Champions crowned at EU Youth Championship 2024
The 2024 edition of the EU Youth Chess Championship in Roznov pod Radhostem (CZE) reached climax on August 13, as the fate of titles in multiple categories was decided. The final rounds were full of tension and saw many exciting battles. In category Boys U8, Han Nam Pham (FRA) took the title with an excellent score of 9/9; Aaron-Mathias Dragoi (ROU) came second, and Vojtech Vratny (CZE) finished third. In category Girls U8, Amanda Skytte (DEN) emerged victorious, followed by Cassandre Itier (FRA) and Isis Bocquenet-Drouode (FRA). Konstantin Mueller (GER) emerged as the winner in the Boys U10; the silver medal goes to Victor Chalampuente (FRA), while Daniil Den Gusev (GER) rounded out the podium. Niya Malcheva (BUL) triumphed in the Girls U10 category, Hermione Glon Tombi Ambassa (FRA) earned silver, and Hanna Janaszak (POL) took bronze. Vlad Petroff (ROU) won the Boys U12 with Leo Corral Nehama (FRA) and Matvii Bilochenko (POL) in second and third places, respectively. Girls U12 saw the triumph of Cyrielle Duchatel (FRA), while Veronika Vancakova (CZE) and Stefania Theodora Sabou (ROU) took second and third places, respectively. In category Boys U14 Alexandru Ioan Constantinoiu (ROU) came out on top, Hugo Bocquenet-Drouode(FRA) finished second and Daniel Belocky (CZE) took third place. Zuzana Stara (CZE) was the best in the Girls U14 category, Lena Michalska (POL) earned silver, while Emma Kincses (HUN) rounded up the top trio. The top three finishers in each category received cups and diplomas. The next five players in each category also were awarded valuable prizes. Every participant of EUYCC got a medal and a t-shirt with the EUYCC logo. All eight champions of the EU are leaving Roznov pod Radhostem with a notebook! The prizes were given by the event director, Zdenek Fiala, and the tournament director of ECU, Petr Pisk. The EU Youth Chess Championship 2024, under the patronage of the ECU, was organized by Sachovy klub Svetla nad Sazavou in cooperation with the Czech Chess Federation. Boys and girls played in the same tournaments but were ranked separately. The Championship brought together 83 young players from 13 federations. All games were broadcast online. There were also special awards for the best game of the round. The winners are: Amanda Skytte (DEN), Adam Kopecny (SVK), Alex Moravcik (SVK), Hana Bartova (CZE), Ana Zegrea (ROU), Thomas Lobina (FRA), Robert Skytte (DEN), Hugo Bocquenet-Drouode (FRA), Richard Hutta (SVK), David Bartecek (CZE), Leo Corral Nehama (FRA) and Sofia Myronova (CZE). The participants and accompanying persons enjoyed chess and non-chess leisure activities (a simul with IM Pisk, blitz tournament, trips) that organizers had prepared for them. The organizers would like to thank all players for their performance and fair play, all parents and coaches for cooperation, arbiters for running the tournament and all volunteers for their work. Official website: chess.cz/mistrovstvi-evropske-unie/ Final standings in all categories:chess-results.com/tnr976123.aspx?lan=5&art=1&rd=9&turdet=YES&flag=30 Photo gallery:rajce.idnes.cz/sachysvetla/album/euycc-2024/1644635846rajce.idnes.cz/sachysvetla/album/euycc-2024-players
2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz: Three-way tie on the top
Multiple players joined the lead on Day 2 of the 2024 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave came to the day as an early leader but was held to three draws. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Alireza Firouzja jumped on this opportunity to catch up with him in the standings after scoring 4/6 and 5/6, respectively. Going to the final day of rapid, this trio shares the lead, followed by Levon Aronian with seven points. Alireza Firouzja scored a very important victory over Hikaru Nakamura after the American made a severe mistake in a complicated opposite-colored bishop endgame. Alireza Firouzja – Hikaru Nakamura White just played 33. a6 and Hikaru made a wrong choice of 33…b6? Instead, he should have opted for 33…bxa6 34. bxa6 Bb5! 35. Ra1 Rd7! and it is very hard for White to make progress. As played, Alireza won a pawn after 34. Rc7 Bxb5 35. Rxa7 Ra3 36. Ra8+ Kf7 37. a7 Ra6 38. Bxb6 Bc6 39. Rc8 Rxb6 40. Rxc6! and confidently converted it in a rook endgame | 1-0, 54 moves Ian Nepomniachtchi notched up his only win of the day after Leinier Dominguez missed a nice trick playing on increment. Leinier Dominguez – Ian Nepomniachtchi After 40. Bb8! keeping an eye on the e5-pawn, White has a good chance to hold this inferior position. Instead, Leinier snatched the e4-pawn with 40. Kxe4, which failed to 40…Bf5+! The point is that 41. Kxe5 is met with 41…Be6+ winning the bishop. Here, Dominguez made the final mistake with 41. Kd5?? (41. Ke3 Bg6 was his last try, although with two connected passers, Black would have had excellent winning chances) and resigned after 41…Be6+ (42. Kc5 e4+) 0-1 Round 7 will see a clash of the leaders, with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave taking on Ian Nepomiachtchi as White. Day 3 of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz continues Wednesday, August 14, with live commentary from GM’s Yasser Seirawan, Peter Svidler, Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze starting at 1:00pm CDT. Tune in to the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Twitch & YouTube channels. Official website: grandchesstour.org/ Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club, Lennart Ootes