The 9th round games were held at XIV European Individual Chess Championship in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. International grandmaster Salome Melia (2428) played draw with leader of the tournament Trang Hoang (Hungary, 2467). Melia kept the second place with 7.0 points. Trang is in the first place with 7.5 points.
Salome reached 2500 and she became grandmaster among men too.
Melia, Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia, 2489), Viktorija Cmilyte (Lithuania, 2497) and Monika Socko (Poland, 2435) are sharing the second-fifth places with 7.0-7.0 points.
Young Georgian grandmaster Meri Arabidze also played draw with Natalija Pogonina of Russia (2478).
Arabidze is in the 6th place with 6.5 points. Bela Khotenashvili (2512) defeated Inna Gaponenko of Ukraine (2393) with black pieces. Khotenashvili is in the tenth place.
Kosteniuk-Hoang will be central game in the 10th round. Melia-Cmilyte, Girya (Russia, 2437)-Khotenashvili and Arabidze-Kovanova (Russia, 2371).
European XIV Individual Chess Championship is based on 11-round Swiss system and it will end up on 3 August. Prize money of the tournament is 60 000 EUR. Champion will gain 10 500 EUR, the second-placed – 8 250, the third-placed – 6 500 EUR. The prize money will be distributed to 20 participants.
Results of the Georgian chess players:
2. Salome Melia (2428) – 7.0 points (+24.1)
6. Meri Arabidze (2320) – 6.5 points (+41.55)
10. Bela Khotenashvili (2512) – 6.5 points (+2.4)
17. Sophiko Guramishvili (2421) – 6.0 points (+6.3)
18. Nana Dzagnidze (2558) – 6.0 points (-8.2)
25. Lela Javakhishvili (2465) – 6.0 points (-4.8)
31. Maka Purtseladze (2349) – 5.5 points (22.05)
32. Maia Lomineishvili (2351) – 5.5 points (+11.7)
33. Nino Khurtsidze (2443) – 5.5 points (1.6)
60. Sophio Gvetadze (2341) – 5.0 points (-1.2)
62. Nino Batsiashvili (2405) – 5.0 points (-8.9)
71. Sophio Nikoladze (2163) – 5.0 points (+4.2)
111. Miranda Mikadze (2314) – 4.0 points (-25.2)
118. Ana Gavasheli (2170) – 4.0 points (-8.55)
132. Madona Bokuchava (2109) – 3.5 points (-14.55)
