Will a Lithuanian girl win the gold?
Press release
Vilnius hosts hundreds of youth draughts players
Vilnius – Over 250 young people between the age of 8 and 26 are playing on the 20th European Youth Championship Draughts 100. The anniversary edition is being held in Vilnius, Lithuania, for the first time in history.
After several days of playing there not one player that has gained the maximum amount of points. It shows the strength of this championship of international draughts on the 100 square board. In draughts every win is rewarded with two point, and with a draw each player get one point.
Top 10
After seven tours, the hosting country counts eight players among the Top 10 of the individual competitions. Aiste Pukstaite holds the number one position in the youngest category, girls under 10 years of age. Will she hold this position until the end? It would be a huge reward for the organizing committee to have a country member gaining the gold! She would be the successor of Leticija Dubickaite, who is the only one among the girls – until now – that ever gained the gold in the draughts sport on an European Championship classics (she celebrated the the gold in Tallinn 2013 among the girls under 13 years old).
In the boys category of the same age, Lithuania has two players in the top 10, Leonardas Gudynas and Augustas Gainovskis. All these children are the students of the coach international grandmaster Edvard Buzinskij.
Organizing
The Lithuanian Draughts Federation is organizing this official EDC (European Draughts Confederation) championship. Vice-president Romualda Šidlauskienė is putting a lot of effort in this championship that lasts ten days. She and her team had to find accommodation for over 400 people; players, coaches and officials. It was a huge task that is being done by this small committee, that exists of Romualdas Bėkšta (president), Ruta Gudyniene and Ingrida Drukteinyte.
Drukteinyte started to play draughts as a kid and stopped when became student. She rediscovered this mind game four years ago and with her enthusiasm she restarted playing, and also found her joy in organizing. In October last year she was elected as president of the European Draughts Board.
Welcome
The venue of the youth championships is Vilnius University, Saulėtekio 9a, Vilnius. It is open for everyone to visit and watch the games. There will be a tour at 9.30 on August 6th and 7th. One single game can last up to four hours of playing. Closure ceremony of the regular tournaments will be at Tuesday August 7th at 18.00 hour. After this, the youth championships continues with rapid and blitz games on August 8th and 9th. These separate tournaments will start at 9.00 hour.
More information about the 20th European Youth Championship Draughts, 100 squares, can be found on eyc2018.saske.lt