Peter Balint succeeds thanks to Felix Blohberger's course on the Réti

by ChessBase
1/5/2026 – The two-part Réti course by Austrian GM Felix Blohberger is an opening FritzTrainer aimed primarily at conveying knowledge that can be applied in practical games. The player, coach and YouTuber offers in-depth insights into his own repertoire and the thinking that led him to the variations recommended there. One of his students, Peter Balint, managed to win an excellent game just a few days ago, naturally opening with the Réti. Blohberger presents the game in video format.
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Born in 2010, Peter Balint achieved his second IM norm with a fifth-place finish in the Kraków Open. The young Austrian FM employed the opening repertoire of his coach, GM Felix Blohberger, and produced a very strong game featuring what Blohberger described as an "instructive endgame".

The game was played at the "XXXVI Międzynarodowy Festiwal Szachowy CRACOVIA 2025". A total of 148 players travelled to Kraków for the A Open. After nine rounds, Dutch player Casper Schoppen finished in first place, half a point ahead of Poland's Szymon Gumularz, the top seed, who had defeated him in the penultimate round.

For this report, however, Balint's strong performance was far more important. Blohberger's pupil remained unbeaten over nine rounds and secured his second IM norm with five wins and four draws. Finishing in an excellent fifth place was a welcome bonus. In round eight, Balint produced a very fine game against Greek FM Hristos Alexiadis, which he began with 1.Nf3 and a setup recommended by Blohberger in his course.

Here is the game analysis by the proud coach:

In this course, Grandmaster Felix Blohberger delivers a complete opening repertoire for White, centred around the flexible move 1.Nf3.

Looking for a versatile and strategic opening repertoire that doesn’t rely on memorising endless variations? In this course, Grandmaster Felix Blohberger delivers a complete opening repertoire for White, centred around the flexible move 1.Nf3. Whether you’re a club player or a seasoned competitor, this course offers a solid yet dynamic approach that adapts to various playing styles and opponents.
Video sample: Introduction
Video sample: Grunfeld - Sidelines

Final standings of the Kraków Open after 9 rounds:

Pl. SNr Name Rtg Club Pkt TB 
1 2
GM Schoppen, Casper 2567 7,5 46,5
2 1
GM Gumularz, Szymon 2606 KSz Polonia Wrocław 7 49
3 4
GM Polak, Tomas 2444 7 47,5
4 5
GM Firman, Nazar 2441 7 46
5 6
FM Balint, Peter 2427 7 45,5
6 9
FM Czernek, Tymon 2398 LKSz GCKiP Czarna 6,5 41,5
7 38
FM Szczurek, Krzysztof 2257 KSz HETMAN Katowice 6,5 40,5
8 18
FM Vingris, Mikelis 2339 6,5 34,5
9 35
FM Kucza, Karol 2263 OTSz Ostrów Wielkopolski 6 48,5
10 11
FM Alexiadis, Hristos 2370 6 46

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