European Senior Chess Championship 2026 - Over 50 - Open

SwissStandard

88 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 02 Jun 2026 to 10 Jun 2026 in Acqui Terme, Italy. 36 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2406, and top seed was Jean-Marc Degraeve (🇫🇷 FRA, GM, 2494).

Jean-Marc Degraeve (🇫🇷 FRA, GM, 2494) won with 7.0/9, ahead of Daniel W Gormally (6.5) and Martin Mrva (6.5). Degraeve won solo starting round 8.

The biggest upset came in round 8: Pascal Bignonneau (1645) beat Andrea Carosso (1926), a +281-point gap.

Location

🇮🇹Acqui Terme, Italy

Dates

02 Jun 2026 → 10 Jun 2026

Time control

Standard: 90min/40moves+30min/end+30sec increment per move starting from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇫🇷GMJean-Marc Degraeve2494

Avg top 10

2,406

Participants

Titled players · 36

GM×6

IM×14

FM×13

CM×3

Federations · 8 represented

🇮🇹Italy×26

🇫🇷France×10

🇳🇱Netherlands×7

🇪🇸Spain×6

🇩🇪Germany×6

🇬🇧England×5

🇧🇪Belgium×3

🇮🇸Iceland×3

Top 3

🥇
GMJean-Marc Degraeve
🇫🇷FRA·2494
7.0pts·2535perf+6.1
🥈
GMDaniel W Gormally
🇬🇧ENG·2391
6.5pts·2421perf+5.5
🥉
GMMartin Mrva
🇸🇰SVK·2354
6.5pts·2408perf+8.4

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

GM Jean-Marc Degraeve led from R8; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 8 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R8.

Co-leaders

Degraeve7Berend6.5Lacasa Diaz6.5Gormally6.5Thirion6.5Mrva6.5

R8–R9 · LEAD HELD

GM Jean-Marc Degraeve held the sole lead from R8 through R9 without losing it.

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

GM Jean-Marc Degraeve 3 wins (R1–R3)IM Fred Berend 4 wins (R2–R5)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMJean-Marc Degraeve	*	—	—	1
2IMFred Berend	—	*	½	½
3IMJosep Anton Lacasa Diaz	—	½	*	—
4GMDaniel W Gormally	0	½	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Degraeve, Jean-MarcGM	2494	FRA	+32B	+18N	+3B	=9N	+2B	=7N	+10B	=4B	=8N	7.0	49.0	54.0	41.75	2535	+6.1
2	Gormally, Daniel WGM	2391	ENG	+57N	+16B	+28N	=7B	−1N	+17B	=5N	+3B	=4N	6.5	48.5	52.0	35.50	2421	+5.5
3	Mrva, MartinGM	2354	SVK	+30B	+4N	−1N	+20B	+25N	+16B	+7B	−2N	=13B	6.5	48.0	53.0	36.50	2408	+8.4
4	Thirion, Marcel	2094	BEL	+81N	−3B	+74N	+15B	+26B	=11N	+28B	=1N	=2B	6.5	45.0	47.0	30.75	2388	+68.6
5	Berend, FredIM	2208	LUX	=79B	+83N	+40B	+12N	+11B	−10N	=2B	=6N	+26B	6.5	43.0	44.5	30.75	2381	+22.5
6	Lacasa Diaz, Josep AntonIM	2325	ESP	=35N	+50B	=82N	+33B	=22N	=9B	+29N	=5B	+7N	6.5	42.5	44.5	32.25	2351	+5.0
7	Danielsen, HenrikGM	2466	ISL	+63B	+19N	+14B	=2N	+9B	=1B	−3N	+10N	−6B	6.0	50.0	53.5	33.75	2452	0.0
8	Sielecki, ChristofIM	2385	GER	+34B	+51N	+24B	=11N	=10B	=28N	=12B	=13N	=1B	6.0	46.0	50.0	32.00	2400	+3.8
9	Lauber, ArndIM	2397	GER	+52B	+49N	+27B	=1B	−7N	=6N	=19B	=18N	+24B	6.0	44.5	48.5	30.25	2346	-3.5
10	Hjartarson, JohannGM	2467	ISL	+31N	=82B	+59N	+17B	=8N	+5B	−1N	−7B	+22N	6.0	44.5	46.5	29.50	2393	-5.9
11	Thorhallsson, ThrosturGM	2397	ISL	+41N	+29B	+69N	=8B	−5N	=4B	−16N	+33B	+36N	6.0	44.0	47.5	29.25	2292	-9.7
12	Van der Werf, MarkIM	2384	NED	+42N	+20B	=25N	−5B	+36N	=22B	=8N	=28B	+23N	6.0	43.0	47.5	30.50	2300	-7.7
13	Roobol, MartinFM	2308	NED	+37N	=38B	+36N	=25B	−16N	+23B	+50N	=8B	=3N	6.0	42.5	46.5	30.00	2269	-5.2
14	Collutiis, DuilioIM	2317	ITA	+39N	+33B	−7N	=38B	=23N	=59B	+31N	+16B	=15N	6.0	41.5	45.0	29.50	2253	-5.1
15	Zeller, FrankIM	2309	GER	+78B	−24N	+58B	−4N	+34B	=27N	+48B	+19N	=14B	6.0	40.5	43.0	26.00	2212	-8.8
16	Van den Bersselaar, Jeroen	2132	NED	+55B	−2N	+30B	+71N	+13B	−3N	+11B	−14N	=21B	5.5	45.5	48.5	26.75	2282	+36.4
17	Rahal Vives, Michael AnthonyIM	2298	ESP	+62B	=40N	+44B	−10N	+24B	−2N	+32B	=27N	=18B	5.5	42.0	45.5	25.50	2237	-5.3
18	Estremera Panos, SergioIM	2184	ESP	+46N	−1B	=41N	+57B	=39N	=31B	+38N	=9B	=17N	5.5	41.5	45.0	25.25	2185	+1.4
19	Melikhov, Evgeny V.FM	2136	GRE	+43N	−7B	−39N	+74B	+41N	+37B	=9N	−15B	+45N	5.5	41.0	44.0	24.50	2142	+3.4
20	Markowski, DamianFM	2108	POL	+67B	−12N	+78B	−3N	+30B	=69B	+43N	−21N	+39B	5.5	39.0	41.5	21.75	2157	+14.0
21	Valgmae, ToomasCM	2270	EST	+60N	−59B	+31N	=23B	=38N	−50B	+41N	+20B	=16N	5.5	37.5	41.0	26.00	2117	-31.2
22	Mannion, Stephen RIM	2220	SCO	+53N	=23B	=38N	+50B	=6B	=12N	=27B	=24N	−10B	5.0	42.0	46.0	24.00	2207	-1.1
23	Delaney, JohnFM	2054	IRL	+66B	=22N	=26B	=21N	=14B	−13N	+42B	+49N	−12B	5.0	42.0	45.5	22.75	2205	+35.4
24	Fabiano, Giuseppe EdoardoFM	2081	ITA	+88N	+15B	−8N	=29B	−17N	+60B	+25N	=22B	−9N	5.0	42.0	42.5	20.00	2218	+32.6
25	Van Ketel, RaoulFM	2234	NED	+47B	+58N	=12B	=13N	−3B	=40N	−24B	+50B	=31N	5.0	41.5	45.0	22.75	2159	-15.4
26	Wallner, JoachimFM	2251	AUT	=45N	+35B	=23N	+59B	−4N	=38B	+39N	=36B	−5N	5.0	41.5	45.0	22.50	2089	-17.6
27	Dunnington, Angus JIM	2196	SCO	+74N	+54B	−9N	=39B	+35N	=15B	=22N	=17B	F	5.0	41.0	44.0	22.50	2218	+3.6
28	Dishman, StephenFM	2259	ENG	+75B	+71N	−2B	+48N	+49B	=8B	−4N	=12N	F	5.0	41.0	44.0	20.00	2267	+3.6
29	Adrian, ClaudeIM	2146	FRA	+65B	−11N	+34B	=24N	=40B	+49N	−6B	=44N	=30B	5.0	40.5	44.0	22.00	2132	-1.4
30	Beccaris, Gabriele	1940	ITA	−3N	+64B	−16N	+61B	−20N	=46B	+73N	+38B	=29N	5.0	38.5	41.5	19.25	2039	+20.8
31	Verdier, PatriceFM	1984	MNC	−10B	+77N	−21B	+72N	+53B	=18N	−14B	+61N	=25B	5.0	38.5	41.5	18.75	2107	+25.0
32	Sudharsan, Krishnan	1992	DEN	−1N	=73B	+76N	+45B	−69N	+47B	−17N	+43B	=37N	5.0	37.5	40.5	20.50	2049	+9.6
33	Paasikangas, JohannaFM	2094	FIN	+72B	−14N	+62B	−6N	=78B	=42N	+34B	−11N	+76B	5.0	37.5	40.0	18.00	2067	-4.6
34	Brionne, Thierry	1947	FRA	−8N	+61B	−29N	+64B	−15N	+73B	−33N	+53B	+54N	5.0	37.0	40.0	18.00	2056	+22.2
35	Van Ree, Thailo	1940	NED	=6B	−26N	+83B	+51N	−27B	−48N	+62B	=40N	+71B	5.0	35.5	37.0	17.50	2128	+41.2
36	Tocchioni, DorianoFM	2119	ITA	=83B	+79N	−13B	+75N	−12B	+78N	+40B	=26N	−11B	5.0	35.5	37.0	15.75	2139	+5.2
37	Courbi, Stephane	1924	FRA	−13B	+68N	−49B	+77N	+71B	−19N	=51B	+58N	=32B	5.0	34.5	37.5	17.50	2059	+30.4
38	Poess, Frank	2093	GER	+80B	=13N	=22B	=14N	=21B	=26N	−18B	−30N	+61B	4.5	41.5	44.0	19.75	2106	+11.6
39	Conde Gomez, Diego 1976	1933	ESP	−14B	+72N	+19B	=27N	=18B	=44N	−26B	+51N	−20N	4.5	41.0	44.0	20.00	2126	+41.8
40	Kindt, Manfred	2049	NED	+84N	=17B	−5N	+60B	=29N	=25B	−36N	=35B	=42N	4.5	40.0	41.5	17.50	2049	+1.4
41	Schmahl, Stephan	1975	SUI	−11B	+65N	=18B	=43N	−19B	+75N	−21B	=47N	+68B	4.5	38.5	41.5	17.25	2001	+4.0
42	Riekenbrauk, Joerg	1941	GER	−12B	=67N	+55B	=44N	=48B	=33B	−23N	+72N	=40B	4.5	36.5	39.5	17.75	2002	+12.8
43	Urios Hernandez, Ramon	1818	ESP	−19B	=52N	+70B	=41B	=57N	+63N	−20B	−32N	+66B	4.5	35.0	38.5	16.50	1961	+32.8
44	Luciani, ValerioFM	2130	ITA	=73N	+45B	−17N	=42B	=52N	=39B	+57N	=29B	F	4.5	34.5	34.5	18.50	2032	-18.0
45	Giudici, Alberto	1887	ITA	=26B	−44N	+66B	−32N	+65B	=58N	=71B	+63N	−19B	4.5	34.0	37.0	16.25	1996	+24.4
46	Warnk, Torsten	1822	GER	−18B	+63N	−48B	−58N	+68B	=30N	+70B	=71N	=51B	4.5	32.5	35.5	16.50	1989	+36.8
47	McMahon, Paul	1881	ENG	−25N	+84B	−52N	+54B	=58B	−32N	=72N	=41B	+64N	4.5	32.5	34.0	14.50	1917	+7.8
48	Kirszenberg, MarcCM	2088	FRA	+56N	−69B	+46N	−28B	=42N	+35B	−15N	=52B	F	4.0	37.0	40.5	17.75	2029	-10.2
49	Lasinskas, PovilasFM	2109	LTU	+64N	−9B	+37N	+69B	−28N	−29B	+59N	−23B	F	4.0	37.0	40.5	15.50	2117	+2.0
50	Termeulen, Albert	2004	NED	+85B	−6N	+87B	−22N	+75B	+21N	−13B	−25N	F	4.0	36.5	37.5	11.00	2072	+10.8
51	Coste, Thierry	2103	FRA	+76N	−8B	=53N	−35B	+83N	=52B	=37N	−39B	=46N	4.0	36.0	37.5	13.25	1884	-48.4
52	Blanchard, Samuel	1952	FRA	−9N	=43B	+47B	=53N	=44B	=51N	=58B	=48N	F	4.0	35.5	39.0	16.75	2030	+13.8
53	Mazzetta, Renato	1868	ITA	−22B	+86N	=51B	=52B	−31N	−71N	+67B	−34N	+72B	4.0	32.5	33.5	11.50	1866	0.0
54	Benoit, Hugues	2034	FRA	+86B	−27N	−75B	−47N	+64B	−62N	+77B	+60N	−34B	4.0	31.0	32.0	11.00	1841	-43.0
55	Dieli, Riccardo	1807	ITA	−16N	=57B	−42N	−56B	=67N	=80B	=81N	+86N	+78B	4.0	28.0	29.0	9.25	1748	-13.8
56	Bignonneau, Pascal	1645	FRA	−48B	−62N	=65B	+55N	−63B	−70N	+88B	+78N	=60B	4.0	28.0	28.5	10.50	1843	+41.2
57	Celli, Ugo	1949	ITA	−2B	=55N	+79B	−18N	=43B	+74N	−44B	−76N	=65B	3.5	34.5	37.0	11.50	1871	-22.4
58	Genovese, Alberto	1998	ITA	+87N	−25B	−15N	+46B	=47N	=45B	=52N	−37B	F	3.5	34.5	34.5	12.00	1899	-20.8
59	Di Fonzo, ValerioCM	2083	ITA	+68B	+21N	−10B	−26N	+62B	=14N	−49B	F	F	3.5	33.5	33.5	15.50	2146	+11.4
60	Hermes, Geoff R	1903	ENG	−21B	=66N	+67B	−40N	+79B	−24N	=76B	−54B	=56N	3.5	33.0	35.5	11.25	1813	-22.8
61	Ronzano, Luca	1774	ITA	F	−34N	+68B	−30N	=72B	+66N	+78B	−31B	−38N	3.5	32.0	32.0	11.00	1814	+6.2
62	Cristiani, Cesare	1923	ITA	−17N	+56B	−33N	+87B	−59N	+54B	−35N	=64B	F	3.5	31.5	31.5	10.75	1875	-10.8
63	Gibbs, Dominic V	1981	ENG	−7N	−46B	+81N	=73B	+56N	−43B	+79N	−45B	F	3.5	31.0	31.0	10.00	1816	-35.8
64	Morselli, Stefano	1745	ITA	−49B	−30N	+86B	−34N	−54N	+84B	+75B	=62N	−47B	3.5	30.5	31.5	7.25	1790	+7.2
65	Visse, Bernard	1821	BEL	−29N	−41B	=56N	+76B	−45N	−72B	=80N	+81B	=57N	3.5	30.0	32.0	10.00	1735	-22.6
66	Pascal, Frederic	1621	FRA	−23N	=60B	−45N	+81B	−73N	−61B	+84N	+74B	−43N	3.5	29.0	30.5	8.25	1733	+21.8
67	Mirza, Gabriel	1741	IRL	−20N	=42B	−60N	−79N	=55B	+87B	−53N	=77N	+86B	3.5	28.0	29.0	7.75	1711	-7.6
68	Pomante, Sergio	1633	ITA	−59N	−37B	−61N	+88B	−46N	+85B	=74N	+79B	−41N	3.5	28.0	28.5	6.00	1736	+18.8
69	Sylvan, JacobIM	2324	DEN	+70B	+48N	−11B	−49N	+32B	=20N	F	F	F	3.5	28.0	28.0	15.25	2162	-10.4
70	Bartolozzi, Roberto	1938	ITA	−69N	=76B	−43N	−83B	+87N	+56B	−46N	+73B	F	3.5	25.0	25.0	9.50	1746	-38.0
71	Sayrol Clols, Josep Maria	2033	ESP	F	−28B	+73N	−16B	−37N	+53B	=45N	=46B	−35N	3.0	36.5	36.5	11.50	1867	-36.6
72	Rapaire, Jean-Michel	1710	MNC	−33N	−39B	+88N	−31B	=61N	+65N	=47B	−42B	−53N	3.0	34.5	35.0	8.00	1756	+7.6
73	Gheury, Jean-Marie	1803	BEL	=44B	=32N	−71B	=63N	+66B	−34N	−30B	−70N	=75B	3.0	33.0	36.0	11.50	1816	+1.4
74	Novak, Vjekoslav	1853	IRL	−27B	+85N	−4B	−19N	+80N	−57B	=68B	−66N	=77B	3.0	33.0	34.5	7.25	1717	-32.4
75	Dizdar, Orkun	1890	TUR	−28N	+88B	+54N	−36B	−50N	−41B	−64N	=80B	=73N	3.0	31.5	32.0	7.25	1788	-25.4
76	Kopelevitch, Eli	1729	ISR	−51B	=70N	−32B	−65N	+86B	F	=60N	+57B	−33N	3.0	29.5	30.5	8.00	1824	+14.6
77	Porfireanu, Serban	1835	ROU	−82N	−31B	+80N	−37B	+84N	−79B	−54N	=67B	=74N	3.0	27.5	29.0	7.25	1747	-22.2
78	Carosso, Andrea	1926	ITA	−15N	+81B	−20N	+84B	=33N	−36B	−61N	−56B	−55N	2.5	35.0	36.5	6.00	1736	-45.4
79	Thoux, Claudio	1865	ITA	=5N	−36B	−57N	+67B	−60N	+77N	−63B	−68N	F	2.5	32.0	32.0	9.75	1780	-19.6
80	Verbena, Bruno Lorenzo	1648	ITA	−38N	F	−77B	+86N	−74B	=55N	=65B	=75N	F	2.5	22.0	22.0	6.25	1719	+18.0
81	Caputo, Andrea	1648	ITA	−4B	−78N	−63B	−66N	+85B	=88N	=55B	−65N	F	2.0	25.5	25.5	3.75	1594	-14.6
82	Mantovani, RenzoIM	2187	ITA	+77B	=10N	=6B	F	F	F	F	F	F	2.0	15.5	15.5	9.25	2334	+6.4
83	Madeo, Carlo Alberto	1794	ITA	=36N	−5B	−35N	+70N	−51B	F	F	F	F	1.5	27.0	27.0	6.00	1910	+21.6
84	Bortot, Davide	1613	ITA	−40B	−47N	F	−78N	−77B	−64N	−66B	=85N	+88B	1.5	23.5	23.5	1.25	1514	-43.6
85	Guglieri, Luca	1464	ITA	−50N	−74B	F	F	−81N	−68N	F	=84B	+87N	1.5	15.0	15.0	1.75	1356	-20.4
86	Colotti, Cinzia	1490	ITA	−54N	−53B	−64N	−80B	−76N	F	+87N	−55B	−67N	1.0	25.5	25.5	1.00	975	-46.8
87	FIDE 552012948	0	—	−58B	F	−50N	−62N	−70B	−67N	−86B	+88N	−85B	1.0	21.0	21.0	0.50	1452	0.0
88	Vinciguerra, Riccardo	1631	ITA	−24B	−75N	−72B	−68N	F	=81B	−56N	−87B	−84N	0.5	23.0	23.0	1.00	1317	-42.8

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Thirion, MarcelBEL
+68.6
6.5 pts · #5
2Conde Gomez, Diego 1976ESP
+41.8
4.5 pts · #43
3Bignonneau, PascalFRA
+41.2
4.0 pts · #54

Top rating losers

1Coste, ThierryFRA
-48.4
4.0 pts · #50
2Colotti, CinziaITA
-46.8
1.0 pts · #88
3Carosso, AndreaITA
-45.4
2.5 pts · #77

Biggest upsets

R8+281 Elo gap
Bignonneau, Pascal1645 beat Carosso, Andrea1926
R6+266 Elo gap
Termeulen, Albert2004 beat CMValgmae, Toomas2270
R7+265 Elo gap
Van den Bersselaar, Jeroen2132 beat GMThorhallsson, Throstur2397