10 GMs lead in Plovdiv

Just like in Baku, at the European Championship in Plovdiv (Bulgaria), three rounds have been played. In the men's section there are ten GMs left with a 100% score, in the women's section only five players won all three games.

The 9th European Individual Chess Championship takes place April 20 ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú May 4, 2008 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Chess Federation is organizing, under the auspices of the State Agency for Youth and Sport of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Chess Union.

Both the men's and the women's are 11-round Swiss tournaments with just one rest day (Monday, April 28). Rate of play is 90 minutes for 40 moves plus 30 minutes to end the game, plus 30 seconds increment.

In addition to the championship medals, players fight for 22 tickets for the 2009 World Cup for men and 13 spots for the Women World Championship.

The total prize fund is 140,000 Euros (100,000 for the men's section; 40,000 for the women's section). In the men's section, the first prize is 15,000 Euros; the best women will win 6,000 Euros.

The last round is on May 2, and if it's necessary to determine the champion, medalists and qualifiers, tie-breaks will be played on May 3rd.

Top standings after three rounds:

[TABLE=250] [TABLE=251]



Francisco Vallejo Pons (SPA)

Tommi Nyback (FIN) - Vladimir Akopian (ARM)

Vladimir Belov (RUS) - Zahar Efimenko (UKR)

Laurent Fressinet (FRA) - Dmitry Svetushkin (MDA)

Alexander Arechenko (UKR) - Zdenko Kozul (CRO) (& Sergei Movsesian, SVK)

Milos Perunovic (SRB) - Kyril Georgiev (BUL)

Ilya Smirin (ISR)



Viktorija Cmilyte (LAT)

Lilit Mkrtchian (ARM) - Katerina Lahno (UKR)

Stefanova (BUL) - Olga Zimina (ITA)

Natalia Zhukova (RUS) - Dagne Ciuksyte (ENG)

Hoang Thanh Trang (HUN) - Petra Schuurman (NED)

Irina Vasilevich (RUS) - Marlies Bensdorp (NED)

GM Arthur Kogan & Marlies Bensdorp (NED)

Laura Bensdorp (NED)

Photos: Tatyana Plachkinova

Links:

• Tournament website
• Games (men) in PGN
• Games (women) in PGN