Andorra Chess - International Women's Day & ESNA: A Chess Story of Growth and Triumph

Alright, chess queens and kings, let's get straight to it! This Saturday, we're celebrating International Women's Day in the best way possible: with a thrilling online chess tournament! The Andorra Chess Federation, in partnership with Chess.com, is throwing open the virtual doors to all female players. Want in? Of course you do!

Celebrate International Women's Day with Chess!

Join the Andorra Chess Federation and Chess.com for a special International Women's Day tournament on March 8th at 16:00 CET! This exciting 9-round Swiss tournament, with a fast-paced 3 minutes + 1 second increment, is open to players of all skill levels.

While everyone is welcome to compete, we're celebrating female chess players with fantastic prizes (awarded to top female finishers):

• 1st Place: 3 months of Chess.com Diamond membership
• 2nd-3rd Place: 2 months of Chess.com Diamond membership
• 4th-5th Place: 1 month of Chess.com Diamond membership

How to Participate:

• Join the Andorra Chess Federation group on chess.com.
• Registration will be available on Chess.com starting precisely one hour before the tournament, at 15:00 CET on March 8th.

Let's celebrate women in chess!

Now that you're all set to join the International Women's Day tournament, let's switch gears and delve into something equally fascinating: the evolution of women's chess within the ESNA.

Wait? ESNA? What are you talking about?

Yes, you heard me, ESNA! I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "ESNA? What's that got to do with women's chess?" Well, grab your virtual coffee, because I'm about to spill the tea. It's been a quest to find the perfect blog topic – something that's informative, engaging, and shines a spotlight on the amazing women of chess. And I think we've hit the jackpot with the evolution of ESNA Women's Chess. 

Alright, chess enthusiasts, let's talk about the ESNA! Imagine a vibrant, close-knit community within the grand world of chess, a place where ten unique European nations come together. That's the European Small Nations Association, or ESNA, born from the creative minds at the 2010 Khanty-Mansiysk Chess Olympiad. Officially named and organized at the 2014 Tromso Chess Olympiad, ESNA, (aka FIDE Zone 1.10, for those ones who have read FIDE Handbook), serves as a hub for these smaller federations, fostering camaraderie and competition without adding financial burdens. Who are these nations, you ask? They're the spirited chess communities of Andorra, Cyprus, the Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, and San Marino. It's a testament to the power of chess to unite, even on a smaller, more intimate scale!

ESNA Women’s Chess: A Journey of Growth

Let's dive deeper into the ESNA story! We've established our starting point: 2014, the year ESNA officially took shape. But here's where it gets really interesting. Time for a little trivia! All ten ESNA members sent teams to the Chess Olympiad, but can you name which three fielded women's teams?

Drumroll, please... It was Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco! Those three trailblazers were leading the charge early on. But, as you know, the chess world is ever-evolving, and the other ESNA nations were eager to join the women's chess movement.

Andorra, for instance, had their sights set on a 2020 debut, but, well, we all know what happened in 2020. The dream was postponed... but not forgotten! In 2022, at the Chennai Olympiad, Andorra finally made its women's team debut. And they weren't alone! Cyprus and Jersey also seized the moment, adding to the growing roster of ESNA women's teams. Speaking of Jersey, many of you might recognize the familiar faces of Lula Roberts and MrDodgy from their squad, bringing a touch of online chess community spirit to the Olympiad stage. It's a testament to the growth and dedication of women's chess within the ESNA, a story that continues to unfold with each passing Olympiad.

The Birth of the ESNA Women's Individual Championship

So, now we've got a thriving FIDE Zone and a surge in the number of women players. What's the natural next step? You guessed it: an ESNA Women's Tournament! Since 2014, the ESNA Open Individual has been a biannual fixture, but 2022 marked a pivotal moment – the birth of the 1st ESNA Women's Individual Championship! And who stepped up to the challenge of organizing this pilot edition? None other than Monaco!

And let me tell you, it was a resounding success! The tournament, a 10-player round-robin (mirroring the open format), saw WGM Tatiana Dornbusch of Monaco dominate, achieving a flawless perfect score! But the real triumph? The participation of eight different ESNA nations! That's right, eight! This proved beyond a doubt that the tournament wasn't just a pilot; it was a bona fide hit, a testament to the growing strength and unity of women's chess within the ESNA.

Andorra Elevates the Tradition

We celebrated the first ESNA Women's Tournament, a fantastic start! But, as they say, the hard part is keeping the fire burning. Enter Andorra, tasked with solidifying this exciting new tradition. So, the baton was passed to Andorra for the 2nd ESNA Women's Individual Championship, tasked with consolidating this exciting project.

And Andorra rose to the occasion! This edition brought a brilliant innovation: playing the women's tournament simultaneously with the open tournament. A masterstroke, if you ask me! It streamlined the organizing efforts for the ESNA host and simplified logistics for the players. Plus, we witnessed the debut of the 1st Blitz Women ESNA Championship, a thrilling 7-round Swiss tournament featuring 13 players ready to rumble.

Now, I might be a tad biased here, as I had the privilege of arbitrating both tournaments, but the second edition was undeniably another resounding success! WGM Elvira Berend of Luxembourg delivered an absolutely stellar, unbeaten performance, dominating both events. But beyond the individual triumphs, the tournament achieved its core objective: to solidify the ESNA Women's Tournament as a permanent and thriving fixture. Mission accomplished!

A Milestone at the 2024 Budapest Olympiad

And the celebration didn't stop there! Just four months later, at the 2024 Budapest Olympiad, we witnessed another incredible milestone: Guernsey, Liechtenstein, and San Marino made their debut in the Women's Chess Olympiad! That's right, three more ESNA nations joining the ranks! This meant that a staggering nine out of ten ESNA members now boast a women's Olympic team. How amazing is that?

The Road Ahead: Consolidation and Expansion

From my perspective, the most crucial step now is consolidation. We need to solidify the gains we've made. That means maintaining a competitive ESNA Women's Championship and ensuring consistent Olympic participation. While the 2024 Olympiad had the advantage of being in Europe, making logistics easier, the 2026 Olympics will present a greater challenge. Maintaining those nine teams will be a significant achievement.

And what's next after consolidation? Well, how about an ESNA Women's Team Championship? Back in 2009, the ESNA Open Team Championship was born, running biannually, alternating with the individual tournament. While we might not be quite there yet, a Women's Team Championship is the goal ESNA should set if women's chess continues its impressive growth. It's a vision for the future, and I'm excited to see it unfold!