Three grandmasters, a newcomer and a Tyrolean home win
Innsbruck (OTS) – Three grandmasters and one newcomer will shape the state championships in rapid and blitz chess from May 30th to June 1st, 2024 as part of the Sport Austria Finals. Felix Blohberger, Dominik Horvath and David Shengelia show “GM strength” and win all six medals in the open class. In the women’s ranking, the Tyroleans are happy about a home win for Chiara Polterauer on the occasion of their 75th association anniversary. The sensation of the championships is the 21-year-old newcomer Mandukhai Myagmarsuren, who lives in Vienna.
Dominik Horvath and Chiara Polterauer win the rapid chess titles. The decision for the men was particularly exciting. The final round was opened by Sport Austria President Hans Niessl. He makes the first move for his Burgenland compatriot Dominik Horvath and obviously brings him luck. In the long-distance duel, Blohberger and Horvath are under pressure to win. The Burgenlander solves the task brilliantly, Blohberger loses his promising position to a draw. He has to be content with silver, bronze goes to David Shengelia.
The next day, Blohberger was able to turn the tables in blitz chess and win the gold medal ahead of Horvath and Shengelia. This time the grandmasters had to fight hard. Florian Schwabeneder and local hero Fabian Platzgummer play for the medals until the end. Only in a direct duel against Schwabender can Blohberger win the title, Schwabeneder falls back to the ungrateful fifth place.
In the women’s competition, Tyrolean Chiara Polterauer celebrated a home victory in rapid chess ahead of Myagmarsuren and Styrian Barbara Teuschler. In blitz chess, Myagmarsuren demonstrates her tactical quick-wittedness, ends up in the top 10 in the open class and sensationally wins the title of state champion. The Styrian Teuschler and Reka Horvath landed in the other medal places.
The organization received positive feedback. “We received a lot of praise, with the Austria Trend Hotel being a great location and great support from the Sport Austria Finals. We are happy that so many high-class athletes came,” says Tyrol’s state president Ina Anker in the Sportpass interview.
Questions & Contact:
Walter Kastner
Secretary General of the Austrian Chess Federation
Mobil: +43 664 8404804
Email: walter.kastner@chess.at