From October 28 to November 8, 2025, I took part as an accompanying coach and trainer at the European Youth Chess Championship, held in Budva (Montenegro) across the Under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 age categories. More details are available on the official website: https://eycc25.me/.
The Italian delegation
Italy took part with 18 players, covering all categories. I specifically followed the Under 12 group.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Under 8 Open | Fabio Parolin, Edoardo Rissone |
| Under 8 Femminile | Elisa Rollo |
| Under 10 Open | Leonardo Della Penna, Alessandro Federico Bisetto, Tommaso Loberti |
| Under 10 Femminile | Olivia Ginevra Passuello |
| Under 12 Open | Riccardo Frigerio |
| Under 12 Femminile | Clio Alessi, Ria Arun |
| Under 14 Open | Edoardo Fulgentini |
| Under 14 Femminile | Lavinia Cara Romeo |
| Under 16 Open | Stefano Maldonado, Nicolas Perossa |
| Under 16 Femminile | Greta Viti |
| Under 18 Open | Lorenzo Fava, Leonardo Maglioni |
| Under 18 Femminile | Enrica Zito |
Accompanying staff: GM Danyyil Dvirnyy and FM Alessandro Santagati.
My daily work
Every morning, we held a group session with exercises aimed at improving observation, verification, and concentration. Afterwards, I organized individual lessons to analyze the games and correct any inaccuracies in openings and planning.
For the most critical rounds, I prepared specific analyses of the opponents, highlighting weaknesses and possible plans to adopt from the opening, allowing the players to enter the game with a clear idea.
The level of the tournament
The technical level was very high, with large and well-prepared delegations. Turkey, for example, fielded around 100 players, demonstrating the competitiveness and growth of the European youth chess movement.
The Most Significant Results of the Italian Players
- U8F – Elisa Rollo: 9ª
- U12F – Clio Alessi: 9ª
- U16F – Greta Viti: 8ª
- U16 – Nicolas Perossa: 8°
Questi piazzamenti in Top 10 europea confermano qualità e potenziale del gruppo.
Atmosphere, Relationships, and Growth
The atmosphere was very positive: strong team spirit, commitment, and a genuine willingness to work. Beyond the games, the players formed new friendships, exchanging small gifts and contact details to continue challenging each other online.
Final Reflection
For me, it was a great honor to accompany these young talents to Budva. We are starting from a solid technical foundation; with even more targeted and continuous preparation, I am confident that we will be able to aim for increasingly significant results in the coming years. Thanks to all the players, the parents, and the staff for their trust and collaboration.