After two rounds of European Individual Chess Championship, which is underway in the city of Bulgaria, Plovdiv 40 participants advanced, but none of Georgian chess player is among them.
Mikheil Mchedlishvili (2626), Davit Lomsadze (2338), Shota Azaladze (2419) and Levan Pantsulia (2595) have the best points from Georgian delegation (1.5 points). They keep the 48th, 101st, 108th, 119th places.
Baadur Jobava (2706) leader of Georgian national team played draw in the second round and he is in the 209th place. Luka Paichadze (2491) did well and after playing draw with Jobava in the first round, he again played draw, this time with No.2 rank Azerbaijani Shakhryar Mamedyarov (2752).
The championship is based on Swiss system and it will end up on March 31. March 27 is a day off. Prize money of the tournament is 100 000 EUR. Champion will get 14 000 EUR. Top 25 chess players will be awarded.
Favorites of the tournament are: Fabiano Caruana (2767), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, 2752), Dmitry Jakovenko (Russia, 2729), Anish Giri (Holland, 2717), Alexander Riazantsev (Russia, 2710).
13th European Individual Chess Championship. March 19-April 1. Plovdiv (Bulgaria). 2nd round
Hrant Melkumyan (Armenia, 2628) – Davit Benidze (2530) 1:0
Mikheil Mchedlishvili (2626) – Vugar Rasulov (Azerbaijan. 2526) 0.5:0.5
Vasilios Kotronias (Greece, 2597) – Davit Lomsadze (2338) 0.5:0.5
Luka Paichadze (2491) – Shakhryar Mameryarov (Azerbaijan, 2752) 0.5:0.5
Petar Drencev (Bulgaria, 2499) – Baadur Jobava (2706) 0.5:0.5
Fransisco Pons Valexo (Spain, 2693) – Gaioz Nigalidze (2472) 1:0
Shota Azaladze (2419) – Viorel Yoranesku (Moldova, 2644) 1:0
Aleksander Donchenko (German, 2309) – Levan Pantsulia (2595) 0:1
Giorgi Khelaia (2080) – Orkhan Abdulov (Azerbaijan, 2387) 0:1
