37th Greek chess league

37th Greek chess league
A strong field of over 500 players participate in the 2009 edition
Report by chessdom.com

The Greek Chess Federation will hold the 2009 national teams league in Kallithea, Halkidiki, from 3rd to 9th of July 2009. The tournament is organized by the AMO Galaxias Chess Club and the playing site is the venue of last year’s European Club Cup – Athos Palace and Pallini Beach.

As of June 19th, the teams have confirmed their participation lists and the tournament will be one of the top team events in Europe for 2009. Vassily Ivanchuk will be the highest rated player, followed by the 2008 European Champion GM Tiviakov, the 2009 European Champion GM Tomashevsky, GM Viktor Bologan, GM Miroshnichenko, GM Navara, GM Postny, Anand’s second GM Wojtaszek.

In total there will be 590 players, 96 of which titled GMs, IMs, WGMs, and FMs. Each team consists of 12 players (5 with no limit, then a woman, a girl under 18, a girl under 16 and boys under 18, 16, 14 and 12,) and reserve players.The top rated team is SO Kavalas (with Tomashevsky, Kotronias, Papaioannou, and Halkias an the top boards), follwed by PS Peristeriou (with Ivanchuk, Macieja, Tzermiadianos, Vera Papadopolou), ES Thesalonikis (Miroshnichenko, Wojtaszek, Mastrovasilis), and SA Thesalonikis o Galaxias (Tiviakov, Tregubov, Georgiev).

Other first boards feature GM Moradiabadi, GM Braun, GM David Howell, GM Rozentalis, GM Nevednichy, Chessdom.com commentator GM Dejan Bojkov, GM Gelashvili, GM Azmaiparashvili, GM Radulski, IM Arnaudov (just received title in Khrakow), GM Luka Lenic, GM Pavasovic, etc.

Click here to see the list of teams and players.

Official site: www.chessfed.gr/teams2009