League is the premier online chess competition for college students.
