The 38th edition of the European Chess Club Cup and the 27th European Club Cup for Women has finished in Durres, Albania.

The A 3½-2½ victory over Asnieres – Le Grand Echiquier allowed Offerspill to end the European Club Cup with 13 match points and win the open tournament. The team led by Magnus Carlsen showed an outstanding performance and a tremendous will to win. On their way to the victory, Offerspill didn’t lose a single match, conceding the opponents just a single match draw.

Moreover, this has become the first victory for Magnus Carlsen in any European event. World #1 has also received another gold medal for the best performance on board 1. In this tournament Carlsen played in all but the first match and scored 5/6 points with 4 victories and 2 draws.

Winner of the 2022 event, Novy Bor, finished second, one point behind the champions, while Gokturk Chess Sport Club won bronze medals.

Final standings open

Individual medal winners in the open section

1st board:

1 place – Magnus Carlsen (Offerspill)
2 place – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Asnieres – Le Grand Echiquier)
3 place – Iliya Smirin (Perfect)

2nd board:

1 place – Haik Martirosyan (Asnieres – Le Grand Echiquier)
2 place – Tomas Laurusas (SK Javes Modra)
3 board – Mustafa Yilmaz (Gokturk Chess Sport Club)

3rd board:

1 place – Jakov Sylvan (Skakklubben Nordkalotten)
2 place – Anton Korobov (Schachclub Viernheim 1934 e.V.; pictured below)
3 place – David Navara (Novy Bor)

4th board:

1 place – Tom Piceu (Koninklijke Brugse Schaakkring)
2 place – Merab Gagunashvili (SK Zmaj)
3 place – Ivan Saric (TAJFUN Ljubljana)

5th board:

1 place – David Anton Guijarro (Novy Bor)
2 place – Eray Kilic (Gokturk Chess Sport Club)
3 place – Ante Brkic (TAJFUN Ljubljana)

6th board (reserve):

1 place – Ediz Gurel (Turkish Airlines Sport Club)
2 place – Imre Balog (Sentimento Ajka BSK)
3 place – Endrit Uruci (Klubi I Shahut Ferizaj)

There was no need to resort to tiebreak criteria to decide who gets gold in the women’s cup, either. Superchess scored outright victory after collecting six wins and one loss throughout the event. Garuda Ajka got silver, while Crvena Zvezda completed the podium taking bronze.

Final standings women

The individual medal winners in the women’s tournament:

1st board:

1 place – Bella Khotenashvili (Garuda Ajka)
2 place – Nino Batsiashvili (Superchess)
3 place – Jovanka Houska (Wood Green)

2nd board:

1 place – Anna Muzychuk (Monte Carlo)
2 place – Lan Yao (Wood Green)
3 place – Lela Javakhishvili (SP Gaz Ukraine)

3rd board:

1 place – Nataliya Buksa (TAJFUN Sk Ljubljana)
2 place – Deimante Daulyte-Cornette (SP Gaz Ukraine)
3 place – Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Monte Carlo)

4th board:

1 place – Teja Vidic (Offerspill)
2 place – Teodora Injac (Garuda Ajka; pictured below)
3 place – Adela Velikic (Crvena Zvezda)

Text: official website

Official website:  clubcup2023.com/  

Photo: Niki Riga