European Youth Chess Championship 2010

Batumi, the Chess Youth destination

Government of Georgia and Georgian Chess Federation hold the European Youth Chess Championship 2010 (age groups from U8 to U18 girls and boys), which will take place in Batumi, Georgia (Black Seaside), from 19th to 29th September.

Batumi 2010 is going to be one of the biggest Youth Championship in the European History. Hundreds of juniors and girls will participate in an area with big chess tradition and some of the strongest world youth chess players will arrive for playing in all age groups. Already, 4 months before the start, huge delegations from top chess countries were confirmed, among them Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy , Israel, Ukraine, Armenia, Romania etc.

The tournament will be played by a 9-round Swiss System. National ratings will not be taken into account for the pairings. Playing rates will be according to FIDE regulations: 90 minutes for 40 moves + 30 minutes until the end of the game plus an additional 30 seconds per move starting from move one.

In each age category of boys and girls sections, the first three winners will receive Cups, medals and diplomas, the IV – V winners of each category – medals and diplomas, the VI – X winners of each category - diplomas. The champions of each age category will be awarded with HP laptop computers. The II – V players of each category will be awarded with chess programs, mobile phones, DVD players, MP 3 players. Total amount for all prizes will be 25 000 €. Each participant will receive special presents in total amount for all presents 10 000 €.

Batumi, Georgia

Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. It has a population of 121,806 (2002 census).Batumi, with its large port and commercial center, is also the last stop of the Transcaucasian Railway and the Baku oil pipeline. It is situated some 20 km (12 mi) from the Turkish border, in a subtropical zone, rich in agricultural produce such as citrus fruit and tea. Industries include shipbuilding, food processing, and light manufacturing.

Batumi is located on the site of the ancient Greek colony in Colchis called Bathus or Bathys - derived from the Greek phrase bathus limen or bathys limin meaning "deep harbour". Under Hadrian (r. 117-138 AD), it was converted into a fortified Roman port later deserted for the fortress of Petra founded in the times of Justinian I (r. 527-565). Garrisoned by the Roman/Byzantine forces, it was formally a possession of the kingdom of Lazica until being occupied briefly by the Arabs who did not hold it; in the 9th century it formed part of the Bagratid monarchy of Tao-Klarjeti, and at the close of the 10th century of the unified kingdom of Georgia which succeeded it.

Batumi today is the main port of Georgia. It has the capacity for 80,000-tonne tankers to take materials such as oil. This oil originates from Azerbaijan and is shipped all over the world. Smaller oil exports also come from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Additionally the city exports regional agricultural products. Since 1995 the freight conversion of the port has constantly risen, with an approximate 8 million tonnes in 2001. The annual revenue from the port is estimated at between $200 million and $300 million.Since the change of power in Ajara, Batumi has attracted several international investors with real estate prices in the city trebling since 2001. Kazakh investors have reportedly invested $100 million to purchase more than 20 hotels in the Ajara region of Georgia. Construction of a number of new hotels will be launched in Ajara’s Black Sea resorts starting from 2007.

Batumi and Chess

Batumi has an remarkable tradition in chess and. Batumi hosted in the past many chess tournaments. The most important completions were European Team Championship on 1999 and World Youth Championship on 2006.

The World Chess Legend Garry Kasparov will be the honorary guest of the European Youth Championship 2010. and will declare the opening of the championship on 19th September. Garry Kasparov met Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on March 16th and among the items on their agenda was the European Youth Championship 2010 in Batumi. The same period the former World Champion attended the festivities on occasion of GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili’ birthday.

Who will participate in the European Youth Chess 2010

In order to provide appropriate tournament conditions, the Federations must complete carefully the official registration form and send it back to the contact person before 1st August 2010. Each federation can register one player in each of under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 (boys, girls) categories, totaling a maximum of 12 players – (“invited players”).

The players placed 1-3 in the previous European Youth Championship will have the personal right to participate in the tournament of the corresponding age – category or a higher age – category if they fulfill the conditions that they didn’t reach the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 or 18 years, respectively, by January 1st of the year in which the tournament will commence. This privilege may be exercised once exclusively in the subsequent year following the year of qualification – (“personal right players”).

According to the decision of ECU the winners of the ECU Youth Grand Prix 2010 in the age categories -8, -10, -12, -14 and -16, boys and girls, will have the personal right to participate in the tournament of the corresponding age – (“additional personal right players”).

Any federation can register additional players as well.

Contact Batumi European Youth Championship

President of Georgian Chess Federation Giorgi Giorgadze
Mobile: + 995 99 56 17 67

The Director of Tournament Akaki Iashvili
Mobile: + 995 77 41 41 21

E-mail: batumi2010@yahoo.com

Official site: www.euro2010.ge