The first competition of the 18th ECSC was the traditional Open solving tournament, one of the most important legs of the WFCC World Solving Cup 2024-25, with 75 participants. The selection of the problems was made by Nikos Mendrinos.
In the impressive main hall of the old building of the Athens University, the 18th European Chess Solving Championship began with a press conference. Covered by Greek media, the conference announced the most important events of the week, including the 1st leg of the new competition, WFCC Fujairah Grand Prix cycle 2025-26. The first one to address the audience was Abdulla Ali Aal Barket, the Grand Prix Director, and the WFCC 1st Vice-President. He was joined by the highest representatives of the hosts, the WFCC Honorary President Harry Fougiaxis and the Greek Chess Federation President Stathis Efstathopoulos, who was also a Vice-Rector of the Athens University.
The conference, run by one of the 18th ECSC organizers George Mendrinos, ended with media questions replied by WFCC President Marjan Kovačević and the WFCC Secretary Mohammad Alhallak.
-> The full video of the press conference
Make sure to book your Athens tours in advance by following the instructions in the ‘Accommodation – Athens‘ section on the official event website!
47th German Solving Championship 2025 | 11th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025:
Participants: 20 | Winner: Eddy Van Beers (BEL), ahead of Boris Tummes (GER – German champion!) and Andrey Selivanov (FID).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2420.42 | WSC category: 5
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 92 points (+27), 2. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 52 points (+13), 3. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 47 points (unchanged), 4. Joost Michielsen (NED) 44 points (unchanged), 5. Roland Ott (SUI) 39 points (unchanged).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
44th Azerbaijan Chess Solving Championship 2025 | 10th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025:
Participants: 46 | Winner: Araz Almammadov (AZE – Azerbaijani champion!), ahead of junior Ughur Ilyasli (AZE) and junior female Anastasiya Chekina (FID).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 1988.39 | WSC category: 14
Top 5 WSC Standings (unchanged): 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 65 points, 2. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 47 points, 3. Joost Michielsen (NED) 44 points, 4. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 39 points, 5. Roland Ott (SUI) 39 points.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
46th Lithuanian Championship 2025 | 9th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025:
Participants: 11 | Winner: Vidmantas Satkus (LTU – Lithuanian Champion!), ahead of Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) and Martynas Limontas (LTU).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2119.27 | WSC category: 11
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 65 points (unchanged), 2. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 47 points (+6), 3. Joost Michielsen (NED) 44 points (unchanged), 4. Martynas Limontas (LTU) 39 points (+4), 5. Roland Ott (SUI) 39 points (unchanged).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
Solvers’ ratings as of April 1st 2025 produced by the Solving Tournament Manager are published on the WFCC Solving Portal.
11 tournaments of the 1st quarter 2025 are included: 48th International Polish Championship 2025, 21st International Solving Contest 2025 Cat 1, 21st International Solving Contest 2025 Cat 2, Winton British Chess Solving Championship 2025, Winton British Chess Solving Championship 2025 Minor, 46th Finnish Chess Solving Championship 2025, Romanian Solving Championship 2025, 30th Dutch Open Chess Solving Championship 2025, 33rd Branko Atanackovic Memorial 2025, 39th Ukrainian Championship 2025, 23rd Greek Chess Solving Championship 2025.
Ranking of the top 10 solvers: 1. Danila Pavlov (FID) 2835.28, 2. Kacper Piorun (POL) 2759.81, 3. Piotr Murdzia (POL) 2680.47, 4. Ural Khasanov (FID) 2653.87, 5. John Nunn (GBR) 2639.31, 6. Nikos Sidiropoulos (GRE) 2592.12, 7. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 2589.02, 8. Bojan Vučković (SRB) 2581.32, 9. Ilija Serafimović (SRB) 2569.87, 10. Aleksey Popov (FID) 2560.30.
Largest five gains: junior female Nika Riabenko (UKR) +66.24, junior Szymon Boryna (POL) +61.65, Robert Włodarczyk (POL) +56.27, Piotr Kejna (POL) +54.36, Kacper Piorun, (POL) +42.53
23rd Greek Championship 2025 | 8th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025:
Participants: 15 | Winner: Nikos Sidiropoulos (GRE – Greek Champion!), ahead of Panagiotis Konidaris (GRE) and Nikos Mendrinos (GRE).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2028.58 | WSC category: 13
Top 5 WSC Standings (unchanged): 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 65 points, 2. Joost Michielsen (NED) 44 points, 3. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 41 points, 4. Roland Ott (SUI) 39 points, 5. Kacper Piorun (POL) 36 points.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
39th Ukrainian Championship 2025 | 7th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025:
Participants: 28 | Winner: junior Taras Rudenko (UKR – Ukrainian Champion!), ahead of Vladimir Pogorelov (UKR) and Andrii Sergiienko (UKR).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 1937.98 | WSC category: 14
Top 5 WSC Standings (unchanged): 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 65 points, 2. Joost Michielsen (NED) 44 points, 3. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 41 points, 4. Roland Ott (SUI) 39 points, 5. Kacper Piorun (POL) 36 points.
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
30th Dutch Open Chess Solving Championship 2025 | 6th tournament of World Solving Cup 2024/2025:
Participants: 20 | Winner: Joost Michielsen (NED – Dutch Champion!) ahead of Eddy Van Beers (BEL) and Dmitrijus Chocenka (LTU).
Average rating of top ten solvers: 2370.09 | WSC category: 6
FM norms of Joost Michielsen and Dmitrijus Chocenka
Top 5 WSC Standings: 1. Eddy Van Beers (BEL) 65 points (+19), 2. Joost Michielsen (NED) 44 points (+23), 3. Kevinas Kuznecovas (LTU) 41 points (unchanged), 4. Roland Ott (SUI) 39 points (+10), 5. Kacper Piorun (POL) 36 points (unchanged).
More details published in Competitions→Solving→World Solving Cup & Norms @ Solving Portal
Important information: In order to get a discounted participation fee please submit the registration form by March 10th !
The ECSC 2025 will be held from Friday, April 25th to Sunday, April 27th in the center of Athens in Greece.
VENUE: The main hall of University of Athens (https://maps.app.goo.gl/qeE2r84YG7ZWpHwS8)
Address: Panepistimiou Street 30, right outside the “Panepistimio” metro station.
PDF Announcement | ECSC 2025 Official Website | Contact: 2025ecsc@gmail.com
