Theย European School Chess Championship 2023ย took place from 12th-22nd May in Durres, Albania. The event was played in 6 age categories: U7, U9, U11, U13, U15 and U17, open and girls sections separately, in the 5-star Blue FAFA Resort Durres, which was the official hotel and venue of the tournament.
Bora Sahin (TUR) triumphed in the Open U7 section for the youngest participants. He scored 8.5/9 points to emerge as the sole winner of the event, ahead of Lukyan Huzela (UKR) and Matija Arsenijevic (SRB) who scored 8 and 7 points to win silver and bronze medals, respectively.
In the Girls U7 category Masal Budumlu (TUR) won gold with the score of 7.5 points. Sopia Limari (GEO) claimed silver medal with 7 points, and Emili Gogoladze (GEO) clinched bronze scoring 5.5 points.
Yasin Azimov (AZE) triumphed in the Open U9 category with 7.5 points. Bora Savran (TUR) came second with the score of 6.5 points, and his compatriot Ali Poyraz Uzdemir (TUR) won bronze medal scoring 6 points.
Mariam Rekhviashvili (GEO) won the Girls U9 Championship with the score of 6/7 points. Two players tied for the second place scoring 5 points, each, but the tiebreak criteria determined Nguyen Doan Bao Anh Angelina (POL) as the silver medalist and Anna Horodna (UKR) won bronze medal.
Gorkem Unsal (TUR) emerged as the sole winner of the Open U11 section with 7 points. It was a three-way tie for the silver medal with tiebreak criteria determining the medalists: Roman Molchanov (UKR) won silver, Ali Varyemez (TUR) clinched bronze, and Davit Tatvidze (GEO) came fourth.
In the Girls U11 category Georgian Anastasia Chichinadze (GEO) lifted the winner trophy with 7 points. Selin Torun (TUR) and Ailin Ndreko (ALB) tied for silver, but having better tiebreaks Selin Torun came second and Ailin Ndreko won bronze medal.
Hayri Beyhun Senel (TUR) and Mirsaleh Seyidli (AZE) tied for the gold medal in Open U13 section scoring 7 points, each. Tiebreaks favored Hayri Beyhun Senel who came first and Mirsaleh Seyidli clinched silver. Mert Can Sevig (TUR) was third with 6.5 points.
Kesaria Mgeladze (GEO) won the Girls U13 competition with 6/7 points, a full point ahead of Saadat Bashirli (AZE) who came second with 5 points. Zeynep Acar (TUR) and Kler Caku (ALB) tied for bronze with 4.5 points, each, but Zeynep Acar had better tiebreaks and won bronze medal while Kler Caku finished the event in the fourth position.
Hasan Huseyin Celik (TUR) emerged as the Winner of the Open U15 section with 7.5 points while Mirac Melih Topuz (TUR) and Luka Kiladze (GEO) tied for silver scoring 6.5 points, each. Mirac Melih Topuz had better tiebreaks and clinched silver and Luka Kiladze claimed bronze medal.
Anastasia Kirtadze (GEO) won the trophy in the Girls U15 section with the score of 7 points. Tsetskhladze Mariam (GEO) came second with 6.5 points, and Nurtan Nuriyeva (AZE) won bronze with 6 points.
Agil Israilov (AZE) emerged as the sole winner of the Open U17 category scoring 7.5 points. He was a full point ahead of Metehan Ozen (TUR) and Yurii Khrinovskyi (UKR) who tied for silver with 6.5 points, each. Metehan Ozen had better tiebreak criteria and came second, and Yurii Khrinovskyi clinched bronze.
Zeynep Ciftci (TUR) won the Girls U17 section with 5.5/7 points, half a point ahead of Petya Karaivanova (BUL) who won silver with 5 points. Elifnaz Akat (TUR) won bronze medal with 4.5 points and better tiebreak criteria than Klean Shuqja (ALB) who finished fourth with the same score.
The Closing ceremony of the event took place yesterday evening with the presence of the ECU President Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili, the President of the Albanian Chess federation Mr. Erald Dervishi, the Honorary President of the Albanian Chess Federation Mr. Eduard Shalsi and the President of the Albanian Olympic Committee Mr.Fidel Ylli. The Chief arbiter of the event was IA Sokolski Aleksander.
