The European individual chess championship was opened in Petrovac.
The competition was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Milun Zogović, who said that he expressed special gratitude that Montenegro is hosting this prestigious event.
In his address to those present, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that chess has a special place in the history of Montenegro:
"Our great poet and ruler, Petar II Petrović Njegoš, was the first famous Montenegrin chess player, and this fact additionally obliges us to maintain and promote the chess tradition. Njegoš's spirit, present even today, encourages us to look for inspiration and wisdom in chess and in life." .
In addition to Zogović, the president of the European Chess Union, Zurab Azmajparašvili, spoke at the opening, who praised the efforts of the Chess Federation of Montenegro and emphasized his pride in the excellent organization and traditional household.
Vladimir Obradović, on behalf of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, addressed the audience and praised the work of the Chess Federation, pointing out that the record support is justified and that ŠSCG is a bright example of a sports federation in Montenegro.
The European Individual Chess Championship gathers over 400 competitors from all European countries, and represents the most significant European chess event in 2024. It is planned to play 11 rounds, according to the Swiss system, and the prize pool is 100 thousand euros.
Chess fans will be able to follow more than 120 grandmasters, including former world champion Ruslan Ponomaryov and Vasyl Ivanchuk, the legendary Ukrainian grandmaster.
Our national team members will also compete with the aim of achieving the best possible results.
"Grandmaster Nikita Petrov (2590) occupies starting position 51, while Denis Kadrić (2562) is in position 66, and Nikola Đukić (2499) is in position 108. In addition to them, twenty more of our players will participate in this important tournament," was announced by ŠSCG.
Bonus video:
