European Club Cup 2025 R1: Aravindh, Abhimanyu, Vidit, Harikrishna and Vantika make a winning start

by Shahid Ahmed - 20/10/2025

The defending champions, Novy Bor Chess Club and Tajfun SK Ljubljana scored a 6-0 whitewash win at 40th European Chess Club Open and 29th Women tournaments. The highest rated player in the field, World no.4, GM Arjun Erigaisi (Alkaloid) was held to a draw by IM Nderim Saraci (Dardania). Arjun's remaining five teammates including Aravindh Chithambaram and Abhimanyu Puranik won their respective games. Manmay Chopra (Kingston Kings) had a promising position against IM Faustino Oro (Turkish Airlines Sports Club). The game eventually ended in a draw. Among the Women, IM Vantika Agrawal made a winning start for the reigning and defending champion, Tajfun SK Ljubljana. WFM Bodhana Sivanandan (She plays to Win Lionesses #1) scored the biggest of the day when she defeated the 15th Women's World Champion, GM Mariya Muzychuk (Turkish Airlines Sports Club). Round 2 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST. Photo: European Chess Union

Faustino Oro escapes with a draw against Manmay Chopra, Bodhana Sivanandan stuns Mariya Muzychuk

GM Nihal Sarin and World Champion, GM D Gukesh were rested in Round 1.

Open: Alkaloid - Dardania: 5.5-0.5

IM Nderim Saraci (Dardania, 2445) held World no.4, GM Arjun Erigaisi (Alkaloid, 2773) to a well contested draw. The remaining five players of Alkaloid - GM Wei Yi (2754), GM Yangyi Yu (2720), GM Aravindh Chithambaram (2711), GM Abhimanyu Puranik (2615) and IM Toni Lazov (2382) scored a win each against FM Mateu Boci (2186), CM Korab Saraci (2197), FM Ardian Jashari (2166), CM Armend Budima (2169) and Alban Krasniqi (2131) respectively.

Abhimanyu - Armend

Position after 31.Qg7

GM Abhimanyu Puranik made a beautiful finish 31.Qg7! Rh8 32.Bf6 to win his debut game for Alkaloid.

Replay Alkaloid - Dardania games

GM Arjun Erigaisi (Alkaloid) conceded the sole draw of his team against IM Nderim Saraci (Dardania) | Photo: European Chess Union

Baerum Schakselskap - Novy Bor: 0-6

GM Kirk Ghazarian (2513), IM Saad Abobaker Elmi (2415), CM Amadeus Hestvik Evenshaug (2244), CM Svetoslav Mihajlov (2119), Havard M Skagseth (2029) and Elias Hestvik (1957) lost to GM Vidit Gujrathi (2716), GM Pentala Harikrishna (2697), GM David Navara (2656), GM Nils Grandelius (2645), GM David Anton Guijarro (2631) and GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (2629) respectively.

GM Kirk Ghazaran (Baerum Schakselskap) - GM Vidit Gujrathi (Novy Bor), Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Baerum Schakselskap - Novy Bor games

Baerum Schakselskap got whitewashed 0-6 by the defending champion - Novy Bor Chess Club | Photo: European Chess Union

Manmay Chopra (Kingston Kings, 2185) stirred up a lot of trouble for the prodigy, IM Faustino Oro (Turkish Airlines Sports Club, 2509). The kid eventually managed to escape with a draw.

Manmay Chopra (Kingston Kings) made a good start as he could have won against IM Faustino Oro (Turkish Airlines Sports Club)

Women: Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo - SK Zmaj: 3.5-0.5

GM Divya Deshmukh (Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo, 2498) conceded the sole draw for her team against IM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (SK Zmaj, 2370). GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2469), IM Alina Kashlinskaya (2450) and GM Elisabeth Paehtz (2408) won against WIM Marjona Malikova (2042), WFM Asal Salimova (2124) and WCM Amaya Agarwal (1818) respectively.

Replay Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo - SK Zmaj games

FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 champion, GM Divya Deshmukh (Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo) was held to a draw by IM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (SK Zmaj) | Photo: European Chess Union

Tajfun SK Ljubljana - De Stukkenjagers: 4-0

Just like the defending champion in the Open event, the reigning and defending winner in Women, Tajfun SK Ljubljana, also started with a whitewash victory, over De Stukkenjagers. GM Nana Dzagnidze (2496), IM Olga Badelka (2377), IM Vantika Agrawal (2377) and IM Laura Unuk (2317) won against WIM Jessica Harmsen (2046), Marleen Van Amerongen (2057), Peggy Van Amerongen-Jansen (2030) and Patricia De Wit (2006) respectively.

Replay Tajfun SK Ljubljana - De Stukkenjagers games

WFM Bodhana Sivanandan (She plays to Win Lionesses #1, 2205) scored the biggest upset of the day when she defeated the 15th Women's World Champion, GM Mariya Muzychuk (Turkish Airlines Sports Club, 2485).

WFM Bodhana Sivanandan (She plays to Win Lionesses #1) scored the biggest upset of the day as she defeated the 15th Women's World Champion, GM Mariya Muzychuk (Turkish Airlines Sports Club, 2485) | Photo: European Chess Union

Round 1 in progress | Photo: European Chess Union

The tournament hall in Rhodes, Greece | Photo: European Chess Union

Interview with the President of the Greek Chess Federation Mr. Stathis Efstathopoulos | Video: European Chess Union

Interview with Captain of the European Chess Club Cup defending Champions Mr. Petr Boleslav | Video: European Chess Union

Interview with GM Ivan Sokolov: I played today as I wanted to give a break to my player | Video: European Chess Union

Replay live stream

Replay European Chess Club Cup 2025 Round 1 Live Commentary by GM Alojzije Jankovic (CRO), WIM IA Sandra Djukic (SRB) and WIM FI IA Lena Govedarica (SRB) | Video: European Chess Union

Prizes

The total prize fund is €40000, €26000 in Open and €14000 in Women. The top three prizes in Open are - €8000, €6000 and €4000. For Women, they are - €5500, €3500 and €2000. Individual board prizes on each board €500.

Schedule

Every day round starts at 3 p.m. local time, 5:30 p.m. IST from 19th to 24th October 2025. The final round on 25th October starts 2 p.m. local time, 4:30 p.m. IST. The seven-round Swiss system tournament has a time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one. The tournament will be held in Rhodes, Greece.

Replay Round 1 Open games

Replay Round 1 Women games

Round 1 Open results

No.	SNo	Team	Res.	:	Res.	Team	SNo
1	52	HWP Haarlem	1	:	5	BayeganPendik chess sports	1
2	2	Alkaloid	5½	:	½	Dardania	53
3	54	Baerum Schakselskap	0	:	6	Novy Bor	3
4	4	SuperChess	6	:	0	SK 1911	55
5	56	Tammer-Shakki	0	:	6	Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub	5
6	6	Vugar Gashimov	5½	:	½	Blackthorne	57
7	58	Akureyri	0	:	6	Rishon Le Zion #1	7
8	8	Kfar Saba	5½	:	½	SK Doppelbauer Kiel	59
9	60	Kingston Kings	½	:	5½	Turkish Airlines sports club	9
10	10	Beer Sheva	5	:	1	Goztepe Spor Kulubu	61

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.	SNo	Team	Games	+	TB1	TB3
1	3	Novy Bor	1	1	2	6
	4	SuperChess	1	1	2	6
	5	Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub	1	1	2	6
	7	Rishon Le Zion #1	1	1	2	6
	11	SV Werder Bremen	1	1	2	6
	24	Paul Keres #1	1	1	2	6
	29	Ippotis Rhodes chess club	1	1	2	6
	35	Guzelbahce Satranc Spor Kulubu	1	1	2	6
	42	Pausa Chess Team	1	1	2	6
	45	KBSK Brugge	1	1	2	6

Details

Round 2 pairings

No.	SNo	Team	MP	:	MP	Team	SNo
1	1	BayeganPendik chess sports	2	:	2	SK Dunajska Streda	28
2	29	Ippotis Rhodes chess club	2	:	2	Alkaloid	2
3	3	Novy Bor	2	:	2	De Sprenger Echternach	30
4	31	FC St. Pauli	2	:	2	SuperChess	4
5	5	Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub	2	:	2	HSK Lister Turm	32
6	33	Lunds ASK	2	:	2	Vugar Gashimov	6
7	7	Rishon Le Zion #1	2	:	2	Cheddleton Savills Catering	34
8	35	Guzelbahce Satranc Spor Kulubu	2	:	2	Kfar Saba	8
9	9	Turkish Airlines sports club	2	:	2	De Stukkenjagers	36
10	37	CE Gambit Bonnevoie #1	2	:	2	Beer Sheva	10

Details

Round 1 Women results

No.	SNo	Team	Res.	:	Res.	Team	SNo
1	1	Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo	3½	:	½	SK Zmaj	11
2	12	She plays to win Lionesses #1	1	:	3	Turkish Airlines sports club	2
3	3	Tajfun SK Ljubljana	4	:	0	De Stukkenjagers	13
4	14	Gostivar club	½	:	3½	SuperChess	4
5	5	Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica	4	:	0	ISL Federation	15
6	16	Aris Thessalonikis	0	:	4	CE Gambit Bonnevoie	6
7	7	C'Chartres échecs	4	:	0	Streatham & Brixton	17
8	18	She plays to win Lionesses #2	1	:	3	Crvena Zvezda	8
9	9	MSK Centar ASEE	3	:	1	Ippotis Rhodes chess club	19
10	20	Ippotis Radnicki	0	:	4	Wasa SK	10

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.	SNo	Team	Games	+	TB1	TB3	TB4	TB5
1	3	Tajfun SK Ljubljana	1	1	2	4	0	0
	5	Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica	1	1	2	4	0	0
	6	CE Gambit Bonnevoie	1	1	2	4	0	0
	7	C'Chartres échecs	1	1	2	4	0	0
	10	Wasa SK	1	1	2	4	0	0
6	1	Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo	1	1	2	3,5	0,5	1
	4	SuperChess	1	1	2	3,5	0,5	1
8	2	Turkish Airlines sports club	1	1	2	3	1	2
	8	Crvena Zvezda	1	1	2	3	1	2
	9	MSK Centar ASEE	1	1	2	3	1	2

Details

Round 2 pairings

No.	SNo	Team	MP	:	MP	Team	SNo
1	6	CE Gambit Bonnevoie	2	:	2	Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo	1
2	2	Turkish Airlines sports club	2	:	2	C'Chartres échecs	7
3	8	Crvena Zvezda	2	:	2	Tajfun SK Ljubljana	3
4	4	SuperChess	2	:	2	MSK Centar ASEE	9
5	10	Wasa SK	2	:	2	Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica	5
6	11	SK Zmaj	0	:	0	Aris Thessalonikis	16
7	17	Streatham & Brixton	0	:	0	She plays to win Lionesses #1	12
8	13	De Stukkenjagers	0	:	0	She plays to win Lionesses #2	18
9	19	Ippotis Rhodes chess club	0	:	0	Gostivar club	14
10	15	ISL Federation	0	:	0	Ippotis Radnicki	20

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

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