EU Individual Open Chess Championship
The EU Individual Open Championship was first contested in Cork, Ireland in 2005, under the auspices of organising body, the European Chess Union (ECU). The event is open to members of chess federations within the European Union. Exceptionally, at the discretion of the organisers, guest players have also been allowed to compete; for example, when the host nation has non-EU neighbours.
The fifth championship, held in Arvier in 2010, was its last edition.
Background
The tournament has been held annually between 2005 and 2008, and again in 2010, sometimes in conjunction with the celebrations of cities awarded European Capital of Culture status. Financial backing has not been consistently high, but in the case of Liverpool 2008, the prize fund totalled £30,000, which was large enough to attract many of the EU's strongest players.
The events were run on an inclusive format, open to a range of players of varying standard, typically from Elo 1600 to 2700 or more, but unrated players are also eligible to play. Substantial prize money is awarded not just to the overall top finishers, but also to the highest finishing women and junior players. Additional prizes go to those showing the best rating improvement over the course of the tournament.
The time limits for play tended not to follow the FIDE format, but more closely resemble classical time limits, to give some assistance to players in the endgame phase.
Results
1st EU Individual Open, Cork 2005
The first European Union Individual Open Championship formed part of the programme of events celebrating Cork City's status as European Capital of Culture for 2005. Played over ten rounds, the event took place 21 March - 3 April 2005 in the Ballroom Suite of the Gresham Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street, Cork, Ireland. There were one hundred and fifteen participants and Hungarian grandmaster Zoltan Gyimesi won the event on tie-break from Mateusz Bartel of Poland, who drew level on points in the final round. The highest placed woman player was IM Viktorija Čmilytė of Lithuania with 6½ points.[1]
Place Player Title Rating Nationality Result 1-2 Zoltan Gyimesi GM 2602 
8½/10 Mateusz Bartel GM 2487 
8½/10 3-5 Bartosz Soćko GM 2591 7½/10 Roland Berzinsh IM 2454 
7½/10 Mark Hebden GM 2521 
7½/10 6-9 Slavko Cicak GM 2552 
7/10 Joel Benjamin GM 2554 
7/10 Normunds Miezis GM 2547 7/10 Alexander Baburin GM 2523 
7/10
2nd EU Individual Open, Liverpool 2006
The second edition of the Championship took place at the World Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool, England. Held 6–15 September 2006, the tournament entry totalled eighty-four. Going into the final round, host nation grandmaster Nigel Short was the only leading player to win, defeating Mark Hebden to capture clear first place with 7½/10. The highest placed woman player was IM Dagne Ciuksyte of Lithuania on 6½ points, repeating the achievement of compatriot Cmilyte, in the previous year's event.[2]
Place Player Title Rating Nationality Result 1 Nigel Short GM 2676 7½/10 2-9 Sarunas Sulskis GM 2514 
7/10 Luke McShane GM 2614 7/10 Stephen Gordon IM 2443 7/10 Gawain Jones IM 2416 7/10 Luis Galego GM 2528 
7/10 Danny Gormally GM 2513 7/10 Klaus Bischoff GM 2533 
7/10 Karel van der Weide GM 2446 
7/10
3rd EU Individual Open, Arvier 2007
The third European Union Individual Open Championship took place June 15-24th 2007, in Arvier (Aosta Valley), Italy. There were one hundred and ten competitors and the tournament was open to the players of the twenty-seven countries of the European Union, plus four additional countries close to the host nation, these being Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. Serbian Nikola Sedlak took the contest on tie-break from local favourite Michele Godena, after both finished on 8/10. Godena was however awarded the Champion's title, due to Sedlak being a non-EU citizen. IM Cristina Foisor (ROM) was the top finishing woman player with 6½ points.[3]
Place Player Title Rating Nationality Result 1-2 Nikola Sedlak GM 2575 
8/10 Michele Godena GM 2558 
8/10 3-6 Thomas Luther GM 2586 7½/10 Fabiano Caruana IM 2513 7½/10 Alexander Baburin GM 2545 7½/10 Mišo Cebalo GM 2491 
7½/10 7-9 Sarunas Sulskis GM 2533 7/10 Nenad Sulava GM 2549 7/10 Marcos Llaneza Vega IM 2455 
7/10
4th EU Individual Open, Liverpool 2008
The fourth edition of the Championship saw a return to the venue of 2006—Liverpool's World Museum. Held September 9-18th 2008, during the city's reign as European Capital of Culture, there were one hundred and forty participants, from twenty member states, competing for a record prize fund. The event was won by Jan Werle of the Netherlands, the best tournament success of his chess career to date. He drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the final round, while Michael Adams, a half point behind, settled for an early draw with Emanuel Berg, thereby securing a share of second place. The women's top spot was shared between Jovanka Houska, Yelena Dembo and Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, all on 6 points.[4]
Place Player Title Rating Nationality Result 1 Jan Werle GM 2591 8/10 2-4 Viktor Laznicka GM 2601 
7½/10 Michael Adams GM 2735 7½/10 Nigel Short GM 2655 7½/10 5-15 Alberto David GM 2568 
7/10 Erwin L'Ami GM 2610 7/10 Maxime Vachier-Lagrave GM 2681 
7/10 Daniel Fridman GM 2637 7/10 Emanuel Berg GM 2592 7/10 Étienne Bacrot GM 2691 7/10 David Howell GM 2561 7/10 Sergei Tiviakov GM 2645 7/10 Thomas Luther GM 2570 7/10 Jan Smeets GM 2593 7/10 Alexander Beliavsky GM 2606 
7/10
5th EU Individual Open, Arvier 2010
The fifth edition of the championship took place 4-12 September in Arvier, Italy. There were forty-seven participants. Polish Grandmaster Pawel Jaracz took the title on tiebreak from other five players scoring 6½ points in 9 rounds, and Woman Grandmaster Monica Calzetta Ruiz from Spain was the top finishing woman with 5½ points.[5]
Place Player Title Rating Nationality Result 1-6 Pawel Jaracz GM 2543 6½/9 Sabino Brunello IM 2497 6½/9 Evgenij Agrest GM 2585 6½/9 Lexy Ortega GM 2473 6½/9 Miguel Llanes Hurtado GM 2474 6½/9 Clovis Vernay IM 2460 6½/9 7-9 Sergio Estremera Panos IM 2337 6/9 Mihai Suba GM 2464 
6/9 Mauro Barletta CM 2211 6/9
References
- TWIC 543. Mark Crowther. London Chess Center.
- TWIC 619. Mark Crowther. London Chess Center.
- TWIC 659. Mark Crowther. London Chess Center.
- TWIC 724. Mark Crowther. London Chess Center
- V C.to Unione Europea. LOTO - Lost Tournaments. Italian Chess Federation.