The Mechanics’ Institute recently hosted the 2020-2021 Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championship, the foremost team championship event open to colleges and universities from North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean. Started in 1946, Mechanics’ Institute was honored to uphold the tournament's historic lineage by coordinating this year's event, which was online for the first time in its history.
The Pan-Am Intercollegiate, held from January 4-6, 2021, included 273 players and 61 teams. To ensure fair play, each player was required to use two cameras while playing. After nine rounds and three suspenseful days, Missouri's Webster University captured its 8th title in the last nine years, reclaiming it from Texas Tech University. Local powerhouse UC Berkeley finished in 7th place with an exceptional performance.
Each year, the Pan-Am Intercollegiate connects people and cultures together from the Americas. More than 20 countries were represented by the players. While Mechanics’ Institute showcased the event live on its Twitch channel, the Pan-Am was also broadcast live in Spanish by popular Mexican chess streamer WIM Ivette Garcia Morales, chess coach for the Universidad de Chihuahua.
Events such as the Pan-Am Intercollegiate inspire teamwork and a lifelong love of chess for young adults, particularly vital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mechanics’ Institute appreciates all of the students who played and the hard work by organizers and volunteers that helped make this global event a success.
For more information about Mechanics’ Institute and our chess activities, as well the full event results, please follow this link: https://www.milibrary.org/chess-tournaments/2020-2021-pan-american-intercollegiate-championship-online
