The open championship of Slovakia in blitz chess took place in Skalica. Juraj Druska from Žilina and Ema Walterová from Bratislava won not only domestic titles, but also a ticket to the 2024 European Championships.
Druska dominated, Walter surprised
Almost 30-year-old Juraj Druska from Liptov left no one in doubt about his qualities. With a convincing lead of 1.5 points, he became the absolute winner of the tournament. Vladimír Bochnička from Bratislava and Milan Pacher from Modra finished behind him.
Only 21-year-old Ema Walterová triumphed in the women’s category. This talented Senča woman, currently studying in Belgium, surprised many with her performance. She was joined on stage by Lucia Ševčíková from Kysucké Nové Mest and Alena Mrvová from Košice.
The tournament was part of the 6th Chess Slovak Open, which is played as the main part of the Skalické Chess Festival. In addition to prestige, the winners also received financial rewards. The total prize pool of the festival reached a respectable 10,000 euros.
In addition to the title, the winners won a place at the December European Championships in Skopje, Macedonia. The costs of their participation will be covered by the Slovak Chess Association.