GM Evgeny Romanov triumphed at the Montenegro Open – Mediterranean Championship held in Budva, successfully clinching victory on tiebreaks after finishing tied on points with GMs Nikita Petrov, Lorenzo Lodici, and the event’s top female competitor, IM Olga Badelka.
Overview of the Tournament
The festival, which took place from July 4–11, 2026, attracted a remarkable turnout of over 250 players. It featured two classical nine-round Swiss tournaments: Open A, the main event, and Open B, along with the Mediterranean Rapid U20 and U14 competitions and an exciting open blitz tournament.
Open A maintained an exciting competitive atmosphere throughout the event. After eight rounds, Lodici, Romanov, and Petrov were all in contention, sharing the lead with 6.5 points each. In the final round, the leaders drew their match, while Badelka secured a crucial victory against FM Kerem Ertan, allowing her to join them at the top of the leaderboard. Ultimately, Romanov claimed first place based on the Buchholz tiebreak system, narrowly edging out Petrov by a single point, while Petrov finished just ahead of Lodici by a half Buchholz point.
Local fans had much to celebrate in the Open B section. Third seed Milojko Kandić showcased exceptional skill, dominating with an impressive score of 8/9. He achieved victory in eight games and suffered a single loss without any draws, finishing half a point ahead of competitors Alexander Borsch and Elvis Kola.
The 2026 edition of the Montenegro Open received invaluable support from FIDE’s Open Aid Project, initiated in 2021 to sustain open tournaments during a challenging period for chess events. The program has since evolved into a significant long-term initiative, supporting 107 tournaments across 73 countries and distributing over €640,000 to tournament organizers. In the first half of 2026 alone, it provided assistance for 28 events, showcasing its commitment to promoting chess worldwide.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich attended the final round and the closing ceremony. He presented the trophies and expressed gratitude towards the organizers and partners. Dvorkovich emphasized the federation’s ambition to incorporate chess into the multi-sport Mediterranean Games and to enhance its visibility within the Olympic movement. He officially declared the Montenegro Open and the Mediterranean Championships closed, marking a successful and memorable event.