From the Chess archiv of Chess-Results.com: Article: 737 from 23.07.1998, Category International

Newsletter to all European Chess Federations (23.7.98 von Prof. K. Jungwirth)

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DES ÉCHECS PROF. KURT JUNGWIRTH, CONTINENTAL PRESIDENT OF EUROPE

Graz, 23.07.1998

To the European Chess Federations

Dear Chess Friends,

We are still under the impression of a great event, the European Youth Championships 1998 in Mureck. We had with us 510 players, 285 boys, 225 girls from 43 federations, 46 coaches, 275 accompanying persons. Thanks to all of them for coming to Austria.

Apart from a thunderstorm on the arrival day and some rain at the closing ceremony we had fine weather for playing chess, no epidemic, no protest in the tournament hall, no political incident. It is great to bring together young people in peace instead of dividing them through stupid politics.

Competition was tough. There were many powerful players. Judit Polgar, number 17 in the current world rating list had to acknowledge the strength of the youngsters. She played a simul on 30 boards against boys under 14 and girls under 16, she won 18, drew 5, lost 7.

The computer program Nimzo98 developed by Chrilly Donninger, Vienna, and presented by IBM Austria was luckier. In two days it played about 60 games, drew four, lost none.

The final standing and bulletins were handed over or sent to the delegations or federations. They were also put on Internet along with all the games.

Our congratulations go to all participants, especially to the medallists. We are enclosing a list of the best federations based on the first six players of each group (6 points to the first, 5 to the second, etc.), Ukraine, Georgia and Russia dominated the event.

Mr. Ochoa and a Spanish delegation visited the tournament to collect information for the next challenge in Spain. All our good wishes go to the World Youth Championships 1998 in Oropesa del Mar.

I hope we may say that the organisational team with Erich Gigerl and Egon Brestian with about 50 assistants, the arbiters team with Gertrud Wagner, Werner Stubenvoll and Andrej Filipowicz, the bulletin team with Hubert Ebner (Schach Aktiv, 2280 games to write down) did a good job.

Mureck definitely demonstrated: Europe is a strong chess continent.

Kind regards K. Jungwirth m.p.

MEDALLISTS

List based on the 6 best players of each category