European Individuals

Almost 400 players, including more than 100 grandmasters, travelled to the European Individual Championships last month in Eforie Nord, a small Romanian town on the coast of the Black Sea. Dozens of players have a realistic shot at winning this fiercely competitive event, which in recent years was won by players seeded 33rd, 11th, 20th and 33rd. So it was remarkable that the German grandmaster Matthias Blübaum managed to win it for the second time in his career (after 2022, in Slovenia). He shared first place with two other players on 8.5/11, and won the title on tiebreak. Third placed Maxim Rodshtein from Israel won a thrilling game against the veteran elite grandmaster Vasyl Ivanchuk from Ukraine.

Maxim Rodshtein-Vasyl Ivanchuk

European Individual Championship, March 2025

16 axb5 cxb5 16…dxc4! was better, to avoid what follows. 17 Nxd5! 17.cxd5? loses to b4. Rodshtein’s far stronger move sacrifices the knight to gain a powerful central pawn mass. 17…exd5 17…dxc4? 18 Nxe7+ Qxe7 19 Nxc4 leaves White a clear pawn up. 18 cxd5 Bb4 19 d6 Ne6 20 Nf1 Bb7 21 Bxb7 Rxb7 22 Ne3 Nb6 23 Qxb5 Qb8 23…f6! was the last chance to disperse the phalanx of pawns. 24 Nf5 Re8 25 Rac1 Nd7 26 Qe2 Nb6 27 d5 Nc5 28 Qg4 Nxb3 At this point, the attack is so crushing that Ivanchuk chooses to fall on his sword. 29 Qxg7 mate

One of this year’s main contenders was Daniil Yuffa, originally from Russia but now representing Spain. His imaginative attack was coolly rebuffed by Blübaum.

Matthias Blübaum-Daniil Yuffa

European Individual Championship, March 2025

18…Rxc4 This ingenious idea falls short. The immediate 18…Ng5 was safer. 19 Qxc4 Ng5 20 Ne5 20 Nxg5 Qxg5 21 g3 Ne3 looks dangerous, but 22 Qc1! wins by pinning the knight. 20…Bxg2! This clever shot is clearly what Yuffa was angling for when he sacrificed rook for bishop.