Othello news

The unthinkable @ Lucca 2025 EGP

24 March 2025
Written by Carlo Affatigato

Very strange things can happen on the early morning of an EGP. Especially if the day before, you traveled from one of the many corners of Europe to reach picturesque Lucca, to play Othello within the city's ancient walls, with your feet soaked after walking in the rain. And so, it can happen that Takuji Kashiwabara loses the first round against a surprising (and surprised!) Leonardo Caviola: it's 10 in the morning, and Leo already feels like he's in a fairy tale. Or you might witness what happened at the start of the second day, when George Ortiz loses the game against Roberto Sperandio in the following position:

At one point, it felt like being in one of those dreams where weird things happen. Both players were almost out of time. George plays A6 and pressed the clock. Roberto immediately passed his turn, convinced he had no more moves. George, caught in the same confusion, plays A1, starts flipping the discs... and loses on time. Then, the Fairy with Turquoise Hair entered the room and turned the table into a 5-year-old child who could already play Othello (brilliantly!).

Even in a world full of incredible events, some certainties remain. Michele Borassi and Takuji Kashiwabara finished first after eleven rounds, both with 9 points. Three finals were played, Michele wins the last match and the tournament, repeating his success from the previous EGP (Cambridge) and leading the standings for this year. Third place goes to Alessandro Di Mattei, who wins the small final against Imre Leader.

It was the 40th anniversary of the Italian Othello Federation, and there was a strong desire to celebrate. Ilaria Luzi, who organized the tournament along with Paolo Barsotti, had a complicated relationship with a local artisanal chocolate shop, and the room next to the playing area was constantly stocked with delicacies—including a Sachertorte that suddenly appeared on Sunday morning (it's not that we're Italian, it's just that the brain burns a lot of sugar over two days of competition...). Perhaps that was what fueled the cheerful atmosphere throughout the EGP, leaving everyone satisfied.

Now it's Oslo’s turn: ready?

The Lucca EGP 2025 on Flip The Disc (incl. standings)

Official European Grand Prix page on WorldOthello: Standings and results