30 April 2015

Russian Club Championships begin

Grand Hotel Zhemcuzhina in Sochi hosts the event from April 30 to May 11.

The Russian Club Championships in classical chess, rapid chess, and blitz in three age groups (main, junior, and senior) take place in Sochi from April 30 to May 11. 

Eight teams will compete in the Pramier League: Mednyj Vsadnik (St. Petersburg), Universitet (Belorechensk, Kranodar Krai), Sibir (Novosibirsk), Nashe Nasledie (Moscow), Malakhit (Yekaterinburg), Zhiguli (Samara Region), Ladja (Kazan), and Yamal (Yamalo-Nenetskij Autonomous Okrug).

Among the participants are such grands of chess as Vladimir Kramnik, Levon Aronian, Alexander Grischuk, Peter Svidler, Nikita Vitiugov, Lenier Dominguez, Dmitry Andreikin, Dmitry Jakovenko, Ian Nepomchiachtchi, Vladimir Malakhov, Baadur Jobava, and many other well-known grandmasters. 

The Women's Club Championship is attended by 10 teams: Ugra (Khanty-Mansiysk AO), Nashe Nasledie (Moscow), Ladja (Kazan), SDYUSHOR SHSH (St. Petersburg), Universitet (Belorechensk), Grandmaster Glek Academy (Moscow), Kuban (Krasnodar Krai), Donchanka (Rostov Region), Boavista (Moscow), and Chechen Republic (Grozny).

Among the participants are Valentina Gunina, Alexandra Kosteninuk, Anna Ushenina, Natalia Pogonina, Olga Girya, Lilit Mkrtchian, Alina Kashlinskaya, Ekaterina Kovalevskaya, Anastasia Bodnaruk, etc. 

19 teams will play in the Higher League of the men's championship. Six teams will play in the Seniors Championship, nine teams – in Boys Junior Championship, and six teams – in Girls Junior Championship. 

The festival has an extensive extra-curriculum program. A special chess pavilion on the beach of the official hotel will host various chess competitions, master classes, contests and simultaneous displays.