After three rounds of the 23rd edition of the European Chess Championship, a 20-year-old from Volgograd, with a Polish passport – Aleksandra Malcewska ranks first with 3 points. Right behind her, with identical scores, there are three players – our Oliwia Kiołbasa, Romanian Irina Bulmaga and Gowhar Bejdullajewa from Azerbaijan. Monika Soćko, the defending European champion, is ranked 7th (2.5 points). Poland is the most numerously represented nation in this prestigious event (14 female chess players). The host of the competition is Petrovac na Moru – a seaside resort in Montenegro, located on the Budva Riviera, a short distance from the well-known tourist town of Budva.
From May 12 last year, Alexander Malcewska has Polish citizenship. She was a student of the chess school in Rostov-on-Don. In 2015, she won the Russian Chess Championship in the U15 girls age group. For years, she represented her country, winning m. U14 European Championships (2016) and U20 World Junior Championships (2018), for which she received the title of Women’s Grandmaster (WGM).
From 2021, the holder of the men’s title of International Master (IM).
– I participated in several conflicts with the Russian chess federation. I have Polish roots from my father’s side and I feel an inner closeness to Poland – explains Malcewska
In the history of the European Championships, Polish chess players have won three medals so far – gold Monika Socko (2022, Prague) and bronze – Soćko (2010, Rijeka) and Oliwia Kielbasa (2021, Jassy).
In this year’s European championships, which are held in an elegant hotel „Eaves”, the prize pool is 60,000 euros. 140 ladies from 35 countries take part in the competition, and nine qualifying places for the next World Cup are at stake. The favorites to win in Montenegro seem to be two GMs – Georgian Bella Chotenaszwili and a Russian girl playing under the FIDE flag Valentina Gunin.
– European Champion: 10 000 euro
– runner-up of Europe: 8000 euro
– 3rd place: 7000 euro
– 4th place: 6000 euro
– 5th place: 5000 euro
– 6th place: 4000 euro
– 7th place: 3000 euro
– 8th place: 2500 euro
– 9th place: 2000 euro
– 10th place: 1500 euro
– 11th place: 1500 euro
– 12th place: 1500 euro
– 13-20. place: 1000 euro
The competition in Petrovac na Moru will last until March 30 this year.
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