The twelve participants of this round robin event are all grandmasters, three with a rating above 2700 and six other participants with a rating higher than 2600. The average rating is 2650.5, which corresponds to a Category 17 tournament, making it the strongest Championship ever in the history of independent Ukraine.
The games are being played in the center of Kiev at the hall “Kobzarska Svitlytsia” at “The Ukrainian House” (Kiev, European Square). Round starts at 14:00 CET (15:00 Ukrainian time), the last round on June 21 starts at 10:00 CET (11:00 Ukrainian time). The zero-tolerence rule will not apply and players may arrive late at their boards, by a maximum of fifteen minutes.

  The center of the city of Kiev – Independence Square

  The Flower Clock near Independence Square

  “The Ukrainian House” where the Ukrainian Chess Championship 
  is taking place

   The official part of the opening ceremony

  Drawing of lots with fountain pens: Ruslan Ponomariov got the number three

  Friends Pavel Eljanov and Alexander Moiseenko were sitting together during the 
  
  opening ceremony and drew each other as opponents in the first round

    Press officer Anataloliy Yavorskiy and GM Mikhail Golubev

  Ruslan Ponomariov gives an interview to a Ukrainian TV channel…

  ... and Yuriy Kryvoruchko follows him

   The unofficial part of the opening ceremony took place at the restourant 
  "Dnipro"

    The President of the Ukrainian Chess Federation Viktor Kapustin

   GM Georgiy Arzumanian and GM Evgeniy Miroshnichenko with his picture in 
  the background

  A friendly match between two chess fans: Pavel Kuftirev, vice-president 
  of the Ukrainian 
  Chess Federation, and Aron Maiberg, a former organizer of Aerosvit Super tournaments 
  in Foros

  FIDE's Geoffrey Borg (right) and participants wait for the beginning of 
  the first round


  The tough game between Moiseenko and Eljanov, who had an advantage, was 
  drawn

  Yuriy Kryvoruchko scored his first victory against Alexandr Kovchan in round 
  one 

  Two-time champion of Ukraine Evgeniy Miroshnichenko

  The playing venue

  Spectators can follow the games in the same hall as the players

    Former FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov in the sole lead

    Another 2700+ Pavel Eljanov in second place

     Former Ukrainian Champion (2004) Andrey Volokitin, equal 2-5

    Former Ukrainian Champion (2006) Zakhar Efimenko, 2701

    Another former Ukrainian Champion (2002), Anton Korobov

    Vysochin Spartak, who qualified as a winner of the semi-final 
    of the Ukrainian championship in 2011
 
    Chief arbiter of the Championship Bodankin Leoonid Markovich

About the authorAnastasiya (Nastja) Karlovich was Ukrainian champion and vice-champion among girls under 16, 18 and 20. She was European Champion with the Ukrainian team in the Youth Team Championships. She is also 
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 Links
 The games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 11 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs.  | 
     
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