European Club Cup Kicks Off with Strong Performances

The 41st European Chess Club Cup and the 30th European Women's Chess Club Cup started on October 17 in Budva, Montenegro, with a total of 130 teams participating, including 108 in the open section and 22 in the women's tournament.

In the open section, top-seeded Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club from Türkiye achieved a 6–0 victory against England's Blackthorne, while second seeds Alkaloid from North Macedonia also won 6–0 against Sharks 4NCL. Other teams like Elektroprivreda and Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai also secured similar victories. Defending champions SuperChess Romania triumphed over Akureyri Chess Club with a score of 5½–½, resting some of their top players.

In the women's competition, Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo, the defending champions, defeated She Plays To Win Lionesses A from England 3½–½. The tournament saw several other teams achieving maximum scores, while a notable draw occurred between Crvena Zvezda and Velikova Chess Club. The second round of both competitions is scheduled for October 18.