Mitropacup 2025 in Trenčín: Opening Marked by a Minute’s Silence for Kurt Jungwirth

The 2025 Mitropacup began today, May 14, 2025, in Trenčín, Slovakia, with a minute’s silence in memory of Kurt Jungwirth, who, together with Gertrude Wagner, launched the tournament back in 1976.

Kurt Jungwirth, who passed away yesterday, May 13, 2025, at the age of 95 in Graz, was a key figure in Austrian chess. As long-time president of the Austrian Chess Federation, he tirelessly advocated for the promotion of chess. His dedication and vision played a crucial role in shaping the Mitropacup, which has been a mainstay in the European chess calendar for nearly five decades. Jungwirth was also one of the founders of the European Chess Union, which was established in 1985 – exactly 40 years ago – in his hometown of Graz.

Thus, the opening round of the 2025 Mitropacup was not only about competitive chess but also a moment of remembrance for one of the founding fathers of the event. The participating teams from ten countries – including Germany, France, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria – honored Prof. Jungwirth with a minute of silence before the first games began.

From a sporting perspective, the tournament opened with the following pairings: Italy vs. Switzerland, Slovakia vs. Croatia, France vs. Hungary, Czech Republic vs. Austria, and Slovenia vs. Germany. Matches are played in both the open and women’s sections, with Croatia being replaced by a second Slovakian team in the open category.

The 2025 Mitropacup in Trenčín runs until May 22. Current results and games are available on Chess-Results.

Links:
Chess-Results,
Live-Broadcast on Lichess,
Live-Commentary on Youtube,
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