Ukraine & Poland emerge European Team Champions 2025
Ukraine & Poland emerged the Champions in the Open & Women’s section of the European Team Chess Championships 2025 at Batumi, Georgia. Picking up the silver & bronze medals behind champions Ukraine were Azerbaijan & Serbia respectively. In the women’s section, Ukraine and Germany took the second and third spot completing the podium.
The combined list of titled players in this prestigious event include 142 Grandmasters, 26 Woman Grandmasters, 72 International Masters and 33 Woman International Masters from 39 federations. The nine round Swiss team championships were organised by European Chess Union & Georgian Chess Federation at Batumi from 5th to 14th October, 2025.
Team Ukraine led by veteran GM Alexander Beliavsky consisted of former knock-out FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov (4/8) in the top board, followed by GMs Andrei Volokitin (3/6), Anton Korobov (2.5/6), Igor Kovalenko (6.5/8) and Ihor Samunenkov (5.5/8). Strength in the bottom two boards where ELO 2827 & 2714 rating performance by GMs Kovalenko & Samunenko carried the day for Ukraine.
Azerbaijan with superior tie-breaks finished second despite a heavy 1-3 final round defeat in the hands of Serbia. GM Safarli Eltaj (5/7) was the pick of the lot with a ELO 2777 rating performance.GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov led the way in the top board before a last round loss in the hands of GM Alexey Sarana pulled him down.
GMs Richard Rapport & Vincent Keymer shone on the top board with an ELO rating performannce with 2869 & 2838 followed by GM Anish Giri who delivered a 2786 rating show. Matching the top seeds on the lower board was GM Igor Kovalenko who took his team Ukraine to the crowing glory with an ELO 2827 rating performance.
With an average ELO 2397 the Poland women team started as the second seeds behind hosts Georgia 1 at ELO 2451. With 8 match wins from nine rounds, Poland women finished with 16 match points, a clear two match points ahead of second placed Ukraine. IM Kashlinskaya Alina (6.5/9) led from the front with an ELO 2556 performance in the top board. Following Alina were IM Maltsevskaya Aleksandra (6/9), IM Kiolbasa Oliwia (5.5/8), GM Socko Monika (3.5/6) and IM Kulon Klaudia (2/4).
Final Ranking (Open): 1. Ukraine 15, 2-3 Azerbaijan, Serbia 13, 4-5 Germany, Romania, Georgia2 12, 7-10 Netherlands, Spain, England, Turkiye 11 match points
Final Ranking (Women): 1. Poland 16, 2. Ukraine 14, 3. Germany 13, 4-5 Bulgaria, Armenia 12, 6-9 Georgia 1, Spain, Romania, France 11, 10. Azerbaijan 10 match points.
McShane Luke J (2614) – Samunenkov Ihor (2568) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nd7 9. O-O-O Nf6 10. Bd3 Re8 11. Rhe1 Bg4 12. h3 Bxf3 13. gxf3 d5 14. h4 Qd6 15. h5 Nxh5 16. Rh1 Nf6 17. Rdg1 Bf8 18. Bf4 Qc6 19. Bg5 g6 20. Bb5 Qxb5 21. Bxf6 Qa6 22. Qf4 h6 23. Kb1 Re6 24. Bd4 Rae8 25. a3 c5 26. Bxc5 Bg7 27. Be3 h5 28. Qb4 Rc8 29. f4 Rc4 30. Qb3 Rf6 31. Rg5 Qc6 32. Rd1 Rd6 33. f5 Bh6 34. Rg3 Bxe3 35. Rxe3 b5 36. fxg6 fxg6 37. Rde1 Rf6 38. Re8+ Kg7 39. R1e7+ Kh6 40. a4 a6 41. axb5 axb5 42. Qa3 Rxf2 43. Rh7+ Kg5 44. Re1 Qf6 45. Rd7 Qf5 46. Qe7+ Kg4 47. Rc1 Re4 48. Qc5 Rf1 49. Rxd5 Rxc1+ 50. Kxc1 Qf4+ 51. Kb1 Re1+ 52. Ka2 Qa4+ 53. Qa3 Qxa3+ 54. Kxa3 h4 55. Rd4+ Kh5 56. Rd8 h3 57. Rh8+ Kg4 58. Kb4 Kg3 59. Rh6 g5 60. Kxb5
60…h2 0-1
Pictures Courtesy: European Chess Union
