Armenia’s Elina Danielian Wins European Individual Women’s Chess Championship

LASI, ROMANIA — Armenia’s Elina Danielian has won the European Individual Women’s Chess Championship in the Romanian city of Iasi after a final-day victory over Estonia’s Mai Narva.

Danielian and Ukraine’s Iulija Osmak both had eight points going into the 11th round of fixtures, but Osmak’s second consecutive draw against Georgia’s second seed Bela Khotenashvili saw her have to settle for second place with an unbeaten record at the tournament and 8.5 points.

The fifteenth seed Danielian finished on nine points from a possible 11, and was also unbeaten having won seven and drawn four of her matches.

Poland’s Oliwia Kiolbasa, the 43rd seed, finished third after a draw with Ukrainian Nataliya Buksa.

Nine players finished the championship on 7.5 points, headed by Armenia’s Anna M. Sargsyan thanks to her win against Slovenia’s Laura Unuk.

The top 10 players have qualified for the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Women’s World Cup, while Sargsyan, as the best under-20 player, has earned a place at the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2021.