The European Individual Women’s Chess Championship 2019 started today in Antalya (Turkey) and will last until April 23rd. The playing venue of the event is the official hotel of the championship, the 5* Aska Lara Resort & Spa Hotel.

The first round of the tournament started at 3 pm local time with the participation of 131 players coming from 32 European federations. Among them world known women chess players, including 13 Grandmasters, 27 Women Grandmasters, 25 International Masters, 24 Women International Masters, 115 titled players in total. The event will be played in 11 rounds, 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 move one.

Top seeds of the championship: GM Goryachkina Aleksandra (RUS, 2534), GM Dzagnidze Nana (GEO, 2513), GM Khotenashvili Bela (GEO, 2479), IM Kashlinskaya Alina (RUS, 2477), GM Stefanova Antoaneta (ECU, 2464), IM Cornette Deimante (LTU, 2464), GM Sebag Marie (FRA, 2461), WGM Girya Olga (RUS, 2461), GM Cramling Pia (SWE, 2460).

The players compete for a prize fund of 60.000 - with 10.000 going to the winner-, as well as for 14 spots in the next FIDE Women’s World Cup.

The main organizer of the championship is the Turkish Chess Federation under the auspices of European Chess Union.

Official website: http://eiwcc2019.tsf.org.tr/