Meri Arabidze claimed the title after winning the tiebreaker against Oliwia Kiolbas ©European Chess Union

Georgia's Meri Arabidze triumphed at the 2023 European Women's Individual Chess Championship in Petrovac, Montenegro, as she accumulated the most points in the 11-round competition.

Arabidze ended tied with 8.5 points alongside Poland's Oliwia Kiolbas at the top of the leaderboard, but her victory over the Pole in the eighth round gave her the title based on head-to-head record.

There were four players who were tied on eight points, with Russian-born Alexsandra Maltsevskaya, playing neutrally, taking bronze.

She edged past Greece's Stavroula Tsolakidou, Salome Melia of Georgia and Klaudia Kulon of Poland as she accumulated the best tiebreaks.

Meri Arabidze is a current international master and women's grandmaster ©European Chess Union
Meri Arabidze is a current international master and women's grandmaster ©European Chess Union

There were 130 participants from 34 nations in all at the two week event.

Arabidze took home €60,000 (£52,745/$65,157) in prize money alongside the title.

The tournament also served a qualifier for the International Chess Federation World Cup, with nine players advancing.