European Individual 2025, 15-26 March

[Mick Norris]

English players led by Shreyas who is seeded 105th

Website

Eforie Nord, a charming resort on Romania’s Black Sea coast, is perfect for a relaxing seaside getaway. Just 14 km from Constanța, it’s known for its sandy beaches, wellness therapies, and vibrant atmosphere.

The European Individual Chess Championship 2025 is a qualifying event for the FIDE World Cup.
• According to the FIDE regulations for World Cup and the ECU Board decision, 20 players* will qualify

Good luck to the 5 English players

[Nigel White]

About the time I passed through Eforie Nord last October, there was a security alert when a stray drone (assumed to be Russian) passed overhead and crashed into a field.

[Mick Norris]

English players

Shreyas on board 3 in round 2

[LawrenceCooper]

A convincing win for Jonah in round 3 against Mateusz Bartel: https://lichess.org/broadcast/european- ... t/p8657GpJ

[Nick Burrows]

A convincing win for Jonah in round 3 against Mateusz Bartel: https://lichess.org/broadcast/european- ... t/p8657GpJ

Impressive game - well played Jonah!

[Mick Norris]

Indeed, Jonah drew with a GM yesterday, so he's off to a good start, let's hope he keeps going

[Kevin Thurlow]

Jonah is clearly having a whale of a time.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Jonah is clearly having a whale of a time.

You've been waiting to use that one haven't you.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Pairings for round 4:

25 IM Willow Jonah B ENG 2450 2½ 2½ GM Kuzubov Yuriy UKR 2603
47 IM Zhou Yang-Fan ENG 2425 2 2 GM Gumularz Szymon POL 2591
88 GM Royal Shreyas ENG 2491 1½ 1½ FM Kochavi Dana ISR 2301
118 FM Voiteanu Gabriel ROU 2163 1 1 FM Lohia Sohum ENG 2365
136 FM Kalavannan Koby ENG 2279 1 1 Finokaliotis Georgios GRE 2098

6 players on 3/3. Another 61(!) players on 2.5/3.
As usual, shockingly strong and large field of players.
100 GMs and 75 IMs in a field of 285 players.

Another measure of the strength of the field:

- 10 IMs are rated 2500 or above.
- 14 FMs are rated 2400 or above.

Also: Radoslaw Psyk is rated 2467 and has no title at all!
(And he is ancient, as he was born in 2002.)

Not managed to get a sense yet of where the strong juniors are in the listings.

Among them are:

FM Lukas Dotzer (AUT) 2425 (born 2010)
FM Atilla Kuru (TUR) 2416 (born 2011)
FM Patryk Cieslak (POL) 2411 (born 2010)
Rishi Vijayakumar (SCO) 2311 (born 2011)

[Kevin Thurlow]

"You've been waiting to use that one haven't you."

yes - but I played him a couple of years ago and he seemed a really nice chap, so I am cheering him on (and the other ENG players as well).

[LawrenceCooper]

Indeed, Jonah drew with a GM yesterday, so he's off to a good start, let's hope he keeps going

A quick draw with white today against a 2603 rated GM.

[Mick Norris]

round 4 report

The 4th round was opened by the best Romanian footballer in history Mr. Gheorghe Hagi! Gheorghe Hagi is known as the King of Romanian football and Maradona of the Carpahians. He played 125 matches for Romanian national team and is the all time Romanian goal scorer with 35 goals. Hagi played for Steaua, Barcelona, Real Madrid, won the UEFA Cup and the European Supercup.

round 2 report featured Shreyas

[LawrenceCooper]

Jonah lost in round 5 but having played 4 2600+ GMs he is still well placed on 3/5. Shreyas drew and Yang-Fan won to join Jonah on 3/5, Sohum is on 2.5 and Koby 1.

[John Moore]

I see that Jonah's opponent yesterday has a rating of 2605 but seems to have been born in 2011!

[Leonard Barden]

I see that Jonah's opponent yesterday has a rating of 2605 but seems to have been born in 2011!

He's 13, and the youngest 2600 in chess history.