The excitement has reached its peak at the prestigious European Club Cup held in Budva, Montenegro. Following Thursday's sixth and penultimate round, the title race in the open section has turned into a thrilling deadlock. Three powerhouse teams head into Friday's final round sharing the lead with 11 match points each.
A Fierce Clash of Leaders and Bayegan Pendik's Vital Win
In the most anticipated fixture of the day, defending champions SuperChess Romania and Czech heavyweights Novy Bor Chess Club clashed on the top tables. The dramatic encounter, which featured four decisive games and swinging momentum, ended in a hard-fought 3–3 draw. On board one, Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov defeated compatriot Nodirbek Yakubboev to score an important point for SuperChess. Novy Bor struck back immediately as Indian prodigy Nihal Sarin toppled Jorden van Foreest on board two. Bogdan-Daniel Deac briefly put the Romanian side ahead again by besting Nils Grandelius before the match ultimately settled in a tie.
Taking full advantage of the leaders splitting points, tournament top seeds Bayegan Pendik Chess Sports Club seized the moment. The Turkish squad secured a narrow 3½–2½ victory over Hungarian outfit Tuxera Aquaprofit Nagykanizsai, catching the co-leaders with 11/12 match points. As the top trio enters the final round deadlocked, four trailing teams with 10 points remain in fierce contention for podium finishes.
Editorial assessment
The 3–3 draw between SuperChess and Novy Bor highlights the immense weight of individual board victories in elite team chess. Producing decisive outcomes on four of the six boards demonstrates that both heavyweights took high risks in pursuit of the title rather than settling for a tactical draw. Bayegan Pendik's ability to capitalize with a narrow 3½–2½ victory not only creates a three-way tie at the top, but with four teams trailing just one point behind at 10 points, ensures that tiebreaks and board points will be decisive in the final round.