Shogi Berlin was at the European Championship

This year the European Open Championship (WOSC) took place again in Germany, in Ludwigshafen to be exact. Integrated in the WOSC is the European Championship (short ESC). This is a knockout tournament which allows the best 32 European players to participate, to determine the European champion.

European Champion for the first time is Zakrzheuski Uladzislau, the currently strongest German player finished in 4th place.

All results and further information can be viewed on the official site

The Berlin club arrived with 4 players and met on Wednesday evening. On Thursday the team and blitz tournament took place.

The team tournament consists of teams of 3 players each. In the blitz tournament everyone has a time of 8min each without byoyomi. Because of the short time this tournament is not rated at the FESA.

Originally it was planned that we start with one team, Unfortunately, some found out early that the effort for the organization is greater than expected, so Berlin did not participate as a team.

After the initial phase died down, everyone still played the Blitz tournament in the evening. Unfortunately none of us had the luck to play against a professional shogi player (with handicap).

From Friday the main tournament started. Berlin had only one participant for the ESC, the second was just under the best 32 players. The chances were slim and so Berlin was eliminated from the ESC in the second round.

All of them won about half of their games and now the task is to develop a new strength from the lost games.