Everything is set for European Women’s Individual Chess Championship 2018 which takes place from 7th-20th April, in Hotel Belluve, located in the national park of Vysoke Tatry, Slovakia.
143 players from 30 different European federations registered for the event, among whom 13 Grandmasters, 29 International masters, 35 Women Grandmasters, 22 Women International masters and in total 128 titled players, which makes the event very strong.
Top seeded are 4 players rated 2500+: Muzychuk Mariya (UKR, 2540), Batsiashvili Nino (GEO, 2521), Dzagnidze Nana (GEO, 2507), Gunina Valentina (RUS, 2507). They are followed by 30 players rated 2400+, and some of them are: Goryachkina Aleksandra (RUS, 2495), Sebaq Marie (FRA, 2492), Khotenashvili Bela (GEO, 2484), Stefanova Antoaneta (ECU, 2479), Pogonina Natalija (RUS, 2474), Cramling Pia (SWE, 2472) and others.
The European Individual Women’s Chess Championship is a qualification event for the next World Women’s Chess Championship. According to the current FIDE regulations and the decision of the ECU Board, 14 players will qualify. The total prize fund of the event is 70.000 EUR.
The first round starts on 8th of April and top boards of each round will be live transmitted and the live broadcast of the games can be followed through the official website of the event.
The Championship will be played in 11 rounds, Swiss system, in accordance with the ECU Tournament Rules and FIDE Rules of Chess with 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 the move one.