European Rapid Chess Championship 2021 concluded on Sunday, 19th of December after two days of play in Katowice, Poland.

After 11 played rounds three players were in a tie for the top, scoring 9.5 points each. Tiebreak criteria determined the Winner of the event and the medalists. Alexander Motylev (RUS, 2703) had the best additional criteria to claim gold.

Donchenko Alexander (GER, 2535) finished the event on the second place.

Bronze medal came to Pultinevicius Paulius (LTU, 2536).

The total prize fund of the event was 19.000 EUR, with 4.000 going to the 2021 European Rapid Chess Champion. Along with the regular prizes, the best juniors, seniors, women players and best ranked players of different rating categories were awarded.

The best female players of the European Rapid Chess Championship 2021 were also decided by tiebreaks criteria as three best female players had the same score of 7 points. With best tiebreaks Sliwicka Alicja (POL, 2166) was first ranked women player, Kulon Klaudia (POL, 2227) second and Froewis Annika (AUT, 2092) was third.

The Closing Ceremony of European Rapid&Blitz Chess Championships 2021 took place yesterday evening, with attendance of ECU Vice President Mr. Adrian Mikhalchishin and FIDE Vice Presidents Mr. Lukasz Turlej and Ms. Anastasia Sorokina.

Photo gallery can be found on the Facebook page of the event.

Source: europechess.org

European Blitz Chess Championship 2021 took place on 17th of December in Katowice, Poland.

After 22 rounds, Duda Jan-Krzysztof (POL, 2792) became the sole Winner of the event, scoring 18 points.

Klekowski Maciej (POL, 2444) scored 17.5 points to claim silver.

Eight players tied for the third place with score of 16.5 points each: Balog Imre (HUN, 2678), Demchenko Anton (RUS, 2531), Schneider Ilja (GER, 2524), Tazbir Marcin (POL, 2518), Bernadskiy Vitaliy (UKR, 2500), Teclaf Pawel (POL, 2431), Dragnev Valentin (AUT, 2396) and Keinanen Toivo (FIN, 2358).

Tiebreaks criteria decided that the European Champion in Reykjavik 2021 Demchenko Anton takes bronze medal.

The total prize fund of the event was 11.000 EUR, with 2.000 EUR reserved for the European Blitz Chess Champion 2021. Besides the regular prizes for the best ranked 20 players, the best Juniors, Seniors, Women, and best players of different rating categories were awarded with special prizes.

Source: europechess.org

The 2021 European Rapid&Blitz Chess Championships 2021 kick off on Friday, 17th of December in Katowice, Poland.

The first event on the schedule will be the European Blitz Chess Championship 2021 which will be held on 17th of December. The event will be played in 11 double rounds, Swiss system, with time control 3 min + 2 sec.

More than 550 players coming from 21 European federations registered for the Blitz event, and the battlefield is led by: GM Duda Jan-Krzysztof (POL, 2792), GM Balog Imre (HUN, 2678), GM Kovalenko Igor (LAT, 2638), GM Sumets Andrey (UKR, 2619), and GM Durarbayli Vasif (AZE, 2599).

The European Rapid Chess Championship 2021 will take place from 18th-19th December and it will be played in 11 rounds, Swiss system, with time control of 15 min + 10 sec.

More than 600 players from 22 European federations are registered for the Rapid Championship. The top seeds are: GM Motylev Alexander (RUS, 2703), GM Demchenko Anton (RUS, 2666), GM Kovalenko Igor (LAT, 2649), GM Balog Imre (HUN, 2629), and GM Bernadskiy Vitaliy (UKR, 2616).

The total prize fund of the events is 30.000 EUR with 11.000 EUR reserved for Blitz competition, and 19.000 EUR for Rapid event. Despite the regular prizes for the best ranked players, the organizers provided special prizes for best female player, senior player, junior player and for best players of different rating categories.

The Championship is under the auspices of Prime Minister of Poland Mr. Mateusz Morawiecki.

Source: europechess.org

Dear Participants, Trainers and Chaperones,

An organisation of big sports events involves devoting a great deal of effort so that the event should proceed smoothly in a great atmosphere and the participants leave the venue with the feeling of a beautiful and long-lasting experience. As the organisers of the European Blitz and Rapid Chess Championship 2021, we have to take care of the life and health of the participants, all people involved and their families.

Owing to the present situation, a document aiming at reducing the spread of the SARS- CoV-2 virus has been prepared. The requirements which have been imposed on us are the result of the standards enforced on the organisers of events under the aegis of ECU. The standards necessitate presenting an EU COVID Certificate or a negative result of a Covid-19 test done by the participant before the tournament.

We have not published the document due to the consultations with the ECU in order to reach a compromise which will be as little inconvenient for the participants as possible.

We believe in your responsibility and count that, irrespective of being vaccinated, if you have any symptoms of the Covid-19 disease or any other infectious diseases, you will resign from participating in the tournament.

The participants who do not possess an EU COVID Certificate or a negative result of a Covid-19 test will be able to be tested for Covid-19 at the cost of the organisers. We ask you to come to the venue earlier 7.30-9.30 a.m.

Face masks have to cover the mouth and nose and they have to be worn indoor public places. Face masks as well as disinfectants against Covid-19 will be available on the premises.

We ask you for understanding and hope to welcome you in Katowice.

Best regards,

The Organising Committee of the European Blitz and Rapid Chess Championship 17-19.12.2021

Łukasz Turlej – Director of the tournament, Vice President of FIDE – International Chess Federation
Andrzej Matusiak – President of the Silesian Chess Federation
Michał Paździora – Vice President of the Organisational Department of the Silesian Chess Federation

The Third Silesian Uprising

On the night of May 2 to the 3rd of 1921, Poles living in Silesia, led by Wojciech Korfanty, took up arms for the third time as they did not want to accept the unfair division of Silesia that the plebiscite carried out on March 20, 1921. The fights lasted two months – the insurgents managed to take over almost the entire plebiscite area. The most significant battles took place near the Św. Anna mountain. As a result of this upheaval, the Council of Ambassadors decided on a more favorable division of Silesia for Poland: 29 percent of the land and 46 percent of the population, Additionally, the industrial cities: Katowice, Świętochłowice, Pszczyna as well as 53 mines and 9 steel plants were awarded to Poland.

Let’s remember the participants of the Silesian Uprisings!

For more informations about Silesian Uprising please visit: powstania.slaskie.pl

European Blitz and Chess Championship

Katowice, 17-19.12.2021

Dear participants,

European Blitz and Rapid Chess Championship are being organized according to the following sanitary protocol.

• All people who are entering Spodek Sports Hall (playing venue) should have a valid UE COVID certificate (printed or as a digital file).
• Unvaccinated people should be ready to present a negative COVID PCR test made not earlier than 72 hours before entering the building or antigen test made not earlier than 24 hours before entering the building.
• Every person present inside Spodek Sports Hall should be ready to present a certificate or a negative COVID test.
• All players should use hand sanitizer when entering the building. Organizer will provide hand sanitizers to all participants.
• By entering to the building person agrees to have his/her temperature measured
• It is forbidden to enter Spodek for all people who are quarantiened or having symptoms of the  SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• Everyone has to use masks. Mask should cover nose and mouth. It is allowed not to have a mask by players and arbiters during the round. After finishing the game, player should wear a mask.

We extend applications for the Championship until 10 December.
Registration form: https://katowice2021.eu/register-now/
Organisational announcement: https://katowice2021.eu/documents/
Entry fee: 250 PLN , in total for the European Championship in Blitz and Rapid Chess Champuionship.

We are proud to announce that the European Blitz and Rapid Chess Championship been given Honorary Patronage of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki

This year’s edition of the Christmas Market will start on November 19 and will last until December 23️. A lot of unique events, entertainment and decorations have been prepared – both new and those that have already won the sympathy of the inhabitants of our city during the previous editions of the fair.

Fair schedule:
• 19.11 (Friday) OPENING OF THE FAIRY
• I weekend – Let’s meet at the Market Square in Katowice, 19/11/2021 – 21/11/2021
• II weekend – Andrzejki in Silesia, November 26, 2021 – November 28, 2021
• III weekend – St. Nicholas’ Day Parade, 03/12/2021 – 05/12/2021
• Mikołajki – December 6, 2021
• IV weekend – Christmas is just around the corner – 10/12/2021 – 12/12/2021
• V weekend – Christmas carols, 17/12/2021 – 19/12/2021
• 23.12.2021 (Thursday) END OF THE FAIRY

Source: Jarmarki Śląskie