Major Boost For Collegiate Chess League As SIG Signs For New Season

With student chess players across the world gearing up for the Fall 2023 season of Chess.com's exciting Collegiate Chess League, Chess.com is pleased to announce the competition just got even more special.

The premier online chess competition for college students carries a $25,000 prize pool and will now be sponsored by Susquehanna International Group, LLP (SIG), one of the world’s leading quantitative trading firms.

We are proud to share that SIG has signed on as the presenting sponsor of the event and is also supporting the Chess.com College Ambassador Program, helping to grow the game on campuses across the U.S. and beyond.

This new partnership could open up a world of possibilities for anyone taking part in the tournament. SIG regards gaming as core to its culture and hires strategic thinkers and problem solvers.

The firm already uses poker and other strategy games to teach traders how to make positive expectancy decisions in its industry-leading education program. SIG also hosts poker tournaments, puzzle competitions, and strategy game events on college campuses along with its annual firmwide poker tournament for all employees.

SIG is hiring interns, new graduates, and professionals alike, and is inviting chess players to apply to their Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Dublin, and Sydney offices. Use your gaming skills in your career—apply to SIG at: sig.com/chess

Jeff Yass, Co-Founder and Managing Director of SIG, said: “Our gaming culture started with poker, but our employees play many different kinds of strategy games. Chess is especially popular at SIG, so we’re thrilled to partner with Chess.com to find new ways to connect with strategic gamers.”

Chess.com’s Chief Strategy Officer Grant Lee added: “The Collegiate Chess League has grown into a huge tournament and we are expecting this year to be even bigger and better with SIG involved.”

Top universities compete in Chess.com's prestigious annual Collegiate Chess League tournament. Last season, the event featured more than 200 teams from 100 universities around the world.

Saint Louis University took the top prize in the Spring 2023 season, with convincing victories over Yale, defending CCL champions University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), and the University of Missouri.

The tournament is played in the fast-paced 5+2 blitz time control and is open to everyone from hobby players and amateurs to titled chess stars.

“The event provides a fun and competitive environment for all levels of players, from novices all the way up to grandmasters, and a valuable opportunity for students to expand their network while representing their school,” Lee said.

Previous events have seen, among others, GMs Andrew Tang, Awonder Liang, Benjamin Bok, and Grigoriy Oparin representing their colleges. Tang, a 23-year-old Princeton graduate and 2023 U.S. Open winner, was a Trading Intern last summer at SIG and has just started as a full-time Quantitative Trader at SIG’s New York City office.

Check out this Division 10 highlight from last season!

Registration for the CCL is open now through September 17. Full details can be found here. The full rules, regulations, and prize information can be found here.

Sign up to be a part of CCL's history and play alongside other great college players. Even if you're unable to compete in the event, there will be live coverage at twitch.tv/chess to make sure you can follow all the action!