Nine rounds have been played at the European Women’s Chess Championship 2026 in Batumi, Georgia, and only two rounds remain before the new champion is crowned.
Scoring 7.5/9 points each, 15-year-old WFM Anastasiia Hnatyshyn (UKR, 2207) and IM Sabrina Vega Gutierrez (ESP, 2375) are tied for first place, entering the penultimate round as tournament co-leaders.
Ukraine’s 15-year-old teenage sensation, Anastasiia Hnatyshyn, yesterday defeated the reigning Azerbaijani Women’s Chess Champion and 2024 European Champion, IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE, 2450). Hnatyshyn had no trouble equalizing with the Black pieces after the opening sequence, and she later gained the advantage when Fataliyeva began pushing for a kingside attack. The Azerbaijani representative misplayed the middlegame and overestimated her mating attack, allowing Hnatyshyn to defend with a beautiful 32…Rf5! motif, after which the Ukrainian prodigy maintained a decisive advantage. Just a few moves later, Hnatyshyn converted the game into a win.
With an impressive tournament performance rating of 2577 so far at the European Women’s Chess Championship 2026, Anastasiia Hnatyshyn has secured an IM norm and has gained a staggering 177 rating points!
Playing on the top board, IM Sabrina Vega Gutierrez (ESP, 2375) drew with the Black pieces against IM Eline Roebers (NED, 2389). It was a well-balanced game where Vega Gutierrez held a more comfortable position and even an edge in the early middlegame. She tried to play for a win, but Roebers defended well in the endgame, and a draw was agreed upon after playing down to bare kings.
The leading duo is followed by five players who score 7/9 points each: IM Eline Roebers (NED, 2389), IM Mai Narva (EST, 2426), IM Olga Badelka (AUT, 2392), IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL, 2404) and IM Klaudia Kulon (POL, 2377).
The penultimate 10th round brings interesting encounters on the top boards, and the games start at 13:00 CEST (15:00 local time). Live games with commentaries by GM Valerian Gaprindashvili and WIM Sandra Djukic can be followed here.
All results, rankings and pairings can be found here.
Yesterday’s ninth round was opened by the Minister of Sport of Georgia Mr. Shalva Gogoladze who made the first ceremonial move in the game between IM Meri Arabidze (GEO) and IM Klaudia Kulon (POL), with the presence of the Deputy Minister of Sports of Georgia Mr. Irakli Dolaberidze, ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili and the President of the Georgian Chess Federation Mr. Akaki Iashvili.
Photo gallery can be found on the ECU Flickr page.