Six rounds have been already played at European Youth Chess Championship 2018 in Riga, Latvia and the event is coming to its conclusion.
After 5 continuously played rounds, participants had the Free day on Saturday 25th August, and continued with fights for the title yesterday when the 6th round was played.
In section for the youngest players, Open category U8, the sole leader of the Championship is Gordeev Denis (RUS, 1333) who reached the maximum result and perfect score of 6 six points. He is followed by group of 4 players who leg behind him with 5 points and tie for the second place: Azadaliyev Jahandar (AZE, 1732), Golovchenko Bogdan (RUS, 1560), Uskov Artem (RUS, 1320) and Averin Nikolay (RUS, 1438).
In the same age category for girls, another Russian player emerged on the top and took the sole leadership after 6 played rounds: Iudina Veronika (RUS, 1194) with score of 5.5 points. Zubkovskaya Ekaterina (BLR, 1371), Preobrazhenskaya Diana (RUS, 1294), Demir Nazli (TUR, 1067) and Korneva Elizaveta (RUS, 1208) tie for the second place, each with 5 points.
In Open section U10, three players tie for the current first place, each with 5.5 points: Pashikyan Rudolf (ARM, 1489), Nemsadze Daviti (GEO, 1710) and Turkmen Yusuf Cagan (TUR, 1820).
In category for Girls U10, Shvedova Alexandra (RUS, 1758) stands alone on the top of the list with 5.5 points, and a half point ahead of 5 players who have the same score of 5 points: Shukhman Anna (RUS, 1577), Sidorenia Milena (BLR), Svergina Sofya (RUS, 1657), Vlasova Olesia (RUS, 1693) and Zhapova Yana (RUS, 1733).
The world and European best rated chess player for his age, Murzin Volodar (RUS, 2306) leads the category Open U12 with 5.5 points. Safin Robert (RUS, 2156), Siniauski Artsiom (BLR, 2081), Sokolovsky Yahli (ISR, 2062), Makoveev Ilya (RUS, 2249), Piliposyan Robert (ARM, 1975), Rozen Eytan (ISR, 2106) tie for the second place, each with 5 points.
With a lot of surprises and upsets in the category for Girls U12, Shubenkova Veronika (RUS, 1700), the 17th on the starting list, lead the Championship with 5.5 points, while Karmanova Olga Dm. (RUS, 1730), Tsirekidze Barbare (GEO, 1413) and Bashylina Luisa (GER, 1817) leg behind, each with 5 points.
A similar situation is on the top of the list of category Open U14 where Morgunov Marc (AUT, 2373) leads with score of 5.5 points. BJerre Jonas Buhl (DEN, 2423), Tsoi Dmitry (RUS, 2393), Pogosyan Stefan (RUS, 2331), Czopor Maciej (POL, 2220), Popov Konstantin (RUS, 2198) and Ognean Mihnea-Ionut (ROU, 2293) are the runner-ups, each with 5 points.
In Girls section U14, Wikar Martyna (POL, 1974) took the sole leadership with 5.5 points, while Allahverdiyeva Ayan (AZE, 2046) and Kuhar Larisa (SLO, 1877) follow her up each with score of 5 points.
Top seeder, International master, Sonis Francesco (ITA, 2467) is the sole leader of category Open U16 with score of 5.5 points. Petriashvili Nikoloz (GEO, 2323), Remizov Yaroslav (RUS, 2317), Salemgareev Tagir (RUS, 2375), Zarubitski Viachaslau (BLR, 2416) and Postnikov Roman (RUS, 2070) tie for the second place each with 5 points.
Category for Girls U16 didn’t get the sole leader after 6 played rounds. Antova Gabriela (ECU, 2293) and Urh Zala (SLO, 2156) tie for the top with 5 points each. They are followed by a group of 8 players who all reached the same score of 4.5 points.
Ioannidis Evgenios (GRE, 2343) leads the category Open U18, as the younger player in the group, with the maximum score of 6 points and all the victories. Ioannidis Evgenios is a point and a half ahead of the group of 7 players who have the same score of 4.5 points and tie for the second place.
Category Girls U18 is leaded by WIM Dimitrova Aleksandra (RUS, 2166) with 5.5 points, while the current second place is in hands of Afonasieva Anna (RUS, 2193) wiht 5 points. Koilbasa Oliwia (POL, 2213), Obolentseva Alexandra (RUS, 2301), Greibrokk Ingrid (NOR, 1913), Hrescak Ivana (SLO, 2185), Olde Margareth (EST, 2127) and Parol Pola (POL, 2104) tie for the third place, each with 4.5 points.
Only three rounds left to be played and the 7th round of the Championship starts today at 15:00 (local time). The live transmission of the top boards of each category, together with live commentary given by WIM Anna Kantane and GM Toms Kantans can be followed through the Official website of the Championship.
Among 1100 young and talented players who fight for the title of European Champion, there are 1 Grandmaster, 10 International masters, 79 FIDE masters, 6 Women International masters, 42 Women FIDE masters and in total 198 titled players!
The event is played in 9 rounds by Swiss system in accordance with the ECU Tournament Rules and FIDE Rules of Chess. The time control is 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.
Official Website of the Championship