The European Individual Chess Championship 2016 starts in 3 days in Gjakova (Kosovo*), at the “Pashtriku” Hotel.
The organizer of the competition is Gjakova Municipality together with the Kosovo Chess Federation, under the auspices of the European Chess Union.
The championship will be played in 11-round Swiss system, with the rate of play 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game + 30 seconds per move, starting from move one.
The prize fund is 120 000 EUR, including main prizes and special prizes for the best performance and best senior players.
The first seed is Czech Grandmaster David Navara (2735), last year’s runner-up. Other top seeds are GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek (POL 2722), GM Nikita Vitiugov (RUS 2721), GM Ruslan Ponomariov (UKR 2715), GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (ESP 2700), GM Markus Ragger (AUT 2696), GM Maxim Matlakov (RUS 2693), GM Laurent Fressinet (FRA 2692), GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko (UKR 2691), GM Jon Ludvig Hammer (NOR 2689), etc.
Last year’s Champion Grandmaster Evgeniy Najer from Russia (2681) confirmed his participation in the event and is 15th seed.
More than 250 players from 39 European federations registered for the competition, among whom 154 international title holders.
One woman player participates in the championship – WCM Eglantina Shabanaj from Albania (ELO 1945).
The European Individual Championship 2016 is a qualification event for the next World Cup.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, 11th May at 8.00 pm, followed by the technical meeting, while the 1st round starts on 12th May at 3.30 pm (local time).
The Championship takes place from May 11th (day of arrival) to May 24th (day of departure) 2016.
*According to the ECU Statues any mention of Kosovo followed with an asterisk with reference to UN Resolution 1244, without prejudice of status