The 2011 European Individual Chess Championship in Aix-les-Bains

Updated 18 October 2026 · Échecs en Savoie, independent guide

The 2011 European Individual Chess Championship, the 12th, was played in Aix-les-Bains in spring 2011 and brought together 393 players from 41 countries. It was won by Russia's Vladimir Potkin, only 43rd seed, ahead of Poland's Radosław Wojtaszek and Hungary's Judit Polgar, all on 8.5 points out of 11. It is the biggest chess tournament ever held in the town.

The 2011 European Chess Championship in figures

The participation figures are those of the final FIDE report. Higher figures circulated before the tournament: they corresponded to entries, not to the players actually present.

Why Aix-les-Bains?

Aix-les-Bains had already hosted the French championship in 2003 and 2007, and it had recognised expertise: conference halls, the hotel capacity of a spa town, and easy access by train from Lyon, Geneva and Paris. Organising a European championship was the next step. For a medium-sized town, welcoming nearly 400 players for two weeks, including a good part of the European elite, was a rare event. The French editions are told in our page on the 2003 and 2007 French Championships in Aix-les-Bains.

How it unfolded: a suspenseful finish

In an open of nearly 400 players, eleven rounds are barely enough to separate the best. At the finish, four players ended level at the top with 8.5 points: Vladimir Potkin, Radosław Wojtaszek, Judit Polgar and Alexander Moiseenko. The title was therefore decided on tie-break, the first criterion being Elo performance. Potkin, with a performance of 2822, took the title.

Behind this quartet, six players finished on 8 points, including Francisco Vallejo Pons, Peter Svidler and Nikita Vitiugov: proof that the tournament was extremely strong throughout.

The top of the standings

Vladimir Potkin, the surprise champion

Seeded 43rd at the start, Vladimir Potkin was not expected to finish in this position. A Russian grandmaster rated 2653 Elo, he produced a performance of 2822 in Aix-les-Bains, well above his rating. His title illustrates a feature of big opens: the gap between the top fifty players is small, and a run of good games at the right moment can beat the Elo hierarchy.

Judit Polgar on the podium

Judit Polgar's presence on the podium gave the tournament a special resonance. Regarded as the strongest woman player in chess history, she spent most of her career in mixed competitions. In Aix-les-Bains, she finished third in a mixed European championship, level on points with the winner, and secured her qualification for the 2011 World Cup. For Savoie spectators, it was a chance to see one of the game's legends up close.

A World Cup qualifier

Those 23 places explain the strength of the field: for a European grandmaster, the European Championship was one of the few gateways into the world cycle. Vacated places allowed a few players ranked just behind to pick up additional places.

What the tournament left in Aix-les-Bains

• A reputation as an organiser: after two French championships and a European championship in eight years, Aix-les-Bains is among the French towns that have hosted the most major chess competitions.
• A memory for local players: a European open lets amateurs rub shoulders with the elite in the same room, follow the games and sometimes take part.
• Club life: the town today has an active affiliated club, presented neutrally on our page where to play chess in Aix-les-Bains.

Taking part in a big open

A European Individual Championship is reserved for players selected or entered by their federation, but most big opens are open to any licensed player. If you want to experience the atmosphere of a multi-day tournament, start with a rated open near you: the Palais des Échecs guide explains how to take part in your first chess tournament, and our Savoie tournament calendar lists the season's fixtures. In summer, the opens at La Plagne and Les Menuires also bring together grandmasters.

To place 2011 in the long history of Alpine competitions, see our table of French Championships played in the Alps.