Batsiashvili beats Kosteniuk to win European Women’s Rapid title

The European Women’s Rapid Championship, held over the weekend in Monte-Carlo, brought together 143 players from 30 countries for an 11-round Swiss at a 15+10 time control. After leading for much of the tournament, Alexandra Kosteniuk was overtaken in the final round by Nino Batsiashvili, who secured the title on tiebreaks. The event also featured an undefeated run by ten-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan and a closely contested fight for the remaining podium places. | Pictured: Kosteniuk, Batsiashvili and third-placed Sofio Gvetadze. | Photo: European Chess Union