Ukraine was the most successful nation at this week’s European Team Championships, winning gold in the open event and silver in the women’s. It also sparked one of the most memorable results of recent years, as Igor Kovalenko, a serving army soldier who played no chess for three years, won the individual gold on fourth board with 6.5/8, the best percentage of the entire tournament.
Kovalenko’s games included a key win against Serbia’s 2024 European individual champion, Aleksander Indjic, and a draw with Gawain Maroroa Jones in the final round when the Englishman was in pole position for third board gold.
