News

European Youth Chess Championship in Prague has started

August 19, 2016 09:52 AM

The 26th European Youth Chess Championship has started on Wednesday evening in TOP HOTEL in Prague. During the opening ceremony the record number of 1309 players and more than one thousand accompanying persons could watch Slovak group „Štiavnický živý šach“ performing live chess in historical costumes.



Show of Štiavnický živý šach group

The participants were welcomed by Mr. Filip Humplík representing the city of Prague, Mr. Martin Huba (member of ECU board), Mr. Radek Dohnal (TOP HOTEL general director), Mr. Viktor Novotný (chairman of the Czech Chess Federation) and Dr. Jan Mazuch (tournament director).


Jan Mazuch, Viktor Novotný, Radek Dohnal, Martin Huba, Filip Humplík and Jiří Petružálek (general manager of the tournament).

EYCC was last held in Prague in year 2012 with 1173 players being record at that time. This year organizers managed to attract more then 1300 players from 49 countries, most of them are from Czech Republic (185). Other numerous teams are Russia (131) and Poland (77). Among the big number of players we can find 180 titled players in total. There are ten international masters and even one woman grandmaster.

Every youth championship, it is interesting to watch young talents and see them becoming chess stars later. This year EYCC has the priviledge to welcome three world rating leaders of their age – Jonas Bjerre from Denmark participating in boys under 12 tournament, Andrey Esipenko from Russia (B14) and Aleksandra Maltsevskaya from Russia (G14). Czech fans will be closely watching tournament of boys under 18 as there are three Czech players in the top 12 of starting list.


Young Danish player Jonas Bjerre

Total number of 100 games are transmitted online, chess fans can watch the games on the http://www.eycc2016.eu/ website. Every day the games start at 15:00 with the only exception of the last round which starts at 13:00. The free day is scheduled on Tuesday 23rd of August.

The organizers has prepared many interesting free time activities like Prague sightseeings, cruises on the Vltava River and blitz tournament. For chess arbiters and trainers there are prepared FIDE seminars.

EYCC 2016 is under the auspices of the deputy mayor of Prague Petr Dolínek and the mayor of the municipal district of Prague 11 Jiří Štyler. The European Youth Chess Championship is held under the financial support of the capital of Prague.

For organizers
Petr Pisk
731 465 344
petr.pisk@centrum.cz