Everything is set for the 18th European Individual Women’s Chess Championship 2017, which will take place in Riga, Latvia, from 10th to 23rd April in the Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel.
The event will gather the best female chess players from Europe to compete for this prestigious title and the rich prize fund of 75.000 EUR.
So far, 146 players registered for the Championship, including seven former European Women Champions. The top seeds of the tournament are Muzychuk sisters – former World Chess Champion Mariya and 2017 World Chess Championship runner up Anna, followed by double European Champion Kateryna Lagno, 2002 European Chess Champion and former World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova, Georgians Nana Dzagnidze and Nino Batsiashvili, etc.
The championship will be played according to the Swiss system in 11 rounds, with the time control 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one.
The 18th Individual European Chess Championship for women is qualification event for the next World Women Championship. According to current FIDE regulations and the decision of the ECU Board, 14 players will qualify.
The Championship is organized by the Latvian Chess Federation under the auspices of the European Chess Union.
Riga is a city with long lasting chess traditions, great respect for culture, sports and art and we are delighted to welcome the best women players of Europe to compete here for the title of a champion.