The 41st European Club Cup concluded in Budva, Montenegro after seven rounds of competition. Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club captured the open championship, narrowly defeating Novy Bor Chess Club in what proved to be a closely contested battle between the top seeds. Both teams finished with matching records, but Bayegan Pendik secured the title through tiebreak advantage.
Rishon LeZion A secured third place in the open section, while the second-seeded SuperChess Romania finished fourth. The tournament produced a remarkable individual achievement from Richard Pert, who started with a perfect score before encountering defeat in the final round, a result he will likely remember as a career highlight.
The women's competition saw Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo claim first place ahead of Gambit Bonnevoie and Sirmium Sremska Mitrovica. The top seeds lived up to their billing with a strong performance throughout the event, demonstrating the depth of talent within their ranks.
The true story of the women's tournament belonged to young Bodhana Sivanandan, who turned heads with a score of 5.5 out of 7 at just eleven years old. This achievement marks a historic milestone in women's chess, as she became the youngest female player to attain the International Master title, surpassing a record that had stood for decades. Her rating performance already indicated she was playing well above International Master strength, making the achievement appear almost inevitable in retrospect.