European Club Cup: Favourites win but Praggnanandhaa loses

by André Schulz
10/21/2024 – The top teams had a smooth start to the European Club Cup in Vrnjacka Banja on Sunday, but there were some individual upsets: Praggnanandhaa (2746) lost in the first round against Francois Godart (2377), and Max Lutze (2148) of the SV Erkenschwick defeated GM Vajnap Sanal (2570). | Photo: Vincent Keymer watches his colleagues from team Novy Bor | Photos: ECU and Gerd Densing

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This year's European Club Cup kicked off in Vrnjacka Banja on Sunday with a colourful opening ceremony. 84 teams start in the open tournament, more than ever before.

The list of professional teams extends to around 15th place on the starting list. Behind them, most of the other teams will have travelled to the event at their own expense to play for points and a good placing in the company of many super grandmasters.

Magnus Carlsen and his Offerspill team are not taking part this time, but a number of other world class players are, including Gukesh, Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa (SuperChess from Romania), Erigaisi, Wei Yi, Yu Yangyi (Alkaloid from Montenegro), Vidit, Keymer, Harikrishna, Navara (Novy Bor from Czech Republic), Bu Xiangzhi, Radjabov, Fedoseev, Mamedyarov, (Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club from Turkey), Andreikin, Maghsoodloo, Tabatabaei (Turkish Airlines) and many more.

The above clubs are also the favourites to win the tournament, in that order, based on average Elo and seeding.

In the opening round, the favourites all came out on top, some of them by a wide margin. Vincent Keymer helped Novy Bor to a comfortable 5.5:0.5 win over De Stukkenjagers.  

SV Erkenschwick fielded the Dutch IM and well-known chess trainer Robert Ris, three of his fellow countrymen and two young players. In the first round, the third division team faced one of the top teams, Turkish Airlines. It was a high-scoring victory for the Turkish team. On board six, however, 16-year-old Max Lutze caused a major upset.  

Even more unexpected, however, was the victory of Francois Godart (Elo 2377, Gambit Bonnevoie I), who won against Praggnanandhaa (2746, SuperChess).

Results of round 1

Team Team Result : Result
  SuperChess   Gambit Bonnevoie I 5 : 1
  Wasa SK   Alkaloid ½ :
  Novy Bor Chess Club   De Stukkenjagers : ½
  Drejtesia-Trokadero   Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club ½ :
  Turkish Airlines   SV Erkenschwick 5 : 1
  Blackthorne   TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana 0 : 6
  Sentimento Ajka BSK   Viking Chess Club 5 : 1
  Schaakclub De Pluspion Wachtebeke   Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai Sakk Klub ½ :
  C'Chartres Echecs   Raahen Linnoitus 6 : 0
  SOSS   Vugar Gashimov ½ :
  Beer Sheva Chess Club   La Tour d'Ans-Loncin : ½
  Differdange   Rishon Le Zion A 1 : 5
  Vados Chess Club   SK Reval-Sport 5 : 1
  O.F.I. Chess Club   Kfar Saba 1 : 5
  SK JAVES Modra   Jugović :
  Malerei 2000 Rapid Feffernitz   Zmaj 1 : 5
  Elektroprivreda   SV Muelheim Nord 6 : 0
  White Rose   Kavala Chess Club :
  SV Werder Bremen   Koninklijke Wetterse Vrijpion : ½
  EtVaS   SK Rockaden 0 : 6
  Riehen   Sussex Martlets 4 : 2
  Aarhus Skakklub/Skolerne   Etude Ramat Gan Dov Porat Memorial ½ :
  ŠK K CERO INVEST Nitra   TSV Schönaich : ½
  SK Doppelbauer Kiel   C.A. Silla Integrant Col-lectius 1 : 5
  LSG   Bærum Schakselskap 5 : 1
  Paul Keres 2   GAMBIT ASEE 1 : 5
  Perfect   SK 1911 4 : 2
  SK König Tegel   ŠK Dunajská Streda ½ :
  The Sharks   Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica 5 : 1
  SK Radnicki   FC ST.Pauli 1910 eV Sabt 0 : 6
  Lunds ASK   Gonzaga 5 : 1
  Koninklijke Oostendse Schaakkring   Wood Green 0 : 6
  Andreu Paterna   K.Sh Butrinti 4 : 2
  Jyväs-Shakki   HSK Lister Turm 2 : 4
  Koninklijke Brugse Schaakkring vzw   Diagonal Alcorcon 6 : 0
  Ennis Chess Club   Paul Keres 1 1 : 5
  De Sprenger Echternach   Gambit Bonnevoie II : ½
  ŠK Goč - Vrnjačka Banja   Skakklubben Nordkalotten 0 : 6
  Crvena zvezda - Data Driven Lab   White Knights Chess Club :
  St Benildus   Breidablik Chess Club 0 : 6
  ASD Pedone Isolano   UCD (University College Dublin) 5 : 1
  Cardiff Chess Club   Rishon Le Zion B 0 : 6

Games

Women's Cup

There are 18 teams taking part in the women's tournament, which is also a large number. Montecarlo, with Elisabeth Pähtz on board four, is the strongest team, ahead of a few other teams that also have an Elo average above 2400. 

The Neo-London-System - The sharper alternative to the popular London System

The Neo-London System offers many new, creative possibilities to present your opponents with serious problems in the early stages of the game.

In the women's tournament, the favourite teams also started (mostly) without problems. However, WIM Trisha Kanyamarala (2160, Win Lionesses) caused an upset by beating IM Yuliia Osmak (2465, Gambit Bonnevoie). 

Results of round 1

Team Team Result : Result
  Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo   SK JAVES Modra 4 : 0
  Rudar Kostolac   Garuda Ajka BSK 1 : 3
  TAJFUN-ŠK Ljubljana   Wasa SK 4 : 0
  Napredak Zenica   SuperChess Club ½ :
  Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica   Schachgesellschaft Solingen B 4 : 0
  Rishon Le Zion   MSK CENTAR ½ :
  Gambit Bonnevoie   She Plays To Win Lionesses :
  SK Zmaj   Schachgesellschaft Solingen A :
  Crvena zvezda - Data Driven Lab   Tallinn Chess Club 3 : 1

Games

Links


André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
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