It's a sport that requires a lot of skill and precision.

And while almost anyone can play chess, it takes  a lot of practice to win championships, according to members of The University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley’s Chess Team.

The team has won three consecutive national championships, and members know a lot about hard work. They’ve even won an intercontinental match through the challenges of a pandemic.

"Many people struggled with motivation because of the pandemic so it wasn't easy for us,” UTRGV Chess Team member Kamil Dragun said. “So this result was a very nice surprise for us and we're very happy about it.”

Members even started a women's team this past fall. 

"We're looking forward to creating girls championships, there's no national championship for girls so maybe for next year," UTRGV Chess Team member Ana Shamatava said. 

Members of the chess team credited their chemistry as a team for getting them through this year, and once again, bringing home the gold. 

"We prepare well and we try our best, and this year it worked and we managed to win") Irakli Berabze, UTRGV Chess Team

UTRGV is one of the only schools in the country that offers chess scholarships. The team says they could not have done this without the help of their coaches, which include grand masters, and the university faculty and student body.

They're looking to bring home yet another national championship next year.