Games Festival day 1
Massive chess event at 5 star venue
The Games Festival 2010, including the ECU offcial events European School Chess Championship and European Senior Chess Championship, as well as Thessaloniki Open 2010, started in Greece. With close to 500 players and a 5 star playing conditions it is one of the largest chess festivals of Europe.
The Games Festival was opened with European School and International Open events. The top favorites in the open – IM Marijan Petrov, IM Grigor Grigorov, and the Corus C participant GM Daniele Vocaturo won their games. IM Esen Baris and IM Erdogdu Mert concluded a peaceful draw on board 3, while GM Alexei Bezgodov was held to a draw by the local player Panagiotis Tsikrikonis. GM Dejan Antic, GM Georgiev, GM Velikov, and IM Piscopo continue with full points.
Find full results at the Thessaloniki Open official website and picture report at the photo gallery
The European School Chess Championship 2010 is also underway in Thessaloniki. It is typical for youth events to see surprises at all groups, but the European School Championship’s major surprise was that all favorites won their games. In the U17 groups the top boy and gil participants Zurab Javakhadze and WIM Meri Arabidze won their first round games. Mikhail Chernyuk (Open U15) as well as Liubov Kostitsina and Sanal Vahap (Gilrs and Open U13) were also among the top board winners of the round. The young Hungarian FIDE master Gledura Benjamin and Irina Drogovoz ruled the U11 groups, completing a successful “warm up” round for the favorites.
Find the full results and standings by groups at the European School Chess Championship official website
Tomorrow is the next round of Thessaloniki Open and the European School Chess Championship. The European Senior Chess Championship starts on the 8th of April.
Impressive!