Mastering the board: Eline Roebers’ triumph post-graduation
Up until now, International Master, Optiver Chess Team member and rising star Eline Roebers has had to split her attention between chess and high school. Now that she’s graduated, she can fully concentrate on chess—a shift that appears to have significantly enhanced her performance. With a landslide win in Hoogeveen against a highly competitive field, including two former world champions and the 2022 Dutch women’s champion in the Crown Group, she won all three mini-matches, securing the tournament before even reaching the final round. Impressive.
We sat down with Eline to ask her a few questions about her pivotal win, and her plans for the future.
Q: Eline, congratulations on your win in Hoogeveen! What a great victory to end your year with—how do you feel?
Yeah, I’m so happy—especially because I felt like I was playing really good games and focusing well. Playing against these strong players is already a great opportunity, and then to also win—it’s amazing. This time, I already knew I had won the tournament after Round 5, so it was a bit strange. Usually, you win the tournament on the last day, but here I still had one game to play afterward. Of course, I was thrilled, but I tried to stay focused for that final game. It wouldn’t have been nice to win the tournament and then lose the last match! I’ve learned it’s important not to dwell on how good your position was 10 moves ago. Instead, focus on the current position and think, “What’s the best move here?”
Q: Was there a specific game or move that you’re especially proud of?
I think the first game already stood out. I made a draw with the black pieces—against Mariya Muzychuk, a former world champion—a solid, defensive game. It wasn’t my usual attacking style, but she put me under pressure, and I had to sit and defend. I was happy with how I managed to adapt because it really gave me confidence for the next rounds. I don’t intend to change my style, it’s what works for me, but to know that I can improve my game by successfully adapting my tactics when needed was empowering.
Q: Were there any other key moments from the tournament that were memorable for you?
For sure. In my second game, I played against my best friend, which was tough. We’ve been friends for six years, and we always have a great time, but we don’t like playing against each other. In such a small tournament though, it’s unavoidable. We talked about how we would handle it, and it was actually okay. Before each game, we were laughing and talking until a minute before play started. Then, for two hours, we were opponents.
I knew she was weaker in a certain area of the game, so I prepared a line that worked to my advantage. I got myself into a really good position of control, but then I gave some of that control away. She even had an opportunity to equalise at one point. Still, I had a big time advantage, and she blundered on the 48th move—right before gaining an extra 30 minutes on the clock. That was crucial.
But we’re still friends, that’s the important thing!
Q: What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?
A: Since I started playing chess full-time, I’ve noticed I’m much more focused and professional during tournaments—it’s a different mindset. I plan to play chess professionally for at least two years. If things go really well, I’ll continue. I want to give myself those two years fully focused on chess to see how far I can go, to prove that this is the professional path I’m destined to pursue. It’s really meant a lot to me to be supported as part of Optiver’s Chess Team this year, and now I feel like I can really take full advantage of that support and opportunity for my career, by giving chess my undivided attention.
Q: Do you have any exciting tournaments coming up?
Yes! I’ll play in an open tournament in Spain, which will be strong. After that, I’ll compete in Slovenia for the World Rapid and Blitz Under-18 Championship. I’d love to win a medal there, although I know it will be tough. Then I’ll play a small open tournament in France. It’s so nice to be freer to travel now that I’ve graduated. Before, I had to decline opportunities because of school, which was pretty hard, since thanks to Optiver’s sponsorship I would easily have had the means to participate. Now, I can happily say yes to more tournaments and invitations!
