Gambit – Luxembourg Rapid Chess Champions

The Gambit team was victorious in the Luxembourg Rapid Team Chess Championship, organised by TSM Schëffleng, which took place on 1 December.

In this 13-team event, the Gambit team – comprising, in each round, four of the five-player squad of Stefan Maltezeanu, Óskar Bjarnason, Jan Bednarich, Geoff Stern and Dans Vijups – won all its matches, but faced its chief rivals in rounds 3 and 4. In round 3, Differdange were defeated 2.5-1.5 in a tight match, victory finally being secured when Stefan overcame International Master Mietek Bakalarz in an endgame. Then, in round 4, the pre-tournament favourites, Belvaux, were decisively defeated, with convincing wins from Stefan (against International Master Tom Weber), Óskar and Dans.