Three rounds have been played at the European Individual Chess Championship 2018 which is currently ongoing in Batumi, Georgia, with participation of more than 300 players, coming from 34 European federations.
The event has started on March 17th, with short Opening Ceremony held before the start of the first round. The introduction was attended by the Chairman of the Government of Adjara Zurab Pataradze, European Chess Union president Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Chief Executive Officer of FIDE Geoffrey Borg, Mayor of Batumi Lasha Komakhidxe, representatives of the executive and legislative authorities and other invited guests.
After the Georgian and European Chess Union anthems, Zurab Azmaiparashvili welcomed the guests, addressed the players and thanked the Georgian and Adjara governments. The next speech was given by the Chairman of the Government of Adjara, Zurab Pataradze, who said that the European Individual Chess Championship is a kind of rehearsal before the greater challenge – World Chess Olympiad – which will be hosted by Batumi from September 23.
Chairman of the Government of Adjara, Zurab Pataradze, made the first Ceremonial move on the first board, in the match between Sargsyan Shant (ARM, 2481) and Jakovenko Dmitry (RUS, 2746).
After the Ceremonial activities, the battles for the top of one of the strongest European Individual Chess Championship have started.
Many top seeded players suffered huge upsets at the start of the competition, and after three rounds, the top is led by only six players who surprised with leading positions above the 8 players rated 2700+ and many others who were better on the starting rank list. For the first place currently tie: Bosiocic Marin (CRO, 2611), Hovhannisyan Robert (ARM, 2601), Jones Gawain C B (ENG, 2651), Skoberne Jure (SLO, 2563), Vocaturo Daniele (ITA, 2620) and Indjic Aleksandar (SRB, 2623).
Emerged leaders are followed by 46 players with score of 2.5 points among whom are David Navara (CZE, 2735), Ivanchuk Vassily (UKR, 2713), Dubov Daniil (RUS, 2701), Nabaty Tamir (ISR, 2690), Inarkiev Ernesto (2684), Najer Evgeniy (RUS, 2683) and others.
European Individual Chess Championship 2018 features impressive media and love coverage, with 104 games in live transmission. Live games can be followed through the official website of the Championship or through the ECU website, section LIVE.
The 4th round with clash of the leaders starts today, at 3 pm, local time and the top pairings are:
1 | 61 | GM | Bosiocic Marin | 2611 | 3 | 3 | GM | Jones Gawain C B | 2651 | 30 | |||
2 | 69 | GM | Hovhannisyan Robert | 2601 | 3 | 3 | GM | Indjic Aleksandar | 2623 | 50 | |||
3 | 53 | GM | Vocaturo Daniele | 2620 | 3 | 3 | GM | Skoberne Jure | 2563 | 97 | |||
4 | 63 | GM | Bartel Mateusz | 2609 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Navara David | 2737 | 3 | |||
5 | 5 | GM | Ivanchuk Vassily | 2713 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Alekseenko Kirill | 2609 | 62 | |||
6 | 65 | GM | Andersen Mads | 2605 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Dubov Daniil | 2701 | 8 | |||
7 | 11 | GM | Nabaty Tamir | 2690 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Abasov Nijat | 2608 | 64 | |||
8 | 15 | GM | Inarkiev Ernesto | 2684 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Jojua Davit | 2601 | 70 | |||
9 | 73 | GM | Kobalia Mikhail | 2599 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Najer Evgeniy | 2683 | 16 | |||
10 | 17 | GM | Sargissian Gabriel | 2677 | 2½ | 2½ | GM | Mchedlishvili Mikheil | 2600 | 72 |
The European Individual Chess Championship 2018 is qualification event for the next World Cup, with total prize fund of 100.000 EUR. The event is played in 11 rounds by Swiss system, 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.
Official Website of the Championship