Thessaloniki will be the center of European chess this summer
A host city of two Chess Olympiads, Thessaloniki will now be the center of European chess attention this summer. Between July 11 and July 23 – after the Candidates Chess 2022 and right before the Chess Olympiad 2022 – the biggest northern Greek city is going to host three events – the European Youth Team Chess Championship, the European Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, and the ECU General Assembly. For the occasion, the European Chess Union has launched a dedicated website.
Youth Events in Thessaloniki
The European Youth Team Chess Championships (EYTCC) will include four (4) separate competitions, an open competition and a girl’s competition in categories U12 and U18. The playing members of the teams shall not have reached the age of 12 or 18, depending on the category, by 1st January 2022. European Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2022 will start after the finish of European Youth Team Chess Championships being held in the same venue from 19th-23rd July. The events will be played in 6 age categories: U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and U18, open and girls sections separately.
Thessaloniki – a city full of chess history
Thessaloniki is full of chess history. The city hosted the 26th Chess Olympiad and the 28th Chess Olympiad. It has also been a magnet for chess with its fantastic playing conditions and well organized open and official tournaments.
ECU General Assembly
After the request of the Asian Chess Federation, FIDE Council decided on 28th of April 2022 to allow Continental Assemblies to be held before or after the Chess Olympiad in Chennai. ECU examined the possibility and scheduled the ECU General Assembly for July 23 in Thessaloniki. Secretary General Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou commented, “ECU meets in Thessaloniki and this year’s General Assembly will be a milestone in European chess history. It can be followed live by the whole chess world and we will send our message based in our values.“
Part of the ECU General Assembly are the ECU elections. The following valid nominations have been received within the deadline of the 6th May 2022, for the ECU Board elections 2022.
A – Ticket of Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili:
- President: Mr. Zurab Azmaiparashvili (GEO)
- Deputy President: Mrs. Dana Reizniece-Ozola (LAT)
- Vice President: Mr. Malcolm Pein. (ENG)
- Vice President: Mr. Gunnar Bjornsson (ISL)
- Secretary General: Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou (GRE)
- Treasurer: Mr. Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu (ROM)
B – Nominations for the 3 Vice Presidents to be elected individually:
- Mr. Sarkhan Gashimov (AZE)
- Mr. Geert Bailleul (BEL)
- Mr. Alojzije Jankovic (CRO)
- Mr. Javier Ochoa (ESP)
- Mr. Jean Michel Rapaire (MNC)
- Mr. Adrian Mikhalchishin (SLO)
- Ms. Eva Repkova (SVK)