Montenegro Chess Festival organized by Montenegro Chess Federation, in cooperation with the chess club „Elektroprivreda“ stretches from February 26 to March 25 and includes four tournaments held in Nikšić and Podgorica. IM and GM competitions were 10-player round-robin while the mixed tournament attracted 18 participants. 

The festival brought together twenty-nine players from ten federations (Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Northern Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, and Montenegro) including six GMs, eight IMs, five FMs, and one WIM.  

Two IM and a GM tournament have already been completed, while the mixed tournament is still underway.

Montenegro Chess Festival IM 2021/01, February 26th - March 4th 

1. Dario Alivodic (MNE) – 6½
2. Predrag Nikac (MNE) – 5½
3. Nebojsa Nikcevic (MNE) – 5½

Montenegro Chess Festival IM 2021/02, March 5-11th 

1. Milos Pecurica (MNE) – 7
2. Nebojsa Nikcevic (MNE) – 6½
3. Predrag Nikac (MNE) – 5

Montenegro Chess Festival GM 2021/01, March 12-18th 

1. Nikola Djukic (MNE) – 7
2. Aleksander Delchev (BUL) – 5½
3. Aydin Suleymanli (AZE) – 5½

Milos Pecurica (MNE) earned the IM norm in one of the IM-tournaments, while Gleb Dudin (RUS) completed the GM norm in the Grandmaster event. 

The pool of participants was a good mix of experienced players and aspiring youngsters: Sanal Vahap (TUR), Aleksandar Delchev (BUL), Thybo Jesper Sondergaard (DEN), Suleymanli Aydin (AZE) just to name a few. It is worth mentioning the participation of the two world champions: Predrag Nikac (IBCA World  Champion for Blind 2019) and Vladimir Klasan (ICCD World Chess Champion for Deaf 2012; pictured below).

The tournaments were held in strict accordance with all the public health measures related to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Thirsty for over-the-board chess all the participants of all the tournaments demonstrated a great fighting spirit and most importantly, every player left Montenegro in good health and with great impressions.

The organizers are calling everyone interested in future participation to contact them, emphasizing that these tournaments are going to become traditional. The dates of the forthcoming tournaments are 16-22 April and 23-29 April.

Official website: http://sahcg.me/montenegro-chess-festival-mix-2021-1/