GM Dominik Horvath retained his crown at the 2026 Austrian National Championships, finishing level on points with Laurenz Borrmann and taking the title on tiebreaks. In the women’s competition, Olga Badelka won the national title ahead of Veronika Exler and 12-year-old Alina Donets of Upper Austria.
Highlights of the Championship
Borrmann, the lowest-rated player in the field, surprised the pack by seizing the early lead and holding it for most of the event. The chase tightened in Round 8, when Horvath defeated Lukas Dotzer to draw level, while Borrmann let a winning position slip against Kindermann and had to settle for a draw.
The championship was decided in a tense final round. Borrmann reached a slightly superior position against Dotzer and chose a forcing line that led to a threefold repetition, securing a Grandmaster norm. Horvath pressed for a win against Schwabeneder but also drew, and his superior tiebreaks kept the trophy in his hands. Borrmann took silver, and IM Valentin Baidetskyi earned bronze. They were followed by Blohberger (5 points), Dotzer (4.5), Ernst (4), Kindermann and Balint (3.5 each), Leisch (3), and Schwabeneder (2.5).
Badleka’s women’s title came alongside a sixth-place finish overall in the Oberbank Open. Exler claimed the women’s silver with six points, and Donets took bronze with five. Donets also surpassed the 2100 Elo mark during the tournament and, at age 12, became Austria’s youngest Woman FIDE Master. They were followed by Emilia Deak-Sala and Chiara Polterauer (5 points each), Réka Horvath (4.5), and Nino Urbanec, Katharina Pötscher, Lea Stadlinger, and Parinitha Hemanth Gowda (all 4 points).
The 2026 Austrian National Championships showcased the incredible talent within the chess community, highlighting both seasoned players and emerging young stars. The thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes kept spectators on the edge of their seats, making it a memorable event in Austrian chess history.