Even under the very difficult wartime conditions 26 players assembled in the shelter room of the Polytechnical Institute in Kyiv on February 07 to compete for the Japanese Ambassador’s Cup under the eyes of his Excellency, Ambassador Masashi Nakagome. The organizing team around Ihor Strumetsky, Kateryna Lugovska and First Secretary of the embassy Takao Asamura did an outstanding job to provide excellent playing conditions and even people from Odessa and other remote places managed to join the event.

The top four contenders of the pretournament qualified for the finals on February 08 then, which were held in the Japanese Ambassador’s residence in Kyiv. After a sharp and close battle on the board Maxim Vinohradov had the better end against Pavlo Makarov and took the 1st prize. The 3rd prize was shared by Oleksandr Burdeinyi and Maxim Lando.

FESA congratulates the prize winners and respectfully acknowledges the great efforts of the organizers and participants to make this event happen under the current circumstances in Ukraine. Also the support of the Japanese Embassy is gratefully acknowledged.