European Chess Club Cup: Novy Bor and TAJFUN SK Ljubljana Triumph in Serbia

Held in Vrnjacka Banja, Serbia, from October 20 to 26, the competition brought together elite chess clubs from across Europe for seven intense rounds of play.

Novy Bor Secures the Crown

Entering the decisive seventh round with a one-point lead over six contenders, Novy Bor Chess Club faced a critical matchup against the top-seeded SuperChess. The Czech team secured their title thanks to David Anton Guijarro's victory over Jorden Van Foreest on board five, while the rest of the matches ended in draws. With six wins and one draw throughout the tournament, Novy Bor emerged as the champions of the 39th European Chess Club Cup.

The race for second place saw Alkaloid deliver a dominant 5-1 win against C'Chartres Echecs, securing the silver medal. Meanwhile, Vados Chess Club took bronze after defeating Beer Sheva Chess Club, benefiting from superior tiebreaks among the four teams that tied for third.

Final Standings (Open):

1. Novy Bor Chess Club - 13 points

2. Alkaloid - 12 points

3. Vados Chess Club - 11 points

4. Turkish Airlines - 11 points

5. TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana - 11 points

6. Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club - 11 points

7. SuperChess - 10 points

8. Beer Sheva Chess Club - 10 points

9. Kavala Chess Club - 10 points

10. Sentimento Ajka BSK - 10 points

TAJFUN SK Ljubljana's Triumph in the Women's Event

The women's competition saw TAJFUN SK Ljubljana clinch the title after a hard-fought final round against Cercle d'Echecs de Monte Carlo. The Slovenian team won 2.5-1.5, with Olga Badelka securing a crucial victory over Sarasadat Khademalsharieh to guarantee their success.

Garuda Ajka BSK, trailing the leaders by a point going into the final round, defeated Gambit Bonnevoie 3.5-0.5 to claim the silver medal. SuperBet, the only team to have defeated the eventual champions, finished in third place.

Final Standings (Women's):

1. TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana - 12 points

2. Garuda Ajka BSK - 11 points

3. SuperBet - 10 points

4. Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica - 9 points

5. Crvena zvezda - Data Driven Lab - 8 points

6. Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo - 8 points

7. MSK CENTAR - 8 points

8. Gambit Bonnevoie - 7 points

9. Rudar Kostolac - 7 points

10. Schachgesellschaft Solingen A - 7 points

Both events showcased the resilience and skill of Europe's top chess clubs, delivering exciting matches and impressive performances throughout the tournament.

For more details and complete results, visit the official website.