Congestion at the top of the European Championship in Budva

3/17/2009 – After ten rounds, with one to go, a total of nine players are in the lead, poised to win the event, half a point behind are fourteen more who have theoretical chances. So the final round on Tuesday is bound to bring a lot of action, which you can follow on the Playchess server. The official web site has many hundreds of (uncaptioned) pictures of players. Photo report of soccer, sun and sea.

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10th European Individual Chess Championship
in Budva, Montenegro, March 5-19th, 2009

This tournament is being organised by the Montenegro Chess Federation, the City of Budva and the European Chess Union. It is taking place in Budva, Montenegro, in the Congress Hall of the “Splendid Spa & Resort Hotel”. The event is an 11-round Swiss, with a playing rate of 90 minutes for 40 moves, then 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from move one.

The total prize fund of the Individual European Championship is 120,000 Euros. First prize is € 15,000, second is € 12,000, third € 10,000 up to 25th prize, which is € 1,000. According to Montenegro law all prizes are taxable (maximum 10%). The first 22 players will in addition qualify for the World Cup.


The good old days: Budva in 1900

Top standings after ten rounds (6.5/10 and higher)

# Ti. Player Nat. Rtng. Pts. Perf
1 GM Tomashevsky Evgeny RUS 2664 7.5 2732
2 GM Fedorchuk Sergey A UKR 2633 7.5 2763
3 GM Sokolov Ivan NED 2657 7.5 2775
4 GM Naiditsch Arkadij GER 2693 7.5 2779
5 GM Inarkiev Ernesto RUS 2656 7.5 2787
6 GM Grachev Boris RUS 2655 7.5 2733
7 GM Kobalia Mikhail RUS 2634 7.5 2757
8 GM Guseinov Gadir AZE 2661 7.5 2727
9 GM Nyback Tomi FIN 2644 7.5 2722
10 GM Cheparinov Ivan BUL 2679 7.0 2710
11 GM Timofeev Artyom RUS 2671 7.0 2724
12 GM Jobava Baadur GEO 2669 7.0 2735
13 GM Bartel Mateusz POL 2594 7.0 2735
14 GM Navara David CZE 2638 7.0 2710
15 GM Areshchenko Alex. UKR 2673 7.0 2686
16 GM Mamedov Rauf AZE 2638 7.0 2718
17 GM Malakhov Vladimir RUS 2692 7.0 2717
18 GM Bologan Viktor MDA 2687 7.0 2720
19 GM Stevic Hrvoje CRO 2592 7.0 2704
20 GM Georgiev Kiril BUL 2634 7.0 2688
21 GM Pashikian Arman ARM 2621 7.0 2650
22 GM Motylev Alexander RUS 2676 7.0 2664
23 GM Sakaev Konstantin RUS 2619 7.0 2637
24 GM Meier Georg GER 2608 6.5 2711
25 GM Volokitin Andrei UKR 2671 6.5 2679
26 GM Sjugirov Sanan RUS 2562 6.5 2721
27 GM Nijboer Friso NED 2559 6.5 2714
28 GM Hillarp Persson Tiger SWE 2586 6.5 2674
 
29 FM Rasulov Vugar AZE 2391 6.5 2709
30 GM Vitiugov Nikita RUS 2687 6.5 2676
31 GM Akopian Vladimir ARM 2700 6.5 2674
32 GM Bocharov Dmitry RUS 2647 6.5 2675
33 GM Dreev Alexey RUS 2688 6.5 2670
34 GM Kurnosov Igor RUS 2602 6.5 2658
35 GM Andriasian Zaven ARM 2564 6.5 2683
36 GM Lupulescu Constantin ROU 2608 6.5 2606
37 GM Wojtaszek Radoslaw POL 2608 6.5 2640
38 GM Mikhalevski Victor ISR 2608 6.5 2658
39 GM Zhigalko Sergei BLR 2587 6.5 2637
40 GM Savic Miodrag R SRB 2525 6.5 2643
41 GM Papaioannou Ioannis GRE 2609 6.5 2683
42 GM Gagunashvili Merab GEO 2585 6.5 2598
43 GM Iordachescu Viorel MDA 2584 6.5 2625
44 GM Nisipeanu Liviu-D. ROU 2675 6.5 2642
45 GM Lenic Luka SLO 2547 6.5 2637
46 GM Aleksandrov Aleksej BLR 2636 6.5 2613
47 GM Perunovic Milos SRB 2568 6.5 2602
48 GM Petrosian Tigran L ARM 2623 6.5 2619
49 GM Svetushkin Dmitry MDA 2593 6.5 2547
50 GM Khalifman Alexander RUS 2622 6.5 2621
51 GM Lysyj Igor RUS 2620 6.5 2626
52 GM Berg Emanuel SWE 2606 6.5 2565
53 GM Milanovic Danilo SRB 2552 6.5 2629
54 GM L'Ami Erwin NED 2603 6.5 2606
55 GM Beliavsky Alexander SLO 2646 6.5 2591
56 GM Nepomniachtchi Ian RUS 2628 6.5 2594
57 GM Savchenko Boris RUS 2654 6.5 2561

Picture gallery

Once again heeding the admonition of a young Super-GM in Bilbao last year, not to publish too many pictures of players, "from the front, from the side, from above, from below, thinking, not thinking," we bring you here instead impressions of Montenegro, the sun, the sports, activities outside of chess – all captured by Nebojsa Baralic.


The city of Budva in Montenegro, where the 10th European Championship is being held


The beautiful hotel park, with sunshine, the Mediterranean, date palms and everything


Participants relaxing on the balcony


A garden chess match in front of the hotel


Step back a bit, sir! – It's always the same: the kibitzers are too close to the board


Did she really play the Budva System: 1.e4, 2.Nf3, 3.Qe2 and 4.h3?


An expert (we assume from his attire and posture) assesses the position


No bare kings or bare anything rule here – a dignified handshake seals the draw


On the free day the players visit the old city of Kotor, with The fortification walls


Participants pose togehter in the city center. From left to right... (no, just kidding!)


The Football Match – quite obligatory according to FIDE rules during such events


A goal incident – insiders will recognise Alexander Motylev, Laurent Fressinet (seated), and...


Dutch soccer star Loek van Wely


The soccer players pose. From left to right... (but we used that joke already!)


Too much sun, too much chess...

Photos by Nebojsa Baralic

Links

Key games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program to read, replay and analyse the PGN games.

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