The European Individual Chess Championship 2025 concluded yesterday in Eforie Nord, Romania, after thrilling battles over 11-swiss rounds in a field of nearly 400 players from 40 European federations.
The Winner of the event was determined by tiebreaks after a dramatical last round that brought significant changes on the top. GM Matthias Bluebaum (GER, 2643) and GM Daniil Yuffa (ESP, 2654) entered the last round co-leading in the event with the score of 8/10 points, and they were followed by seven players who scored 7.5 points each.
Playing against GM Nijat Abasov (AZE, 2612), GM Matthias Bluebaum (GER, 2643) made a quick draw, waiting for other results to come and determine the Winners.
GM Maxim Rodshtein (ISR, 2623) scored against GM Shant Sargsyan (ARM, 2666) to join the race for gold with the final score of 8.5 points. Rodshtein converted a very complicated position into a slightly better endgame and showed a perfect technique to win the game which brought him to a tie for the first place with 8.5 points.
GM Daniil Yuffa (ESP, 2654) had a chance to emerge as the Winner of the event, but he lost the final game against GM Frederik Svane (GER, 2654) who pressed hard for a win with White pieces. The position was complex but around equality most of the time, but the Spanish Grandmaster made a mistake and entered worse endgame which Svane used to convert it into a win. With this victory, Svane secured himself a medal with the score of 8.5 points, calling tiebreak criteria to determine the Winner.
The tiebreak criteria favored GM Matthias Bluebaum who emerged as the Winner of the event and became the first player ever to clinch the second title in the European Championship.
GM Frederik Svane finished the event in the second place.
And GM Maxim Rodshtein won bronze medal.
GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR, 2605) was the best-ranked Junior U18 player in the event with the score of 8 points, and better tiebreaks than GM Ediz Gurel (TUR, 2620) and IM Read Samadov (AZE, 2502) who had the same score.
GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR, 2604) was the best-ranked Senior 50+ player in the tournament with the score of 7 points. Second place in this category went to GM Valeriy Neverov (UKR, 2418) who scored 6.5 points, and GM Dan Zoler (ISR, 2485) came third with the same score but lower tiebreak criteria.
Four women players tied for the first women’s prize with the score of 6 points, each. But IM Oliwia Kiolbasa (POL, 2360) had the best tiebreak criteria and came first, IM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya (POL, 2376) was second, and IM Nurgyul Salimova (BUL, 2404) finished third.
The Closing ceremony of the event took place in the playing venue with the attendance of the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, President of the National Agency of Sports in Romania Mr. Constantin Bogdan-Matei, representatives of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, five-time World Chess Champion and FIDE Deputy President Mr. Viswanathan Anand, President of the Romanian Chess Federation Mr. Vlad Ardeleanu, ECU Vice President Mr. Alojzije Jankovic, ECU Secretary General Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, ECU Tournament Director Mr. Petr Pisk, board members of the Romanian Chess Federation, and other distinguished guests.
Final rankings can be found here.
Photos by David Llada