Everything ready for the chess spectacle in Budva

Two more days until the start of the European Team Chess Championship, the most important competition in European chess this year.

In the Open competition 38 teams have confirmed their participation, while 32 teams will participate inthe women’s competition.

Magnus Carlsen is certainly the biggest name in the championship, and the Norwegian will lead his national team at the ETCC after an 8-year break.

In the men’s competition, the first favorite is the national team of Azerbaijan, with an average ELO rating of 2701, and the team will be led by members of the TOP 20, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teimour Radjabov. The second place is occupied by Romania, led by “reinforcements” Richard Rapport and Kirill Shevchenko with an average of 2676, and the German national team, led by the young Vincent Kaymer, has the same average rating.

England is the 4^th seed with also 2676, led by Nikita Vitiugov and the legendary Michael Adams. Norway is the 8^th seed.

The host country, Montenegro, will compete with 3 national teams, and the most is expected from the first team, which is at the starting position 24.

Three former world champions will compete in the women’s competition: Alexandra Kosteniuk, Antoaneta Stefanova and Anna Ushenina.

On place 1 by the average ELO is selection of Georgia, which is looking for a chance for gold after 26 years and the European Championship in Pula, Croatia. Georgia will be led by Bella Khotenashvili and Nini Batsiashvili on their way to gold.

The second on the list is the team of Azerbaijan, while the third is the national team of Germany. After a long time, the national team of Bulgaria will perform which is the 5^th seed, while the national team of Ukraine is in place number 4.

The host national team is at the starting point 31.

Chess fans can watch the live commentary on the ECU YouTube channel by Grandmaster Alojzije Janković from Croatia and former member of the North Macedonian national team Dragana Nikolovska. Janković and Nikolovska were also commentators of the European Women’s Championship, which was held in Petrovac, also in Montenegro, in March.