The European Individual Chess Championship 2012 opening ceremony took place at Novotel Plovdiv on April 19, a day before the first round of the event. In the presence of the Minister of Sports Mr. Neikov and the new mayor of Plovdiv Ivan Totev, but without the initially announced vice-premier Minister Simeon Diankov and the ECU President Silvio Danailov, the championship was given an official start.
The draw of colors was conducted, and right from the start we have exciting encounters at the EICC 2012. GM Nikolai Kabanov, participant in the 2011 World Cup is going to meet on board 1 the rating favorite GM Fabiano Caruana. Scroll down for the full list of pairings for the EICC.
Round 1 begins at 14:00 CET, follow the live games here.
EICC 2012 live games / Information / Photo gallery
EICC pairings round 1
| 1 | GM | Kabanov Nikolai | 2502 | – | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2767 |
| 2 | GM | Mamedyarov Shakhriyar | 2752 | – | GM | Drenchev Petar | 2499 |
| 3 | GM | Baron Tal | 2497 | – | GM | Jakovenko Dmitry | 2729 |
| 4 | GM | Giri Anish | 2717 | – | GM | Jianu Vlad-Cristian | 2497 |
| 5 | GM | Berescu Alin-Mile | 2494 | – | GM | Riazantsev Alexander | 2710 |
| 6 | GM | Vitiugov Nikita | 2709 | – | GM | Nedev Trajko | 2492 |
| 7 | GM | Soffer Ram | 2492 | – | GM | Bacrot Etienne | 2706 |
| 8 | GM | Jobava Baadur | 2706 | – | IM | Paichadze Luka | 2491 |
| 9 | GM | Grigorov Grigor | 2489 | – | GM | Grachev Boris | 2705 |
| 10 | GM | Malakhov Vladimir | 2705 | – | IM | Filip Lucian | 2483 |
| 11 | FM | Fodor Tamas Jr | 2482 | – | GM | Laznicka Viktor | 2702 |
| 12 | GM | Movsesian Sergei | 2702 | – | IM | Perunovic Miodrag | 2481 |
| 13 | IM | Cioara Andrei-Nestor | 2477 | – | GM | Naiditsch Arkadij | 2702 |
| 14 | GM | Navara David | 2700 | – | IM | Kovalev Vladislav | 2477 |
| 15 | GM | Can Emre | 2476 | – | GM | Sutovsky Emil | 2700 |
| 16 | GM | Dreev Aleksey | 2698 | – | IM | Arnaudov G Petar | 2476 |
| 17 | IM | Nigalidze Gaioz | 2472 | – | GM | Efimenko Zahar | 2695 |
| 18 | GM | Inarkiev Ernesto | 2695 | – | IM | Stojanovic Dalibor | 2471 |
| 19 | IM | Pancevski Filip | 2470 | – | GM | Volokitin Andrei | 2695 |
| 20 | GM | Fressinet Laurent | 2693 | – | IM | Jurcik Marian | 2467 |
| 21 | IM | Rombaldoni Axel | 2464 | – | GM | Vallejo Pons Francisco | 2693 |
| 22 | GM | Andreikin Dmitry | 2689 | – | IM | Nestorovic Nikola | 2462 |
| 23 | IM | Dias Paulo | 2454 | – | GM | Areshchenko Alexander | 2688 |
| 24 | GM | Bologan Viktor | 2687 | – | IM | Hunt Adam C | 2454 |
| 25 | IM | Hagen Andreas Skytte | 2453 | – | GM | Akopian Vladimir | 2684 |
| 26 | GM | Berkes Ferenc | 2682 | – | IM | Zaslavsky Mikhail | 2450 |
| 27 | IM | Simacek Pavel | 2447 | – | GM | Vachier-Lagrave Maxime | 2682 |
| 28 | GM | Korobov Anton | 2679 | – | IM | Bukal Vladimir Jr | 2441 |
| 29 | FM | Gabuzyan Hovhannes | 2441 | – | GM | Sargissian Gabriel | 2674 |
| 30 | GM | Georgiev Kiril | 2671 | – | IM | Stella Andrea | 2439 |
More here.
Dear Susan, are you sure the opening ceremony took place on the 19th April 2012. That’s another month away.
Maybe you meant 19th March 2012, Monday, yesterday.
Regards,
Shamsuddin,
Malaysia.