Mircea Parligras and Alessia Ciolacu are the new Romanian Champions

In 2009 I played the National Championships in Eforie, also in the winter season. Compared to that time things have improved a lot. The tournament was held at the ‘Complex Steaua de Mare’, a four-star hotel with a gym, spa and many other facilities. The organization of the tournament was very good.

The beach at Eforie Nord

The record prize fund of a bit over 20.000 EURO attracted a record number of more than 220 players, who started in three tournaments: the Open Championship, the Women's Championship and the Amateur Championship. 14 GM/WGM, 11 IM/WIM and 17 FM/WFM took part.

The coveted medals for the winners

Since only players with rating of less than 2200 were allowed to play in the Amateur Section, the Open was pretty strong. Most of the confident and ambitious youngsters played in the open section.

Just as in the Team Championships last year, there was live commentary. The commentators were WGM Sabina Francesca Foisor and IM Mihnea Costachi, who from time to time summoned the heroes of the day for an interview. For the daily reviews you can check the link:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vcvZRuQ-79zxEnIhd2THsR_PGLHyy--.

The commentators WGM Sabina Francesca Foisor and IM Mihnea Costachi

Covid stopped a number of strong players – e.g. Bogdan-Daniel Deac (2679) and Vlad-Cristian Jianu (2527), who play for the national team – from taking part in the Championship.

GM Nanu Ciprian (4.0/4) and Mircea-Emilian Parligras (3.5/4) had the best start. But in round five Parligras won against Ciprian and took the sole lead which he stubbornly defended until the end of the tournament.

Parligras won the tournament with 7.0/9, half a point ahead of Constantin Lupulescu, Tiberiu-Marian Georgescu, David Gavrilescu, Anton Teodor who shared places 2 to 5 with 6.5/9 each.

The winners (from left to right): Tiberiu-Marian Georgescu, Constantin Lupulescu and the Romanian Champion 2022, Mircea-Emilian Parligras

Final Standings

But as the saying goes, you need a little bit of luck to win. In round 4 Parligras was playing with Black against one of the most promising juniors from Romania, Samuel-Timotei Ghimpu. Black won after 39 moves in a very unclear position. When I saw this result online I thought that transmission was wrong but something else had happened. Apparently, the players pressed the clock twice at one turn and after 39 moves the clock automatically 15 minutes extra time. You can imagine, what happened next…

But despite this mishap, the youngster managed to maintain a cool head and made an IM norm. Radu Cristian Toma also made an IM norm - his third and the one he required for the title.

Samuel-Timotei Ghimpu

Radu Cristian Toma

Times are changing

In the women’s section it was the year of the girls. Last year Alessia Ciolacu had shocked us by finishing first in the National championship (at the age of 17), and this year she dominated the field from the very start. In round five she took the sole lead and did not let it go until the very end. She deservedly won the championship again and also made a WIM norm. The 18-year old Miruna Lehaci finished sole second after winning crucial games against Corina Peptan and Elena-Luminita Cosma.

The winners of the Women's Championship (from left to right): Mihaela Sandu, Miruna-Daria Lehaci and the Romanian Women Champion 2022 Alessia-Mihaela Ciolacu

Final standings

Amateur section

In the amateurs section the final results were: 1-2. Stefan-Romulus Cristian, Mihai Veneteanu 7.5p; 3-5. Iulian Mihailov, Stefan Telea, Janos Helmer 7p.

Final standings

The winners of the Amateur section

Now, I invite you, dear reader, to go through an interesting game that was played in the second round of the Open Championship.

And here's a selection of tactical tasks that allows you to check and improve your tactical skills with some ideas that appeared (or could have appeared) during the championships. Good luck!

All in all, it was a well organized tournament, with good prizes and a strong field. Hopefully, the Romanian Chess Federation will keep up the good work they are doing.

Links

Romanian Chess Federation

• Parligras is the Romanian Champion 2016