In the largest competition in the country's history: Evgeny Postny is the Israeli rapid chess champion

After two intense days, Grandmaster Evgeny Postny was crowned the Israeli rapid chess champion at a tournament held at the Ariel Sharon School in Holon. The 43-year-old Postny, representing the Be'er Sheva Chess Club, finished with 8 points after 9 rounds. He edged out his club teammate Victor Mikhalevski, who also scored 8 points but placed second on tie-breaks. Yaali Sokolovsky from Rishon LeZion, the reigning European U20 champion, took third place with 7.5 points.

The championship in Holon was the largest ever held in the country, attracting 330 players. Beyond the competitive matches, the Israel Chess Federation and the Holon Municipality hosted a large-scale chess festival for children and families.

"Of course, it's a great pleasure to win first place," said the new champion. "It was a strong, high-quality competition that ended in a very dramatic way. It wasn't simple, there were great players, but I'm happy that I managed to finish two difficult days with the trophy."

In the women's category, Noga Orian from the Haifa club was crowned champion, just a week after winning the national blitz chess title. Orian finished with 6 points, followed by Dana Kochavi from Kiryat Yam and Adi Fedorovski from Rishon LeZion, who also scored 6 points.

Chairman of the Israel Chess Federation, Dr. Tzvika Barkai, commented:

"This championship is much more than a competition. 330 participants are evidence that chess in Israel continues to grow. The combination of a top-level tournament with an open event for families and the general public is exactly the way we want to move the industry forward."

CEO of the Israel Chess Federation, Gal Boruchovsky, added that the record turnout serves as a starting point for the continued growth of the sport. Deputy Mayor of Holon, Ezra Siton, concluded by expressing the city's pride in hosting the event and its intention to make it an annual tradition.