European Team Championship
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The European Team Championship (often abbreviated in texts and games databases as ETC) is an international team chess event, eligible for the participation of European nations whose chess federations are located in zones 1.1 to 1.9. This more or less accords with the wider definition of Europe used in other events such as the Eurovision Song Contest and includes Israel, Russia and the former Soviet States. The competition is run under the auspices of FIDE.
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[edit] Championship history
The idea was conceived in the early 1950s, when chess organisers became aware of the need for another international team event. Consequently, a men-only Championship was devised and held every four years, with the intention of filling in the gaps between Olympiads. More recently, the Championship has grown in importance and popularity and is regarded as a prestigious tournament in its own right, providing for male and female participants.
The first Championship Final was held in Vienna and Baden bei Wien in 1957 (August 22-28). It was a double round robin and notable for the surprise victory of the Yugoslav team over the mighty Soviet team in their second encounter.
For the next twenty years, Championships occurred at four-year intervals, although the Kapfenberg event was delayed by a year. Since 1977, successive tournaments have mainly been held on a three and then a two-year cycle. A Women's Championship, following the same cycle and venues as the men's, was established at Debrecen in 1992.
[edit] Championship format
Over the early years, the formula altered incrementally, to allow the participation of a growing number of teams. At the inaugural event, only four places were made available for the Finals and some teams expected to do well, simply failed to qualify from the preliminary rounds. By 1973, the competition had expanded to roughly double the size and there were twenty-four nations in the preliminaries, competing for eight places in the Finals, held in Bath. Conversely, over the same period, the number of boards played in a match was reduced from 10 to 8, presumably to reduce costs for organisers and participatory federations.
Into the new millennium, the format has changed radically and is now based on a Swiss system in 9 rounds, on the model of the Olympiad, with one section for the men's teams and one section for the women's teams, considered as separate competitions. At Gothenburg in 2005, the men's competition comprised 40 teams (including Sweden B and Sweden C) and the women's competition, 26 teams (including Sweden B). Each round was contested over 4 boards and squads included a reserve.
Historically, teams played for the pleasure of winning the Europa Cup, but nowadays this has been overshadowed by the popular medal-winning format of the 'Olympics' and Chess Olympiad. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded to the top 3 teams and also as board prizes for outstanding individual performances.
Plovdiv 2003 heralded a major change in the scoring methodology. Both the men's and women's events were, for the first time, scored by total of match points, rather than game points as had previously been the case. Game points are still recorded for purposes of tie-splitting.
The 2007 event will be hosted by Greece.
[edit] Summary of results
Men's ETC victors
| Location/year | Result |
|---|---|
| Gothenburg 2005 | 1st Netherlands 15 2nd Israel 14 3rd France 13 |
| Plovdiv 2003 | 1st Russia 17 2nd Israel 15 3rd Georgia 13 |
| Leon 2001 | 1st Netherlands 24.5 2nd France 23 3rd Germany 22 |
| Batumi 1999 | 1st Armenia 22.5 2nd Hungary 22 3rd Germany 21 |
| Pula 1997 | 1st England 22.5 2nd Russia 22.5 3rd Armenia 22 |
| Debrecen 1992 | 1st Russia 25 2nd Ukraine 22.5 3rd England 21.5 |
| Haifa 1989 | 1st USSR 36 2nd Yugoslavia 33 3rd West Germany 31.5 |
| Plovdiv 1983 | 1st USSR 38 2nd Yugoslavia 33 3rd Hungary 31 |
| Skara 1980 | 1st USSR 36.5 2nd Hungary 29 3rd England 28.5 |
| Moscow 1977 | 1st USSR 41.5 2nd Hungary 31 3rd Yugoslavia 30 |
| Bath 1973 | 1st USSR 40.5 2nd Yugoslavia 34 3rd Hungary 33 |
| Kapfenberg 1970 | 1st USSR 52.5 2nd Hungary 41 3rd East Germany 39.5 |
| Hamburg 1965 | 1st USSR 66 2nd Yugoslavia 57 3rd Hungary 57 |
| Oberhausen 1961 | 1st USSR 74.5 2nd Yugoslavia 58.5 3rd Hungary 53 |
| Vienna 1957 | 1st USSR 41 2nd Yugoslavia 34 3rd Czechoslovakia 24.5 |
Women's ETC victors
| Location/year | Result |
|---|---|
| Gothenburg 2005 | 1st Poland 15 2nd Georgia 14 3rd Russia 12 |
| Plovdiv 2003 | 1st Armenia 14 2nd Hungary 14 3rd Russia 13 |
| Leon 2001 | 1st France 12.5 2nd Moldova 12 3rd England 12 |
| Batumi 1999 | 1st Slovakia 12.5 2nd Yugoslavia 12 3rd Romania 12 |
| Pula 1997 | 1st Georgia 13 2nd Romania 12 3rd England 12 |
| Debrecen 1992 | 1st Ukraine 13.5 2nd Georgia 13 3rd Azerbaijan 12.5 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Sunnucks, Anne (1970). The Encyclopaedia of Chess. St. Martin's. ISBN 0-7091-1030-8.
- Kazić, Bozidar M. (1974). International Championship Chess. Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-2795-7.
