This year’s European Women’s Rapid and Blitz Championship took place in the picturesque city of Monaco, Monte-Carlo. It was my second time participating in this prestigious event, with my first experience being in Tbilisi, Georgia, back in 2018. I was eager to take on the challenge and excited about the opportunity to compete against some of Europe’s strongest women players.
The tournament spanned three days, starting with blitz on the first day, followed by two days of rapid games.
A Rocky Start
My mom accompanied me on this trip, which got off to a slightly chaotic beginning. We flew from Dublin to Madrid and then connected from Madrid to Nice. Upon arriving in Nice, we waited for our luggage at the carousel. However, the belt stopped turning, and our bags were nowhere to be found. We reported the missing luggage and filed a Property Irregularity Report (PIR), hoping the bags would be delivered soon.
Day 1: Blitz
The blitz tournament kicked off with a hiccup. Despite my federation registering me in advance, I wasn’t paired in the first round. Rushing to the arbiter, I discovered there was a miscommunication regarding my participation. While frustrating, I had to accept the situation and focus on the rounds ahead.
Starting in the second round, I found my rhythm, winning four consecutive games. One of the highlights of my day was an attacking game against a popular chess streamer Anna Cramling in Round 5. However, I faced a tough match in Round 6 against former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, where I misplayed in the opening and couldn’t recover.
In Round 7, I played WGM Calzetta Ruiz Monica and was a pawn up after a tactical maneuver, but a missed opportunity to win material led to a time scramble, and I blundered a piece. The next round saw a similar theme: I was a pawn up but misjudged a perpetual check opportunity, leading to a worse endgame and a loss.
I wrapped up the blitz event with a final score of 8/13. While I love blitz as a time control, I felt I could have performed better and I’m determined to use this experience to improve in future tournaments.
Congratulations to Alexandra Maltsevskaya, who won the European Blitz Championship!
Blitz standings: https://chess-results.com/tnr986006.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=13&turdet=YES&flag=30
Days 2 & 3: Rapid
The rapid tournament began with five rounds on Day 2. I scored 3/5, which wasn’t the ideal start, but I remained optimistic about improving on the final day.
Day 3 began on a positive note with a win. In Round 7, I played against IM Meri Arabidze, but a passive endgame approach cost me the game.
I managed to bounce back with wins in Rounds 8 and 10, though I missed a winning rook move in the final round, ending with a score of 6/11.
While my rapid performance left room for improvement, the tournament was an invaluable learning experience.
Congratulations to Anna Ushenina to win the European Rapid Championship 2024!
Rapid standings: https://chess-results.com/tnr1025765.aspx?lan=1&art=1&rd=11&turdet=YES&flag=30
Exploring Monaco and the Journey Home
Beyond the chessboard, this was my first visit to Monaco, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The stunning views and vibrant atmosphere made the trip even more special.
Our journey home, however, turned into an adventure of its own. After a delayed flight from Nice to Zurich, we arrived at Zurich Airport just ten minutes before our connecting flight to Dublin was scheduled to depart. We assumed we’d missed it, but to our relief, a staff member holding a “Dublin” sign guided us and a few others through passport control. We made it onto the plane just in time!
Final Thoughts
Competing in the European Women’s Rapid and Blitz Championship was a fantastic experience. While I didn’t achieve the results I hoped for, I gained valuable insights and memories. I’m already looking forward to future tournaments and continuing to grow as a player.