Abu Dhabi: Top seed GM Vladimir Fedoseev of Russia led favorites in the opening round of the 14th World University Chess Championship at the Khalidiya Palace Raihaan by Rotana in Abu Dhabi.
Fedoseev and 21 others share the early lead in the 9-round Swiss System tournament among 48 players from 17 countries, namely GMs Samvel Ter Sahakyan, Hovhannes Gabuzyan and Tigran Petrosian of Armenia, GM Pavel Ponkratov and IM Nikita Matinian of Russia, GM Pouya Idani, IM Amirreza Pourramezanali and Nima Javanbakht of Iran, IM Daniel Sadzikowski and Piotr Brodowski of Poland, IM Mikos Roganovic and Milos Stankovic of Serbia, IM Nico Georgiadis and Emanuel Schiendorfer of Swtizerland, IM Lou Yiping of China, IM Tamas Petenyi of Slovakia, Aliosa Tomazini of Slovenia and Badamdorj Ariunbuuver of Mongolia.
In the women’s division, top seed WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan of Iran shares the early lead with 13 others, namely WIM Alina Bivol and Dana Pustovoitova of Russia, WIM Kristyna Havlikov of Czech Republic, WGM Kulon Klaudia and Anna Warakomska of Poland, Maria Gevorgyan of Armenia, Jovana, Eric, Lena Miladinovic and Mila Zarkovic of Serbia, Ghazal Hakimifard of Iran and Monika Motycakova of Slovakia.
The men’s and women’s tournaments are also combined in a team competition in the World University Championship. The 9-round Swiss system tournament will be played in seven days. Alongside the individual contest there will be a team award based on adding up the two best men’s and women’s results. Only countries with three competitors or more, of whom there are at least one man and one woman, shall be taken into account for team classification.
Team classification shall be based on the total of points scored in the individual tournament and on the three best scores of at least one man and one woman from the same country. If the number of men is equal or more than 1.5 times the number of women, team classification shall be based on the best results of two men and one woman. Similarly, if the number of women is equal or more than 1.5 times the number of men, team classification shall be based on the best results of two women and one man.
