The European Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship will take place August 4 – August 8 in Porto Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki. Over 400 talented young players from across Europe will compete in this prestigious championship in the U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, U18 Open and Girls.

The European Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2025 is organized by the European Chess Union and is part of the ECU Calendar. The event is a 9 rounds Swiss tournament. The rapid section time control is 15 min + 10 sec, while the blitz is 3 min + 2 sec. On August 6th the event also features a Chess Solving Competition.

More ECU youth events: European Youth Team Chess Championship 2025 / European School Chess Championship 2025

Live games will be daily on Chessdom.com. For more events in Europe, check out The European Chess Calendar, which is part of The Chess Calendar.

European Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2025 participants

Starting rank list – 1st International Chess Tournament of Thessaloniki:

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Ukrainian chess players conquered the top of the Girls U8 section). Russieva Svitlana (UKR) convincingly triumphed in the event with 8/9 points. She was two points ahead of Molchanova Tetyana (UKR) who won bronze, while Gutserieva Bierta (UKR) won bronze with 5 points.

Negrean Andrei (ROU) scored convincing 8/9 points to be the sole Winner of the Open U10 category. Three players tied for the second place scoring 6.5 points, each, with tiebreak criteria deciding the medalists: Shilon Rahav Eliran (ISR) claimed silver, Diachek Andriy (UKR) clinched bronze and Hanache Kai (ENG) came fourth

Svitenko Solomiia (UKR) and Matskevich Varvara (FIDE) tied for the first place of the Girls U10 section with 8 points, each. According to the first tiebreak criteria – direct encounter, Svitenko Solomiia lifted the trophy as she defeated Matskevich Varvara in the fourth round. Siskou Evangelia (GRE) came this with 6.5 points and won bronze medal.

Cherniaiev Tykhon (GER) was the sole Winner of Open U12 section with the score of 7.5/9 points. Three players were in a tie for silver scoring 7 points each, with the tiebreak criteria determining Tudor Henry Edward (ROU) silver, Sowinski Pawel (POL) claimed bronze and Cieslak Patryk (POL) was fourth.

Three girls tied for the top of the GU12 section scoring 6.5 points, each. Beber Anja (SLO) had better tiebreak criteria and won the event, Aydogan Arya (TUR) was second, while Krkyasharyan Sona (ARM) won bronze medal.

Bazakutsa Svyatoslav (UKR) and FM Seemann Jakub (POL) were in a tie for the first place of the Open U14 category as they scored 7.5 points, each. Since they drew their fifth round game, the first tiebreak criteria – the direct encounter wasn’t enough to decide the winner. Bazakutsa Svyatoslav won the gold medal thanks to the better Bucholz, and Seemann Jakub claimed silver. Podolskyi Mykhailo (UKR) and Pilshofer Paul scored 6 points each to tie for bronze medal, but Podolskyi Mykhailo had better tiebreaks and came third, while Pilshofer Paul finished the event in the fourth place.

Five players were in a tie for the first place after 9 robin rounds in the Girls U14 category. Vasiljeva Sofija had best tiebreaks and won the event, Guid Taja (SLO) came second, Pert Nina (ENG) clinched bronze, Omeri Eklea (ALB) came fourth and Balazs Sztella Anna (HUN) finished the event in the fifth place.

FM Pasti Aron (HUN) lifted the Winning trophy in Open U16 section scoring 7.5 points. Two players followed him with 6.5 points, each, with tiebreaks criteria determining FM Trost Edvin (SWE) the silver medalist and FM Borrmann Laurenz won bronze.

WFM Bashylina Luisa (GER) triumphed in the Girls U16 category with 7 points. She was half a point ahead of Mihelic Vesna (SLO) and Zabrzanska Weronika (POL) who tied for second place scoring 6.5 points, each. Tiebreak criteria favored Mihelic Vesna (SLO) who clinched silver and Zabrzanska Weronika (POL) claimed bronze.

IM Koellner Ruben Gideon (GER), IM Borhy Marcell (HUN) and FM Bilych Olexiy (UKR) tied for the top of the Open U18 section. Tiebreaks determined the gold medal goes to IM Koellner Ruben Gideon, IM Borhy Marcell won silver and FM Bilych Olexiy came third.

WFM Wikar Martyna (POL) was convincing in the Girls U18 section with 8 points. WFM Dylag Emilia (POL) and Sulyok Eszter (HUN) tied for the second place with 7.5 points, each, but Dylag Emilia came second according to tiebreaks, and Sulyok Eszter won bronze.

European Youth Blitz Chess Championships 2022 were played on 22nd July with the Closing ceremony being held after the end of the games. ECU Chief Executive officer Mr. Erald Dervishi, FIDE Vice President Ms. Anastasia Sorokina and Tournament Director Mr. Nikos Kalesis took part in the awarding ceremony.

Kryshtafor Maksym (UKR) scored perfect 18/18 (!) to win the double crown at the European Youth & Rapid Chess Championship 2022. Chen Geroge (ENG) was second with 13.5 points and Apostu Rares-Stefan (ROU) won bronze with 13 points.

Russieva Svitlana (UKR) triumphed in the Girls U8 tournament winning another gold medal at the event. Hachkailo Dominika (UKR) clinched silver with 13 points and Gutserieva Bierta (UKR) was third with 11 points.

After winning gold at the European Rapid U10 Championship, Negrean Andrei (ROU) clinched gold also in Blitz event scoring 14.5 points. Hanache Kai (ENG) won silver with 13 points and Diachek Andriy (UKR) came third with 12.5 points.

Matskevich Varvara (FIDE) and Svitenko Solomiia (UKR) tied for the top of the Girls U10 section scoring 15.5 points, each. This time, tiebreak criteria crowned Matskevich Varvara as the Winner of the Championship and Svitenko Solomiia won silver. Meshkova Aleksandra (FIDE) came third with 13 points.

Cherniaiev Tykhon (GER) won the second trophy at the event winning the European Blitz Chess Championship 2022 in Open U12 section with 16.5 points. Dotzer Lukas (AUT) won silver medal with 14 points, and Cieslak Patryk (POL) clinched bronze with 13 points.

Aydogan Arya (TUR) won the Girls U12 section with 14.5 points. Krkyasharyan Sona (ARM) was second with 14 points, and Caku Kler (ALB) finished the event in the third place with 12 points.

FM Seemann Jakub (POL) was the Winner of the Open U14 category. Bazakutsa Svyatoslav (UKR) clinched silver with 13 points and Cnejev Vladimir-Alexandru (ROU) won bronze with 12.5 points.

Vasiljeva Sofja (LAT) clinched gold in the Girls U14 section scoring 14 points. Hajdinic Ema (CRO) was second with 12 points, and two players tied for bronze with 11 points each. Tiebreak criteria determined Guid Taja bronze medalist and Omeri Eklea came fourth.

FM Prokofiev Valentyn (UKR) won gold medal in the Open U16 sections with 14 points. Kovac Petar (CRO) claimed silver with 13 points and FM Palczert Matyas (HUN) came third with 11.5 points.

WCM Shuqja Klean (ALB) was the sole Winner of the Girls U16 category scoring 12.5 points. She was half a point ahead of WFM Bashylina Luisa (GER) and WCM Blokhin Sofia (EST) who tied for the second place with 12 points, each. Bashylina Luisa won silver as she defeated Blokhin Sofia in the second round of the event, and Blokhin Sofia took bronze.

FM Koelle Tobias (GER) triumphed in the Open U18 section with 13 points. FM Fromm Marius (GER) and IM Baum Jonasz (POL) tied for silver scoring 12 points, each, but according to Bucholz, FM Fromm Marius won silver and Baum Jonasz clinched bronze.

WFM Wikar Martyna (POL) was convincing in the Girls U18 section and won the event with 14.5 points. Second-placed WFM Demeter Dorina (HUN) had 11 points, and Ruzic Pia Marie (SLO) won bronze with 10.5 points.

GU18 European Youth Rapid Championship – LIVE games:

U16 European Youth Rapid Championship – LIVE games:

GU16 European Youth Rapid Championship – LIVE games:

U14 European Youth Rapid Championship – LIVE games:

GU14 European Youth Rapid Championship – LIVE games:

The best 3 (three) players in each championship of each category will receive trophies, medals, and gift prizes.

European Youth Blitz Chess Championship 2022 – All participants:

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European Youth Rapid Chess Championship 2022 – All participants:

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In the U12 category, Poland tied for the first place with the team of Turkey. Teams had the same score of 12 match points, but with better Olympiad Sonneborn Berger tiebreak, the Polish team clinched gold and Turkey came second. Romania won bronze with 10 match points.

Tiebreak criteria determined the winner of Girls U12 section as well. Poland and Hungary scored 8 match points with the Polish team claiming gold with better tiebreaks, and Hungary came second. Three teams tied for bronze with 7 match points: Israel, Turkey and Romania, but Israel came third having the best Olympiad Sonneborn Berger tiebreak criteria.

Poland and Israel/Tel Aviv teams had the same score of 11 match points to tie for the top of U18 section. Tiebreak criteria determined the Poland team golden, and Israel/Tel Aviv claimed silver. Israel and Germany 1 tied for bronze with 10 match points, each, but tiebreak criteria favored Israel and Germany finished the event in the fourth place.

Romania was the sole winner of GU18 section with 12 match points. Turkey and Hungary were in a tie for the third place with 10 match points, each, but Turkey eventually came second thanks to better tiebreaks, and Hungary clinched bronze.

Replay games from all categories here

After three played rounds, three categories got the sole leaders. In the category for Girls U12, Turkey scores 5 match points for the sole leadership, followed by Poland and Romania scoring 4 match points, each.

With a perfect score of 6 match points Turkey leads also the U12 Open section. Poland and Romania are in a tie for the second place with 5 match points each.

The team of Romania emerged on the top of the Girls U18 category scoring maximum 6 match points. Slovenia 1 follows with 5 match points, while three teams tie for the third place with 4 match points each: Germany 1, Poland and Hungary.

Teams of Serbia and Israel score three victories and perfect 6 match points in section Open U18 to tie for the top after three played rounds. Poland is third with 5 match points.

EYTCC U12 – live games:

EYTCC GU12 – live games:

EYTCC U18 – live games:

EYTCC GU18 – live games

The events will be played in 7 rounds, Swiss system, with time control: 90 min for 40 moves + 30 min for the rest of the game + 30 sec increment for every move played starting from move 1. With 53 teams represented by 196 players from 16 different European federations, the European Youth Team Chess Championships 2022 are set for a new participation record.

Tournament schedule:

Titles and prizes:

• The winning team of the open competition receives the title “European Youth Champion Team 2022” in its respective category.
• The winning team of the girls competition receives the title “European Youth Champion Team for Girls 2022” in its respective category.
• The winning team of the combined category of the competition (sum of the match points from both tournaments open & girls, then, if equal, sum of the game points) receives the title “Absolute European Youth Champion Team 2022” in its respective category.
• The first three (3) teams in each competition will receive trophies. Each member of the winning team (players, reserve, and captain) will receive a gold medal. The members of the 2nd and 3rd placed teams will each receive a silver and bronze medal respectively.
• The Winners (1st place) of the combined categories U18 & U12 will receive trophies and players’ medals.
• ECU Certificates for all participants will be awarded.