European Chess Union Explained

European Chess Union (ECU)
Size:	824 KB
Abbreviation:	ECU
Formation:	1985
Headquarters:	Hünenberg, Switzerland
Location:	Europe
Membership:	54 national federations
Leader Title:	President
Leader Name:	Zurab Azmaiparashvili
Website:	www.europechess.org

The European Chess Union (ECU) is an independent association for the interests of European chess. The European Chess Union was founded on August 30, 1985, with the organization's founding meeting taking place in Graz, Austria.^[1]

Board

The European Chess Union Board is elected for a four-year term. Its members for the 2022–2026 term are the following:^{[2] [3]}

• Zurab Azmaiparashvili – President
• Dana Reizniece-Ozola – Deputy President
• Gunnar Bjornsson – Vice President
• Malcolm Pein – Vice President
• Alojzije Jankovic – Vice President
• Eva Repková – Vice President
• Jean-Michel Rapaire – Vice President
• Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou – Secretary General
• Ion-Serban Dobronauteanu – Treasurer
• Vanja Draskovic – Honorary Vice President
• Johann Poecksteiner – Honorary Vice President

ECU presidents

• 1985-1986: Rolf Littorin, Sweden
• 1986-1998: Kurt Jungwirth, Austria
• 1998-2010: Boris Kutin, Slovenia
• 2010-2014: Silvio Danailov, Bulgaria
• 2014–present: Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Georgia

Member federations

• Albania – Albanian Chess Federation
• Andorra – Andorran Chess Federation
• Armenia – Chess Federation of Armenia
• Austria – Austrian Chess Federation
• Azerbaijan – Azerbaijan Chess Federation
• Belarus – Belarus Chess Federation (suspended)
• Belgium – Royal Belgian Chess Federation
• Bosnia and Herzegovina – Chess Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Croatia – Croatian Chess Federation
• Cyprus – Cyprus Chess Federation
• Czech Republic – Chess Federation of the Czech Republic
• Denmark – Danish Chess Union
• England – English Chess Federation
• Estonia – Estonian Chess Federation
• Faroe Islands – Faroese Chess Federation
• Finland – Finnish Chess Federation
• France – French Chess Federation
• Georgia – Georgian Chess Federation
• Germany – German Chess Federation
• Greece – Greek Chess Federation
• Guernsey – Guernsey Chess Federation
• Hungary – Hungarian Chess Federation
• Iceland – Icelandic Chess Federation
• Ireland – Irish Chess Union
• Israel – Israel Chess Federation
• Italy – Italian Chess Federation
• Jersey – Jersey Chess Federation
• Latvia – Latvian Chess Federation
• Liechtenstein – Liechtenstein Chess Federation
• Lithuania – Lithuanian Chess Federation
• Luxembourg – Luxembourg Chess Federation
• Malta – Malta Chess Federation
• Moldova – Moldova Chess Federation
• Monaco – Monaco Chess Federation
• Montenegro – Montenegro Chess Federation
• Netherlands – Royal Dutch Chess Federation
• North Macedonia – Chess Federation of Macedonia
• Norway – Norwegian Chess Federation
• Poland – Polish Chess Federation
• Portugal – Portuguese Chess Federation
• Romania – Romanian Chess Federation
• San Marino – San Marino Chess Federation
• Scotland – Chess Scotland
• Serbia – Chess Federation of Serbia
• Slovakia – Slovak Chess Federation
• Slovenia – Slovenian Chess Federation
• Spain – Spanish Chess Federation
• Sweden – Swedish Chess Federation
• Switzerland – Swiss Chess Federation
• Turkey – Turkish Chess Federation
• Ukraine – Ukrainian Chess Federation
• Wales – Welsh Chess Union

The Bulgarian Chess Federation was expelled on 10 September 2016.^{[4] [5]}

Belarus was suspended on 5 March 2022 in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[6] Russia (Russian Chess Federation) withdrew from the European Chess Union on 14 April 2022,^[7] and later joined the Asian Chess Federation on 23 February 2023.^[8] Both countries were banned from attending the 2022 Chess Olympiad.^[9]

ECU tournaments

Individual championships

• European Individual Championship
• European Individual Championship for Women
• European Youth Championship
• European Senior Championship
• European Amateur Championship
• EU Individual Open Championship
• EU Youth Championship
• European School Chess Championship
• European Rapid Championship
• European Rapid Championship for Women
• European Blitz Championship
• European Blitz Championship for Women
• European Universities Chess Championship

Team championships

• European Team Championship
• European Team Championship for Women
• European Youth Team Championship
• European Senior Team Championship
• European Club Cup
• European Small Nations Team Chess Championship

External links

• • ECU Chess Teachers Certification Database

Notes and References

1. Web site: ECU History . European Chess Union . 19 February 2024.
2. Web site: European Chess Union re-elects Georgian Zurab Azmaiparashvili as President . Agenda.ge . 19 February 2024.
3. Web site: Communique of the ECU General Assembly and Elections 2022 . European Chess Union . 19 February 2024 . 27 July 2022.
4. Web site: ECU . 2017-05-23 . CAS DISMISSED BULGARIAN CHESS FEDERATION APPEAL . 2023-08-10 . European Chess Union . en-US.
5. Web site: Goran . 2017-06-13 . CAS Award – ECU vs Bulgarian Chess Federation – Chessdom . 2023-08-10 . www.chessdom.com . en-US.
6. https://en.chessbase.com/post/ecu-suspends-the-russian-and-belarusian-chess-federations "ECU suspends the Russian and Belarusian Chess Federations"
7. https://tass.com/sport/1437955 "Russian Chess Federation votes for membership in Asian Chess Federation"
8. Web site: Patrick . Burke . 23 February 2023 . FIDE approves Chess Federation of Russia switch to Asia . 14 April 2023 . insidethegames.
9. Web site: Chess teams from Russia, Belarus not to play in Chennai Olympiad . The South Asian Times . 19 February 2024.