European Individual Chess Championship 2015 (Jerusalem)

[Christopher Kreuzer]

By the way, I have no criticism of Anand's play in today's game. It was vital that he got a draw in any way he could, and he did. However, he really must show a bit of spirit tomorrow.

Wrong thread, Nick...

[Chris Rice]

This event is still some way off (23 February) but with the prize fund increased to €120,000 the entry has swelled to some 155 players, 86 of which are GMs. Can't see any British players so far though. http://www.chessdom.com/european-indivi ... 5-players/

[Stewart Reuben]

There are about 250 players listed as of 25 January. The problem is that some of these have not paid their entry fees and thus their entry is unreliable. Still no British Isles entries.

[Gordon Cadden]

The Tournament is dominated by entries from Eastern Europe. It would be nice to see some entries from the Lowlands, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

[Chris Rice]

253 entries and hallelujah one of them is a British entry. David Howell has entered as 24th seed. Given his form at Gibraltar he has a chance of winning this but the strength of the tournament is pretty brutal. Fortunately for the organisers safety concerns haven't put people off from going.

http://www.eicc2015.com/participants/

It's an 11-round tournament and Round 1 is Tuesday 24 February at 1pm GMT

[Mick Norris]

253 entries and hallelujah one of them is a British entry. David Howell has entered as 24th seed. Given his form at Gibraltar he has a chance of winning this but the strength of the tournament is pretty brutal. Fortunately for the organisers safety concerns haven't put people off from going.

http://www.eicc2015.com/participants/

It's an 11-round tournament and Round 1 is Tuesday 24 February at 1pm GMT

Good luck to David

Round 1:
GM Howell David W L ENG 2663 0 0 IM Slavin Alexey RUS 2391

TWIC live games

Live broadcast

[Roger de Coverly]

IM Slavin Alexey RUS 2391

That's a familiar name. Another British player in a manner of speaking.

http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/new/menu.p ... ile=player

[Mick Norris]

Indeed, game ended in a draw

[Mick Norris]

David's results

Ok so far - two black wins, two white draws, hopefully David can start winning with white and give himself a chance

[Chris Rice]

So David keeps his unusual pattern of drawing with White and winning with Black going with another draw as White yesterday.

Board 15 Howell David (2663) ½-½ Svetushkin Dmitry (MDA 2592)

Standings after Rd 5:

1 Korobov (UKR 2687) 4.5

2= Navara (CZE 2735), Najer (RUS 2634), Vovk (UKR 2588), Motylev (RUS 2665), Eljanov (UKR 2727), Nepomniachtchi (RUS 2714), Shimanov (RUS 2594), Volokitin (UKR 2646), Smirin (ISR 2650), Sargissian (ARM 2668), Sutovsky (ISR 2626), Dubov (RUS 2632), Kempinski (POL 2625), Bartel (POL 2631), Nisipeanu (GER 2654) 4

17= 42 others including David on 3.5

Tough tournament. In Round 6 David is Black on Board 17 against Karen H. Grigoryan (ARM 2596)

[LawrenceCooper]

So David keeps his unusual pattern of drawing with White and winning with Black going with another draw as White yesterday.
In Round 6 David is Black on Board 17 against Karen H. Grigoryan (ARM 2596)

The unusual pattern continues

[David Blower]

Am I right in thinking this is a qualifying event for the candidates tournament and therefore the world championship match?

[Paolo Casaschi]

Am I right in thinking this is a qualifying event for the candidates tournament and therefore the world championship match?

Not directly; the top 23 here qualify for the World Cup knockout event; the top 2 at the World Cup qualify for the candidates tournament.

[Mick Norris]

So David keeps his unusual pattern of drawing with White and winning with Black going with another draw as White yesterday.
In Round 6 David is Black on Board 17 against Karen H. Grigoryan (ARM 2596)

The unusual pattern continues

That's good, I looked earlier and didn't think he was better

[Chris Rice]

David is now in a bunch of players in fifth place just a half point off the lead. Here are the current standings after round 6:

1= Nepomniachtchi (RUS 2714), Motylev (RUS 2665), Sargissian (ARM 2668), Bartel (POL 2631) 5
5= Stefansson (ISL 2573), Korobov (UKR 2687), Najer (RUS 2634), Bukavshin (RUS 2622), Goganov (RUS 2605), Duda (POL 2591), Eljanov (UKR 2727), Shimanov (RUS 2594), Volokitin (UKR 2646), Smirin (ISR 2650), Sutovsky (ISR 2626), Dubov (RUS 2632), Iljiushenok (RUS 2450), Lupulescu (ROU 2626), Popov (RUS 2639), Howell (ENG 2663), Khismatullin (RUS 2653), Khairullin (RUS 2629), Kantarji (ISR 2420), Nisipeanu (GER 2654), Zhigalko (BLR 2572) 4.5

So he's doing well but as you can see from the players around him there will be no respite. Next up in round 7 he's on board 5 with white against Romanian GM Constantin Lupulescu (2626). If he continues the pattern we can expect a draw.