The European Chess Union and the Federation Monegasque des Echecs have announced a new event in the ECU Calendar: the European Senior Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship.
The inaugurate edition of the European Senior Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2027 will take place from 10-14 January 2027 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, featuring the total prize fund of €32.000.
The events will be played in two age categories: 50+ and 65+, open and women’s sections separately. In case of low number of registrations for the Women’s championship, the category will be merged with the Open section, with separate prizes.
The first event on the schedule will be the European Senior Blitz Chess Championship 2027 on January 11, 2027. The event will be played in 11 rounds in each section, Swiss system, with the time control of 5 minutes + 3 seconds increment. The prize fund of the Blitz competition will be €11.000 (€10.000 regular prizes + €1.000 special category prizes).
The Winners of each age category will receive the title of European Senior Blitz Chess Champion 2027 of the respective section.
The European Senior Rapid Chess Championship 2027 will take place on 12-13 January, 2027 in the same venue. The tournament will be played in 11 rounds in each category, Swiss system, with the time control of 15 minutes + 10 seconds increment. The prize fund of the Rapid event is €21.000 (€20.000 regular prizes + €1.000 special category prizes).
The Winners of each age category will receive the title of European Senior Rapid Chess Champion 2027 of the respective section.
The Championship is open to all players representing National Chess Federations listed as the ECU members. The total number of participants is limited to 150 players, and the registration for the Open Championships will require the minimum FIDE (classic, rapid or blitz) rating of 1800.
Registration starts after 1st August 2026, and the registration deadline is December 20, 2026. Applications must be sent to the Tournament Director, Jean Michel Rapaire by mail: cemc@libello.com.
The playing venue of the European Senior Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2027 will be at the Hotel Novotel.
Detailed information about the event and registrations
Participants:
1 GM Azmaiparashvili Zurab GEO 2619 S65
2 GM Sokolov Ivan NED 2588 S50
3 GM Bauer Christian FRA 2587 S50
4 GM Gurevich Mikhail BEL 2558 S65
5 GM Beliavsky Alexander G SLO 2555 S65
6 GM Bischoff Klaus GER 2531 S65
7 GM Guliyev Namig AZE 2493 S50
8 GM Olafsson Helgi ISL 2491 S65
9 GM Tregubov Pavel V. FRA 2482 S50
10 GM Sturua Zurab GEO 2480 S65
11 GM Bologan Victor MDA 2478 S50
12 GM Andersson Ulf SWE 2474 S65
13 GM Dgebuadze Alexandre BEL 2469 S50
14 GM Atalik Suat SRB 2464 S50
15 GM Degraeve Jean-Marc FRA 2458 S50
16 GM Mikhalchishin Adrian SLO 2455 S65
17 GM Relange Eloi FRA 2455 S50
18 GM Thorhallsson Throstur ISL 2453 S50
19 GM Stefansson Hannes ISL 2440 S50
20 GM Hjartarson Johann ISL 2405 S50
21 GM Krasenkow Michal POL 2402 S50
22 GM Vogt Lothar GER 2390 S65
23 GM Knaak Rainer GER 2389 S65
24 GM Rasik Vitezslav CZE 2375 S50
25 IM Berezovsky Igor MNC 2374 S50
26 GM Efimov Igor MNC 2362 S65
27 GM Novik Maxim LTU 2342 S50
28 GM Cramling Pia SWE 2340 S50
29 IM Lacasa Diaz Josep Anton ESP 2326 S50
30 GM Prie Eric FRA 2325 S65
31 GM Arkell Keith C ENG 2306 S65
32 IM Gaponenko Inna UKR 2301 S50
33 GM Gruenfeld Yehuda ISR 2294 S65
34 IM Maier Christian GER 2288 S65
35 IM Reprintsev Alexander UKR 2288 S65
36 IM Klinova Masha ISR 2281 S50
37 GM Legky Nikolay A FRA 2279 S65
38 IM Roos Louis FRA 2277 S65
39 GM Bellon Lopez Juan Manuel SWE 2266 S65
40 FM Svenn Gosta SWE 2258 S65
41 IM Rahal Vives Michael Anthony ESP 2247 S50
42 IM Alexieva Silvia FRA 2240 S50
43 IM Sivan Yaacov ISR 2227 S50
44 GM Paehtz Thomas GER 2222 S65
45 IM Pomes Marcet Joan ESP 2205 S65
46 Olivier Pierre FRA 2182 S65
47 FM Druckenthaner Andreas AUT 2162 S65
48 FM Dimitrijeski Boris Dr. GER 2156 S50
49 CM Johansson Carl Fredrik SWE 2156 S50
50 FM Chapman Terry P D ENG 2155 S65
51 FM Dresen Ulrich GER 2141 S65
52 FM Paasikangas Johanna FIN 2140 S50
53 FM Fayard Alain FRA 2135 S65
54 IM Vehi Bach Victor Manuel ESP 2133 S65
55 FM Dishman Stephen ENG 2129 S50
56 GM Gaprindashvili Nona GEO 2128 S65
57 FM Thorsteinsson Thorsteinn ISL 2122 S65
58 FM Ianniello Riccardo ITA 2120 S65
59 FM Koskinen Henri FIN 2120 S50
60 FM Vatter Hans-Joachim GER 2119 S65
61 CM Steenbekkers Franck NED 2117 S50
62 CM Wengholm Anders SWE 2117 S65
63 Stoinev Metodi BUL 2115 S65
64 WGM Grabuzova Tatiana ESP 2111 S50
65 FM Verdier Patrice MNC 2106 S65
66 Shnaider David ISR 2105 S65
67 Boulard Eric FRA 2093 S65
68 Ribbegren Karl Johan MNC 2082 S65
69 Mailfert Jean-Pierre MNC 2076 S65
70 Stoychev Ognian BUL 2076 S65
71 CM Kirszenberg Marc FRA 2068 S50
72 IM Lederman Leon ISR 2067 S65
73 FM Frick Christoph GER 2061 S65
74 Barillaro Luca ITA 2053 S50
75 Madebrink Lars SWE 2051 S65
76 FM Viskelis Darius LTU 2048 S50
77 Ojagverdiyev Zaur AZE 2043 S50
78 IM Levacic Damir MNC 2038 S65
79 FM Cmiel Thorsten GER 2033 S50
80 Gomez Fraile Santiago ESP 2004 S50
81 Nelis Jean-Francois MNC 2004 S50
82 WIM Krasenkowa Elena POL 1985 S65
83 Sort Sererols Josep ESP 1975 S65
84 Keller Christophe FRA 1964 S50
85 Tunge Christian NOR 1962 S50
86 Koschetzki Christian GER 1956 S50
87 WFM Stangl Anita Dr. GER 1955 S50
88 Kowalczuk Wojciech POL 1952 S65
89 Blanco Sanchez Jose Fernando ESP 1944 S65
90 WIM Lauterbach Ingrid GER 1941 S65
91 Zahilas Loukas N. GRE 1932 S65
92 Sielicki Tomasz POL 1903 S65
93 Lopez De Turiso Sanchez Jose Angel ESP 1894 S65
94 WFM Baliuniene Margarita LTU 1892 S65
95 Benlolo Alain MNC 1887 S65
96 Tortorella Giancarlo MNC 1886 S50
97 Kleinert Juergen GER 1863 S65
98 Maiffret Patrick MNC 1852 S65
99 Ballestra Giovanni ITA 1843 S65
100 Setikiene Grazina LTU 1841 S65
101 WIM Dubois Martine MNC 1810 S65
102 Vermue Albert NED 1804 S50
103 Baglay Ksenia UKR 1783 S50
104 Apostolakii Olha UKR 1759 S50
105 WCM Berezovska Svetlana MNC 1754 S50
106 Ucok Evren MNC 1723 S50
107 WIM Lebel-Arias Julia MNC 1692 S65
108 Jaskuniene Dalia LTU 1628 S50
109 WCM Ashbrooke Monika JCI 1610 S50
110 Rei-Rosa Jean-Jacques FRA 1552 S65
