GM Monika Socko (Poland) emerged as the winner of the European Women's Championship 2022. It is probably the most significant achievement in the professional career of 8-time Polish Women's Champion.
The European Women's Championship, an 11-round Swiss tournament with classical time control, took place from August 20-31, 2022, in Prague, Czech Republic. The event, with a prize pool of €60,000 (€10,000 reserved for the champion), brought together 123 players from 28 countries.
Monika Socko grabbed the sole lead in Round 5 and never looked back. Coming into the final round on 8/10, a half-point ahead of Gunay Mammadzada (Azerbaijan), Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (Poland) and Lilit Mkrtchain (Armenia), Monika took a practical decision. Socko made a quick draw with Mkrtchain to secure the title as she had better tiebreaks over her main competitors.
Mammadzada and Maltsevskaya played a topsy-turvy game which eventually ended in a draw. As a result, Gunay took silver, but Alexandra and Lilit missed the podium as Ulviyya Fataliyeva (Azerbaijan) scored a crucial last-round victory over her compatriot Gulnar Mammadova and claimed bronze by dint of better Buchholz.
Final standings:
|
1 |
GM |
Socko, Monika |
POL |
2423 |
8½ |
|
2 |
IM |
Mammadzada, Gunay |
AZE |
2466 |
8 |
|
3 |
WGM |
Fataliyeva, Ulviyya |
AZE |
2413 |
8 |
|
4 |
IM |
Mkrtchian, Lilit |
ARM |
2362 |
8 |
|
5 |
IM |
Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra |
POL |
2360 |
8 |
|
6 |
IM |
Bulmaga, Irina |
ROU |
2403 |
8 |
|
7 |
GM |
Ushenina, Anna |
UKR |
2423 |
7½ |
|
8 |
IM |
Sargsyan, Anna |
ARM |
2378 |
7½ |
|
9 |
IM |
Brunello, Marina |
ITA |
2341 |
7½ |
|
10 |
IM |
Salimova, Nurgyul |
BUL |
2404 |
7½ |
The 2022 European Individual Women Chess Championship served as a qualification event for the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023. According to the FIDE regulations and the ECU Board decision, 9 best players qualified for FIDE Women’s World Cup 2023.
Photo: Official website
Official website: ewcc2022.net/
