European Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2022 took place from 20-22 July in Hotel Lazart Thessaloniki, Greece.
250 players from 28 European federations participated in the events which were played within 6 age categories: U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18, open and girls separately.
The first event on the schedule was European Youth Rapid Chess Championship 2022 which was held on 20th and 21st July. The Closing ceremony of the event took place on Thursday evening, with the ECU Secretary General Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, the Vice President of Mitropa Chess Association and Secretary General of Slovenian Chess Federation Ms. Nina Rob, Tournament Director Mr. Nikos Kalesis and FIDE Events Commission member George Mastrokoukos taking part in the Awarding ceremony.
Kryshtafor Maksym (UKR) was the Winner of the U8 open section scoring 8/9 points. He was followed by Uzun Pavlo (UKR) who scored 7.5 points and claimed silver medal, while Kovacs Balasz (ROU) won bronze with 6.5 points.
Ukrainian chess players conquered the top of the Girls U8 section). Russieva Svitlana (UKR) convincingly triumphed in the event with 8/9 points. She was two points ahead of Molchanova Tetyana (UKR) who won bronze, while Gutserieva Bierta (UKR) won bronze with 5 points.
Negrean Andrei (ROU) scored convincing 8/9 points to be the sole Winner of the Open U10 category. Three players tied for the second place scoring 6.5 points, each, with tiebreak criteria deciding the medalists: Shilon Rahav Eliran (ISR) claimed silver, Diachek Andriy (UKR) clinched bronze and Hanache Kai (ENG) came fourth
Svitenko Solomiia (UKR) and Matskevich Varvara (FIDE) tied for the first place of the Girls U10 section with 8 points, each. According to the first tiebreak criteria – direct encounter, Svitenko Solomiia lifted the trophy as she defeated Matskevich Varvara in the fourth round. Siskou Evangelia (GRE) came this with 6.5 points and won bronze medal.
Cherniaiev Tykhon (GER) was the sole Winner of Open U12 section with the score of 7.5/9 points. Three players were in a tie for silver scoring 7 points each, with the tiebreak criteria determining Tudor Henry Edward (ROU) silver, Sowinski Pawel (POL) claimed bronze and Cieslak Patryk (POL) was fourth.
Three girls tied for the top of the GU12 section scoring 6.5 points, each. Beber Anja (SLO) had better tiebreak criteria and won the event, Aydogan Arya (TUR) was second, while Krkyasharyan Sona (ARM) won bronze medal.
Bazakutsa Svyatoslav (UKR) and FM Seemann Jakub (POL) were in a tie for the first place of the Open U14 category as they scored 7.5 points, each. Since they drew their fifth round game, the first tiebreak criteria – the direct encounter wasn’t enough to decide the winner. Bazakutsa Svyatoslav won the gold medal thanks to the better Bucholz, and Seemann Jakub claimed silver. Podolskyi Mykhailo (UKR) and Pilshofer Paul scored 6 points each to tie for bronze medal, but Podolskyi Mykhailo had better tiebreaks and came third, while Pilshofer Paul finished the event in the fourth place.
Five players were in a tie for the first place after 9 robin rounds in the Girls U14 category. Vasiljeva Sofija had best tiebreaks and won the event, Guid Taja (SLO) came second, Pert Nina (ENG) clinched bronze, Omeri Eklea (ALB) came fourth and Balazs Sztella Anna (HUN) finished the event in the fifth place.
FM Pasti Aron (HUN) lifted the Winning trophy in Open U16 section scoring 7.5 points. Two players followed him with 6.5 points, each, with tiebreaks criteria determining FM Trost Edvin (SWE) the silver medalist and FM Borrmann Laurenz won bronze.
WFM Bashylina Luisa (GER) triumphed in the Girls U16 category with 7 points. She was half a point ahead of Mihelic Vesna (SLO) and Zabrzanska Weronika (POL) who tied for second place scoring 6.5 points, each. Tiebreak criteria favored Mihelic Vesna (SLO) who clinched silver and Zabrzanska Weronika (POL) claimed bronze.
IM Koellner Ruben Gideon (GER), IM Borhy Marcell (HUN) and FM Bilych Olexiy (UKR) tied for the top of the Open U18 section. Tiebreaks determined the gold medal goes to IM Koellner Ruben Gideon, IM Borhy Marcell won silver and FM Bilych Olexiy came third.
WFM Wikar Martyna (POL) was convincing in the Girls U18 section with 8 points. WFM Dylag Emilia (POL) and Sulyok Eszter (HUN) tied for the second place with 7.5 points, each, but Dylag Emilia came second according to tiebreaks, and Sulyok Eszter won bronze.
European Youth Blitz Chess Championships 2022 were played on 22nd July with the Closing ceremony being held after the end of the games. ECU Chief Executive officer Mr. Erald Dervishi, FIDE Vice President Ms. Anastasia Sorokina and Tournament Director Mr. Nikos Kalesis took part in the awarding ceremony.
Kryshtafor Maksym (UKR) scored perfect 18/18 (!) to win the double crown at the European Youth & Rapid Chess Championship 2022. Chen Geroge (ENG) was second with 13.5 points and Apostu Rares-Stefan (ROU) won bronze with 13 points.
Russieva Svitlana (UKR) triumphed in the Girls U8 tournament winning another gold medal at the event. Hachkailo Dominika (UKR) clinched silver with 13 points and Gutserieva Bierta (UKR) was third with 11 points.
After winning gold at the European Rapid U10 Championship, Negrean Andrei (ROU) clinched gold also in Blitz event scoring 14.5 points. Hanache Kai (ENG) won silver with 13 points and Diachek Andriy (UKR) came third with 12.5 points.
Matskevich Varvara (FIDE) and Svitenko Solomiia (UKR) tied for the top of the Girls U10 section scoring 15.5 points, each. This time, tiebreak criteria crowned Matskevich Varvara as the Winner of the Championship and Svitenko Solomiia won silver. Meshkova Aleksandra (FIDE) came third with 13 points.
Cherniaiev Tykhon (GER) won the second trophy at the event winning the European Blitz Chess Championship 2022 in Open U12 section with 16.5 points. Dotzer Lukas (AUT) won silver medal with 14 points, and Cieslak Patryk (POL) clinched bronze with 13 points.
Aydogan Arya (TUR) won the Girls U12 section with 14.5 points. Krkyasharyan Sona (ARM) was second with 14 points, and Caku Kler (ALB) finished the event in the third place with 12 points.
FM Seemann Jakub (POL) was the Winner of the Open U14 category. Bazakutsa Svyatoslav (UKR) clinched silver with 13 points and Cnejev Vladimir-Alexandru (ROU) won bronze with 12.5 points.
Vasiljeva Sofja (LAT) clinched gold in the Girls U14 section scoring 14 points. Hajdinic Ema (CRO) was second with 12 points, and two players tied for bronze with 11 points each. Tiebreak criteria determined Guid Taja bronze medalist and Omeri Eklea came fourth.
FM Prokofiev Valentyn (UKR) won gold medal in the Open U16 sections with 14 points. Kovac Petar (CRO) claimed silver with 13 points and FM Palczert Matyas (HUN) came third with 11.5 points.
WCM Shuqja Klean (ALB) was the sole Winner of the Girls U16 category scoring 12.5 points. She was half a point ahead of WFM Bashylina Luisa (GER) and WCM Blokhin Sofia (EST) who tied for the second place with 12 points, each. Bashylina Luisa won silver as she defeated Blokhin Sofia in the second round of the event, and Blokhin Sofia took bronze.
FM Koelle Tobias (GER) triumphed in the Open U18 section with 13 points. FM Fromm Marius (GER) and IM Baum Jonasz (POL) tied for silver scoring 12 points, each, but according to Bucholz, FM Fromm Marius won silver and Baum Jonasz clinched bronze.
WFM Wikar Martyna (POL) was convincing in the Girls U18 section and won the event with 14.5 points. Second-placed WFM Demeter Dorina (HUN) had 11 points, and Ruzic Pia Marie (SLO) won bronze with 10.5 points.
Final rankings and all results can be found here.
The top-board games of the Open and Girls U14, U16 and U18 categories were broadcasted live through major chess channels. The games can be replayed here.