Promoting women’s chess in Poland
The 15th Women’s Grandmaster Chess Festival – Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska Memorial once again confirmed its place among the most significant women’s chess events in Poland and the region. Held over nine days, the festival combined elite-level competition with a wider programme designed to promote women’s chess and engage a broad audience, from titled players to local enthusiasts.
The event is dedicated to the memory of Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska, one of the most accomplished figures in Polish chess history. A nine-time national champion and long-standing international representative, Hołuj-Radzikowska played a formative role in the development of women’s chess in Poland. The festival bearing her name continues to reflect the values associated with her career: competitive excellence, sporting conduct and commitment to the chess community.
The sporting centrepiece of the festival was the Grandmasters Match between Poland and the Rest of the World, staged at the Hotel im. Jana Pawła II. Played at classical time controls, the match brought together a balanced field of established players, offering a rare opportunity to follow a women’s team contest at a consistently high level over five rounds.
Alina Kashlinskaya, Klaudia Kulon (Poland), Olga Badelka (RoW), Oliwia Kiolbasa (Poland), Dinara Wagner (RoW) | Photo: Official website
After the first three rounds, Poland held a narrow advantage. The hosts won the opening encounter 3–2, followed by a more convincing 3½–1½ victory in round two. The Rest of the World responded in round three with a 3–2 win, keeping their chances alive.
Round four saw the Rest of the World level the overall match score by securing a 3–2 victory. Four of the five games ended in draws, with the sole decisive result coming from Anna-Maja Kazarian, who defeated Jolanta Zawadzka with the black pieces. With both teams having won two matches apiece, the outcome of the festival’s main event was left to be decided in Friday’s final round.
Anna-Maja Kazarian | Photo: Official website
The decisive fifth match went Poland’s way, again by a 3–2 margin. Victories by Klaudia Kulon and Alina Kashlinskaya proved sufficient to secure overall success for the hosts, while Dinara Wagner scored a consolation win for the Rest of the World.
One of the most striking moments of the entire match occurred in the game between Alina Kashlinskaya and Bella Khotenashvili. In a sharp Caro-Kann Defence that had been seen previously at top level, Khotenashvili committed a decisive oversight with 12…e5??
The pawn push allowed 13.Qxd6. With the e7-pawn pinned, Black could not recapture, and the Georgian grandmaster resigned immediately (before even Kashlinskaya collected the queen). In earlier games in the same line, 12…Ngf6 had led to balanced positions, making the error all the more costly. The result proved decisive in the context of the match and ultimately helped Poland secure overall victory.
The atmosphere at the Hotel im. Jana Pawła II in Wrocław | Photo: Official website
Dinara Wagner | Photo: Official website
Aleksandra Maltsevskaya | Photo: Official website
Round 1
This video course provides a comprehensive and practical White repertoire in the Ruy Lopez! Through instructive model games and in-depth theoretical explanations, you will learn how to confidently handle both main lines and sidelines.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: Overview
Free video sample: Chigorin: 9…Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7/cxd4
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
