24.10.2025 23:06

 

Date & Venue: October 17-19, 2025 - Manglburg, Grieskirchen

At long last, the moment had arrived: Union Neuhofen/Krems made its long-awaited debut in the Austrian 2nd Bundesliga – a milestone we had worked towards for quite some time.

With the exception of FM Robert Rieger, we were able to field our full line-up. The team looked strong from top to bottom, and from the very start our motto was clear: We’re here to stay!

After the departures of GM Andreas Diermair, IM Peter Schreiner, and IM Siegfried Baumegger, we became active on the transfer market and managed not only to fill the gaps but to strengthen the squad both competitively and personally.

Our New Additions

IM Valerio Carnicelli

Playing on board three this season, (still FM but not for long) Valerio Carnicelli is one of our exciting new faces. Jasmin and I first met Valerio back in 2024 in Barcelona. Since the registration had already passed, an immediate transfer wasn’t possible – but we made him a promise: If we get promoted, you’ll play for us. One year later, we kept our word.

Valerio is still officially listed as an FM, but his IM title application has already been submitted, and he has even achieved a GM norm. His goals are clear – collect Elo points and earn additional GM Norms.

IM Balazs Csonka

Our second new signing, IM Balazs Csonka, is a well-known figure in the Austrian chess scene. I first met Balazs back in 2018 during the Aschach Open. Balazs already knows many of our players personally, and it was immediately clear that he would be a great fit – not only as a player but also as a person.

GM Anton Korobov

And finally, our board one for this season – a name that hardly needs an introduction: GM Anton Korobov.

I first met Anton in 2022 at the European Club Cup in Mayrhofen. That Anton was actually interested in joining us for the 2nd Bundesliga Mitte came as both a surprise and a great honor.

With these three new additions, combined with our core team, we’re more than satisfied. They bring not only strength on the board but also character, team spirit, and a huge amount of positive energy.

What to Expect from the Opening Weekend?

SV – Drei Mühlen - Feffernitz (Round 1)

In Round 1, we faced our chess friends from Feffernitz. We knew, however, that they would be slightly short-handed this weekend, with part of their squad playing in the European Club Cup on Rhodes. On paper, that made us the clear favorites.

SV „Das Kärnten“ – St. Veit 2 (Round 2)

In Round 2, we were up against another heavyweight: St. Veit 2, a club also represented in the 1st Bundesliga. St. Veit has a large and talented squad – but as always, you never quite know what lineup you’ll be facing. After the first round, though, one thing became obvious: St. Veit had come to Grieskirchen with one goal – to take all six match points.

SV Sparkasse Grieskirchen (Round 3)

Finally, Round 3 brought the first Upper Austrian derby of the season – against our hosts, Grieskirchen.

Grieskirchen is a very strong side – perhaps even a promotion contender! (Sorry, Hermann Obermayr – a bit of friendly teasing is simply part of the game.)

For detailed round reports, stay tuned – they’ll be published in a separate post!