Memorial for pioneering woman

Team Poland vs the "rest of the world"

At this year's Krystyna Holuj-Radzikowska Memorial Tournament, six of the best Polish players competed against six strong international players in Wrocław from December 6^th to 12^th, 2019, in rapid chess, Chess960 and classical chess.

"She was inspiring, inspiring due to her proffessional approach, her
behaviour(...) She was really elegant, classy, inside and out."
—WGM Hanna Ereńska-Barlo, former teammate and a friend of Radzikowska

Polish women chess has been strong ever since Radzikowska's success. It is important to
remember people who helped build our world, even if it is only a chess world. In 2011, five years after her passing, the first tournament in her memory was held. This year was the 9^th edition, gathering top female players from all over the world.

The Polish team consisted of GM Monika Socko (2417), IM Karina Cyfka (2412), WGM Jolanta Zawadzka (2406), WGM Joanna Majdan (2352), WIM Alicia Sliwicka (2269) and WIM Julia Antolak (2249).

The "rest of the world" team consisted of IM Meri Arabidze (2435), IM Irina Bulmaga (2434), IM Anna Zatonskih (2420), IM Anastasia Bodnaruk (2413), IM Jovanka Houska (2412) and IM Olga Badelka (2399).

The Poles were nominally outsiders and in fact they were defeated in all three disciplines:

• 4:8 in rapid chess
• 3:9 in chess960
• 5:7 in classical chess

However, this did not detract from the good and friendly atmosphere.

Small gifts were waiting for the participants almost every day | Photo: Maria Emelianova

Anastasia Bodnaruk | Photo: Maria Emelianova

With 4½ out of 6, Irina Bulmaga achieved the best result | Photo: Maria Emelianova

Monika Socko scored the most points in the Fischer Random | Photo: Maria Emelianova

Alina Kashlinskaya, reigning European Champion, won the blitz tournament, but she did not take part in the main competition because it collided with the FIDE Grand Prix in Hamburg, where she supported her husband, Radoslaw Wojtaszek | Photo: Maria Emelianova

Final standings - Rapid

All games - Rapid

Final standings - Classical

All games - Classical

Anna Kantane contributed reporting

Links

• Official site