Report - Russian Draughts EC 2025

Within the framework of the National Talent Program, supported by the grant NTP-NTMV-24-A-0014, we participated in the 2024 Youth European Championship of Russian Draughts, held in Kemer, Turkey between April 20-29. The Championship took place in three categories - Blitz, Rapid, and Classic - where our young players competed in several age groups and achieved remarkable results.

In the youngest category, Nátán Elek finished 5th in both Blitz and Rapid in U11, and was also among the best in Classic, while Sámuel Hanti placed 7th in all three events in U9. Among the U14 girls, Viktória Csonka took 7th place in Blitz and Rapid and 8th in Classic, while Andi Andicsku also achieved top-ten results in all three disciplines, with her best result being 7th place in Classic. In the U17 category, Krisztina Draguner secured 8th place in both Blitz and Classic. In the older boys’ competition, Bence Andicsku reached 5th place in U20 Blitz and 8th place in both Rapid and Classic (with a stable 2067 rating). Bálint Ambrózy delivered strong performances in U27, finishing 6th in both Rapid and Classic, while Péter Uzonyi was 8th in Blitz. Márk Mezei twice finished 12th in U20, scoring valuable points in a very strong field.

On the first day of the Championship, the participants played 8-9 rounds of Blitz, on the second day the same number of Rapid games, and from the third day until the end, 1-2 long Classic games were held daily. Afternoons and evenings were spent with joint game analyses and learning, often with the help of international masters. During their free days, the players also enjoyed cultural programs: visiting the famous Goynük Canyon and the ancient city of Myra, where they admired the St. Nicholas Church.

We are especially proud of our two newcomers, Nátán Elek and Sámuel Hanti, who both managed to finish in the top ten in all three disciplines in their very first European Championship. It is also a great success that several of our U14 girls and older boys consistently ranked among the best in their categories.

Congratulations to all participants for their outstanding performances and fair play!