The fights for the EU Youth Chess Championship 2023 winning throne culminated on Thursday, August 24th in Kouty nad Desnou (CZE).
The last rounds were full of fights and tension. In category Boys U8 took the first place Atanas Taskov (BUL, 9 out of 9!), the second place Jean Desfosses (FRA) and the third Kyriakos Skouroupathis (CYP). In category Girls U8 took the first place Karina Ser (LTU), the second place Agathe Gastaldo (FRA) and the third Melania-Cristina Grigore (ROU).
Champion EU in category Boys U10 has become Vladimir Sofronie (ROU), silver medal took Paul David Peglau (GER) and the third place took Vojtech Velim (CZE). In category Girls U10 has won Aleksandra Pehlivanova (BUL), second place took Aida Paunescu (CYP) and the third place took Milda
Alejunaite (LTU).
In category Boys U12 has won Bastien Muller-Moingt (FRA), second place took Alexandru Ioan Constantinoiu (ROU) and the third place took Filip Ochedzan (POL). Champion EU Girls U12 has become Tamae Severina Jakubse (CZE), the second place took Levanah Alcantara (FRA) and the third
place took Charlene Ge (FRA).
In category Boys U14 has won Louis Auribault (FRA), the second place took Daniel Ser (LTU) and the third place took Mark Csernyik (HUN). In category Girls U14 Champion EU has become Bianca-Alexandra Ciocirlan (ROU), the second place took Olivia Sekova (SVK) and the third finished Maria Ioanna Haapsal (EST).
Players who took first three places in each of categories got a cup and diploma. Every participant of EUYCC got a medal. All eight champions EU are leaving Kouty nad Desnou with a notebook! The next five players in each category also got valuable prizes. Every player got a T-Shirt with a logo of EUYCC. The prizes were given by director of the event Mr. Zdenek Fiala together with the tournament director of ECU Mr. Petr Pisk and chairman of Czech Chess Federation GM Martin Petr.
EU Youth Chess Championship 2023 under the patronage of the ECU was organized by Sachovy klub Svetla nad Sazavou in cooperation with the Czech Chess Federation. Boys and girls have played in the same tournament. Eventually, boys and girls were evaluated separately. Championship had 100 players from 15 federations. All games were on-line transmitted.
Young players have been pleased by awarding best game of each round. Thanks to the performance during the last three rounds these players were awarded: Viktoria Lea Stricova (SVK), Vladimir Sofronie (ROU), Adam Rudlof (CZE), Karin Novomeska (SVK), Jean Desfosses (FRA), Vojtech Velim
(CZE), Bastien Muller-Moingt (FRA), Louis Auribault (FRA), Lionel Robin (FRA), Paul David Peglau (GER), Danail Popzafirov (BUL) and Matej Jasso (CZE).
For all participants and accompanying persons organizers had prepared chess and non-chess leisure time activities (simultaneous games with IM Pisk, blitz tournament, trips).
On Tuesday morning there was return simultaneous game with IM Petr Pisk. There was 12 players, who had 30 minutes and Petr Pisk had 40 minutes on his clocks. The result was 8 : 4 for IM Pisk (Hana Bartova (CZE), Kyriakos Skouroupathis (CYP), Oliver Nieminen (FIN) won their games and the draw was made by Vojtech Zvolanek, Petr Broz (both CZE).
Participants of the championship had available many leisure time activities. In the hotel they could use swimming pool, wellness, sauna, table tennis, bowling, pool, etc. On the official website organizers placed photo gallery from tournament and other activities.
Eventually I 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 cooperators for their work. Hope you enjoyed together with us this championship and believe to see us again the next year!
Zdenek Fiala, director
Sachovy klub Svetla nad Sazavou
Web of the championship: https://www.chess.cz/mistrovstvi-evropske-unie/
Results: https://chess-results.com/tnr802764.aspx?lan=5
Photo gallery:
https://www.rajce.idnes.cz/sachysvetla/album/euycc-2023
https://www.rajce.idnes.cz/sachysvetla/album/euycc-2023-players