The European Senior Team Chess Championship 2026 concluded yesterday in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece!
The event took place from 26 August – 5 September at the Hotel Royal Belvedere in Hersonissos, gathering 32 teams and 150 players competing in two age categories: 50+ and 65+. Each tournament was played in 9 rounds, swiss system, with the classical time control, with the participation of legendary Grandmasters.
England 1 clinched the title in the Open 50+ section, scoring convincing 17 match points (8 match wins and 1 drawn match). Italy followed with 16 match points and won silver medal, while Netherlands and Slovakia tied for the third place with 13 match points each. Netherlands had better tiebreak criteria and claimed the bronze medal, while Slovakia finished in the fourth place.
After nine played rounds in the Open 65+ section, Slovenia and England 1 tied for the first place scoring 16 match points each. The tiebreak criteria determined the winner, and it was Slovenia who won the gold medal, while England 1 claimed silver. Italy followed with the score of 15 match points and clinched bronze.
Competing in Open 50+ category, England’s women’s team was crowned European Women’s Senior Team Champion 2026.
Final rankings of both sections can be found here.
The Closing ceremony of the event took place yesterday evening with the attendance of the ECU Director of Strategic Projects Ms. Nina Rob, the ECU Honorary Vice President Mr. Malcolm Pein, and representatives of the Municipality of Hersonissos, who awarded the Winners and Medalists.
The best individual players of each board in each section were awarded with medals.
Open 50+ section:
Board 1: 1.GM Michele Godena (ITA); 2.GM Lubomir Ftacnik (SVK); 3.GM Stuart Conquest (ENG)
Board 2: 1.GM Daniel Gormally (ENG); 2.GM Alberto David (ITA); 3.IM Mark Van Der Werf (NED)
Board 3: 1.IM Fabrizio Bellia (ITA); 2.GM Mark Hebden (ENG); 3.IM Martin Martens (NED)
Board 4: 1.GM John Emms (ENG); 2.IM Carlo D’amore (ITA); 3.FM Claudiu Andrei Zetocha (SVK)
Board 5: 1.IM Graeme Buckley (ENG); 2.Clive Frostick (ENG); 3.IM Giulio Borgo (ITA)
Open 65+ section:
Board 1: 1.GM Carlos Horacio Garcia Palermo (ITA); 2.GM John Nunn (ENG); 3.GM Alexander Beliavsky (SLO)
Board 2: 1.GM Lexy Ortega (ITA); 2.GM Anthony Kosten (ENG); 3.Paul Townsend (ENG)
Board 3: 1.IM Leon Mazi (SLO); 2.FM Markky Henttinen (FIN); 3.FM Mario Sibilio (ITA)
Board 4: 1.IM Vojko Mencinger (SLO); 2.FM Ivano Ceschia (ITA); 3.Edgar Wilson (ENG)
Board 5: 1.IM Peter Large (ENG); 2.FM Olivier Tassi (ITA); 3.Mats Lindgren (SWE)
Photos from closing ceremony (by Zetta Grapsa) can be found on the ECU Flickr account.
