Over a week of competition, an international line-up and unique stories of the participants: from 2 to 10 August 2025, the University of Gdańsk hosted the 55th anniversary tournament, consisting of four categories: open (classic chess), blitz (lightning chess), rapid (fast chess) and a classification tournament for chess categories II and III. The entire tournament was refereed by FIDE-FA referee Jan Kozak. The event was organised by the Centre for Student and Doctoral Activities at the University of Gdańsk and the University of Gdańsk Student Parliament.

Open Tournament - the main event

The main point of the programme was the Open Tournament, played in an accelerated Swiss system. It featured 41 players from Poland, the Czech Republic and Spain. The high level of play and friendly atmosphere attracted both experienced chess players with international titles and young talents and debutants.

First place went to Damian Markowski (FM - FIDE master), who scored 5.5 points. Second place, also with 5.5 points, went to Łukasz Kumor, and the podium was completed by Jerzy Kot (FM) - also with 5.5 points. The final ranking was decided by auxiliary scoring.

The tournament was full of inspiring stories from the participants - from returning to Europe after many years, to family reunions, to expressions of appreciation for the organisation. Marc Calonge Fabregat from Australia said that participating in the event allowed him to visit his brother living in Gdańsk and play with him in the unique setting of the University of Gdańsk Library. The parents of brothers Nicholas and Leo Kowalski Rubiales emphasised that although they live in Spain, the tournament was a great opportunity for them to combine a family visit with their passion for chess. Miroslav Hurta from the Czech Republic praised the professional organisation and expressed his hope to return next year.

Accompanying tournaments - rapid and blitz

On 6 August 2025, rapid and blitz chess tournaments were held as accompanying events to the open tournament.

The rapid tournament attracted 61 players, while the blitz tournament attracted as many as 73. Both tournaments had an international line-up, with representatives from Belgium, Spain, Lithuania, South Korea and Poland taking part.

The following players deserve special mention:

- Paweł Teclaf (GM) - current Polish champion in classical chess, winner of both tournaments,

- Daniel Dardha (GM) - four-time Belgian champion and the youngest grandmaster in the history of that country,

- Hyuk Lee - world-class pianist from South Korea, winner of prestigious music competitions, whose participation at the chessboard was a unique combination of the worlds of culture and sport.

There were also family stories. Tautvydas Vedrickas (FM) from Lithuania, while on holiday in Ustka, decided to spontaneously come to Gdańsk with his wife and two sons, who also took part in the competition.

Tournament for the second and third chess categories - young talents and promotions in the rankings

The final touch to the competition for the 55th Anniversary Cup of the University of Gdańsk was a tournament for the 2nd and 3rd chess categories, which took place on 9-10 August at the Main Library of the University of Gdańsk. Forty-eight chess players from all over Poland took part in the competition, which was played at a pace of 30'+30".

The winner was Franciszek Zięba (UKS at SP 8 in Chrzanów), who finished the tournament with 6.5 points. Second place went to Krzysztof Gadawski (5.5 points), and third place to Konrad Krajdocha from UKS ‘MDK Gdynia’ (5.5 points). The final ranking was decided by small points. The prize for the best female player went to Natalia Toczyńska from KUKS Remus, who scored 4 points.

It is worth noting that as many as 15 players finished the tournament with a score that allowed them to advance to a higher chess category, which confirms the high level and great commitment of the participants.

Final results

OPEN tournament (41 players):

1. Damian Markowski (FM) - 5.5 points

2. Łukasz Kumor - 5.5 points

3. Jerzy Kot (FM) - 5.5 points

4. Jan Paluszek - 5.0 points

5. Robert Bugajski - 5.0 points

6. Mirosław Melczarski - 4.5 points

7. Robert Jodłowski - 4.5 points

8. Kazimierz Marszk (FM) - 4.5 points

9. Paulina Kaczmarek - 4.5 points

10. Nicholas Kowalski Rubiales – 4.0 points

BLITZ tournament (73 players):

1. Paweł Teclaf (GM) – 9.0 points

2. Karol Kacprzak (FM) – 9.0 points

3. Daniel Dardha (GM) – 9.0 points

4. Piotr Brodowski (IM) - 8.0 points

5. Kacper Kacprzak (FM) - 7.5 points

6. Wojciech Putlak - 7.5 points

7. Tautvydas Vedrickas (FM) - 7.0 points

8. Kacper Żochowski (FM) - 7.0 points

9. Michał Kozłowski – 7.0 points

10. Adrian Budzisz (CM) – 7.0 points

RAPID tournament (61 players):

1. Paweł Teclaf (GM) – 8.5 points

2. Daniel Dardha (GM) – 8.5 points

3. Michał Kozłowski - 6.5 points

4. Piotr Brodowski (IM) - 6.0 points

5. Patryk Trzebiński - 6.0 points

6. Adrian Budzisz (CM) - 6.0 points

7. Nicholas Kowalski Rubiales - 6.0 points

8. Wojciech Putlak - 6.0 points

9. Liwia Jarocka (FM) – 5.5 points

10. Maciej Adamczewski – 5.5 points

A word from the tournament director

– For me, this series was more than just a set of competitions – it was a celebration of chess at its best. Each tournament had its own unique atmosphere and heroes, and meeting such a diverse group of participants showed that chess brings people together across borders and generations. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the organisation and made these days memorable. Special thanks go to the Director of the Library, Prof. Arnold Kłonczyński, for welcoming us to the library building, as well as to Mr Łukasz Dziubanik and Ms Monika Nikołajska from the administration of the University of Gdańsk Library for their truly fantastic cooperation in organising the tournament," said Kacper Wiśniewski, director of the 55th Anniversary of the University of Gdańsk Cup Tournament.

Photos: Łukasz Bień, Rafał Mielczarek, Kacper Wiśniewski