In chess, just like in big business, the winner is the one who sees three moves ahead. For the fifth year in a row, Ukrainians have been proving to the whole world that our strength lies not only in power but also in our tremendous intellectual potential and our ability to make unconventional decisions under intense pressure.
For Star Brands Group, strategic thinking is in our business’s DNA. That’s why we’ve become the General Sponsor and partner of this grand event—the all-Ukrainian “Chess Stars Cup” tournament, with a total prize pool of nearly 2,000,000 UAH / approx. $48,000!
This isn’t just a one-off tournament, but a large-scale intellectual marathon in five stages that will span the entire country: from the first stage in Dnipro, through Lviv, Lutsk, Rivne, and Chernivtsi—to the grand finale in indomitable Kyiv!
Stage #1: A Hot Start in Dnipro!
The event kicked off on July 12–13 in the heroic city of Dnipro at the “Menorah” Cultural and Sports Center. True stars shone on the chessboards: over 350 participants from 12 regions of Ukraine competed for the title of the strongest player and a share of the 250,000 hryvnias prize pool!
Statistics for the first stage:
- Day 1 (Rapid): 185 fired-up players.
- Day 2 (Blitz): 166 masters of lightning-fast decisions.
- Total over two days: 351 unique scores!
The biggest sensation of the first day was the all-time record set by FIDE Master Bozhena Piddubna (Kyiv)—a phenomenal 9 points out of a possible 9 in Rapid!
Here they are, the heroes of the first stage, who took home the gold and the top prizes:
Rapid Chess Winners (July 12):
- Open Tournament: Dmitry Maksimov took the gold with a score of 8 points! Following him on the podium were Dmytro Khristovoy and Andriy Trushko (both with 7.5 points).
- Women’s tournament: The incredible Bozhena Piddubna took first place (9 points)! Silver went to Maria Zubova (7 points), and bronze to Yevgeniya Dolukhanova (6.5 points).
Blitz winners (July 13, 11 rounds):
- Open Tournament: Mykhailo Plyukha (9.5 points) clinched victory in the blitz, edging out Andriy Trushko (9.5 points) on tiebreakers. Artem Dyachuk (8.5 points) took third place.
- Women’s Tournament: Maritsa Tsyrulnik (9 points) was crowned the queen of blitz! Second place went to Yelizaveta Sharova (8.5 points), while Bozhena Piddubna secured her spot in the top 3 with the bronze medal (8.5 points).
“Intelligence is the most reliable currency. Victory can be achieved through physical strength or through the mind. Both must be trained. The Star Brands Group supports sports to stimulate development and unlock the potential of the future. The Ukrainian Chess Federation serves as a springboard for nurturing intellectual growth, which will give momentum to the entire country. I am grateful to the entire team, as well as the Federation’s president and vice president, for their dedication and commitment. We are proud to support you!”
— Ivan Omelchenko, co-founder of the Star Brands Group of Companies.
An Inspiring Personal Story
For Ivan Omelchenko, this project is special. It all began in 2018, when Oleksiy Markov, president of the Dnipro and Regional Chess Federation, proposed supporting a children’s chess academy. It’s fitting that this academy was based at the very school where Ivan himself learned to master chess and developed his business acumen! The many years of victories by this school’s students became the driving force behind the launch of the “Chess Stars Cup.”
Synergy Among Leaders and Fuel for the Mind
Reliable partners—Snack Production and Food Sales—helped us organize a tournament of this scale at the highest level.
And since chess battles lasting many hours require tremendous concentration and energy, Ukrainian families’ favorite brands—Flint, Chipster’s, Big Bob, San Sanich, and La Pasta Protein+—sustained the participants’ energy levels throughout the tournament!
We express our deepest respect to the Ukrainian Chess Federation, its leadership, as well as the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Chess Federation and the City of Dnipro for their impeccable organization and for creating safe conditions for every participant. Together, we have proven that Ukrainian intellect is unbreakable!
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