The Latvian Chess Championship (Latvian: Latvijas Šaha čempionāts) is the annual national chess tournament of Latvia among men and women players, which was established in 1924. It is organized by the Latvian Chess Federation (Latvian: Latvijas Šaha federācija), previously - Latvian Chess Union (Latvian: Latvijas Šaha savienība).

Mikhail Tal was winner twice - in 1953 and 1965.
Jānis Klovāns won the Latvian Championship nine times: 1954, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, and 1986.
Edvīns Keņģis is an eight-time Latvian Champion, winning the national contest in 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2004 and 2005.
Laura Rogule won the Latvian Chess Championship for women thirteen times: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Dana Reizniece-Ozola won the Latvian Chess Championship in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001.

History

The first professional Latvian chess players can be traced back to the 19th century, when Latvia was a part of the Russian Empire. They participated in chess tournaments and union congresses, organized by the Riga Chess Association which was founded in 1890. After World War I and the Latvian War of Independence and the establishment of the Latvian Chess Union in 1924, the official Latvian chess championship tradition was started as the Latvian Chess Congresses. The first Latvian Chess Congress took place in 1924 in Riga.[1]

After the start of the Soviet occupation of Latvia the 1940 edition was not held, but in 1941 the first Chess Championship of the Latvian SSR was played. The tournament was also played once during the German occupation during WWII, in 1943. After the restoration of Latvian independence, the Latvian Championship returned in 1990.

The tournament has been mostly held in the capital Riga and the village of Mežezers of Pļaviņas Municipality in southern Vidzeme.

Championships and winners

YearCityMen's WinnerWomen's Winner
1924RigaHermanis Matisons
1926-7RigaFricis Apšenieks
1930-1RigaVladimirs Petrovs
1932JelgavaMovsas Feigins
1934RigaFricis Apšenieks
1935RigaVladimirs Petrovs
1937RigaVladimirs PetrovsMilda Lauberte[2]
1938-9RigaVladimirs PetrovsElise Vogel[3]
1941RigaAlexander KoblencsMarta Krūmiņa
1943RigaIgors ŽdanovsMilda Lauberte
1944Udelnaya, Russian SFSRVoldemārs Mežgailis
1945RigaAlexander Koblencs[4]
1946RigaAlexander Koblencs
1947RigaZigfrīds Solmanis
1948RigaAugusts Strautmanis[5]Milda Lauberte
1949RigaAlexander Koblencs[6]Milda Lauberte
1950RigaVoldemārs MežgailisMilda Lauberte
1951RigaMark PasmanMilda Lauberte
1952RigaJānis KļaviņšMilda Lauberte[7]
1953RigaMikhail TalMilda Lauberte
1954RigaJānis KlovānsMilda Lauberte[8]
1955RigaAivars GipslisMilda Lauberte[9]
1956RigaAivars GipslisMilda Lauberte
1957RigaAivars GipslisMilda Lauberte[10]
1958RigaIsrael Zilber[11]Zara Nakhimovskaya
1959RigaKārlis Klāsups[12]Zara Nakhimovskaya
1960RigaAivars GipslisMilda Lauberte
1961RigaAivars GipslisZara Nakhimovskaya
1962RigaJānis KlovānsZara Nakhimovskaya
1963RigaAivars GipslisAstra Klovāne
1964RigaAivars GipslisAstra Klovāne
1965RigaMikhail TalAstra Klovāne
1966RigaAivars GipslisBenita Vēja[13]
1967RigaJānis KlovānsVija Rožlapa
1968RigaJānis Klovāns[14]Sarma Sedleniece[15]
1969RigaAnatolijs Šmits[16]Astra Klovāne
1970RigaJānis KlovānsAstra Klovāne
1971RigaJānis KlovānsVija Rožlapa
1972RigaLev GutmanVija Rožlapa
1973Daugavpils(M) Riga(W)Alvis VītoliņšTamāra Vilerte
Ingrīda Priedīte
1974RigaJuzefs Petkēvičs
Vladimir Kirpichnikov
Vija Rožlapa
1975RigaJānis Klovāns
Anatolijs Šmits
Astra Goldmane
1976RigaAlvis VītoliņšIlze Rubene
1977RigaAlvis VītoliņšAstra Klovāne
1978RigaAlvis VītoliņšAstra Klovāne
1979RigaJānis KlovānsIngrīda Priedīte
1980RigaValerij ZhuravliovTatjana Voronova
1981RigaAleksander WojtkiewiczAstra Goldmane
1982Riga (M), Jūrmala (W)Alvis VītoliņšAnda Šafranska
1983RigaAlvis VītoliņšAstra Goldmane[17]
1984RigaEdvīns ĶeņģisAnda Šafranska
1985RigaAlvis Vītoliņš
Juzefs Petkēvičs
Tatjana Voronova
1986RigaJānis Klovāns[18]Tatjana Voronova
1987RigaEdvīns ĶeņģisTatjana Voronova
1988RigaEdvīns ĶeņģisNatālija Jerjomina
1989RigaEdvīns Ķeņģis[19]Ingūna Erneste
1990RigaEdvīns ĶeņģisAnda Šafranska
1991RigaNormunds Miezis[20][21]Anda Šafranska
1992RigaValerij Zhuravliov[22][23]Anna Hahn[24]
1993RigaZigurds LankaAnda Šafranska
1994RigaValerij ZhuravliovAnda Šafranska[25]
1995RigaIgors RausisIlze Rubene[26]
1996RigaDaniel FridmanAnda Šafranska
1997RigaEdvīns ĶeņģisAnda Šafranska
1998RigaMāris Krakops[27]Dana Reizniece[28]
1999RigaArturs NeikšānsDana Reizniece
2000RigaViesturs MeijersDana Reizniece
2001RigaGuntars AntomsDana Reizniece
2002RigaIlmārs Starostīts[29]Ingūna Erneste
2003RigaEvgeny SveshnikovLaura Rogule
2004RigaEdvīns Ķeņģis[30]Ilze Bērziņa[30]
2005RigaEdvīns ĶeņģisLaura Rogule
2006RigaNormunds MiezisLaura Rogule
2008Mežezers (Pļaviņas Municipality)Evgeny SveshnikovIlze Bērziņa
2009Mežezers (Pļaviņas Municipality)Vitālijs Samoļins[31]Laura Rogule
2010Mežezers (Pļaviņas Municipality)Evgeny SveshnikovLaura Rogule
2011Mežezers (Pļaviņas Municipality)Arturs NeikšānsLaura Rogule
2012RigaVitālijs SamoļinsIlze Bērziņa
2013RigaIgor KovalenkoLaura Rogule
2014RigaIgor KovalenkoKatrīna Šķiņķe
2015RigaArturs NeikšānsLaura Rogule
2016RigaVladimirs SvešņikovsLaura Rogule
2017RigaArturs BernotasLinda Krūmiņa
2018RigaŅikita MeškovsElizabete Limanovska
2019RigaArturs NeikšānsIlze Bērziņa
2020RigaZigurds LankaLaura Rogule
2021RigaRolands BērziņšLaura Rogule
2022RigaIlmārs StarostītsLaura Rogule
2023RigaToms KantānsLaura Rogule

Multiple champions

#Men's WinnerTitlesYears
1Jānis Klovāns91954, 1962, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1975, 1979, 1986
2Aivars Gipslis81955-57, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1966
3Edvīns Ķeņģis81984, 1987–90, 1997, 2004–05
4Alvis Vītoliņš71973, 1976–78, 1982–83, 1985
5Vladimirs Petrovs41930, 1935, 1937, 1938
6Aleksandrs Koblencs41941, 1945–46, 1949
7Arturs Neikšāns41999, 2011, 2015, 2019
8Valerij Zhuravliov31980, 1992, 1994
9Evgeny Sveshnikov32003, 2008, 2010
10Fricis Apšenieks21927, 1934
11Voldemārs Mežgailis21944, 1950
12Mikhail Tal21953, 1965
13Anatolijs Šmits21969, 1975
14Juzefs Petkēvičs21974, 1985
15Normunds Miezis21991, 2006
16Vitālijs Samoļins22009, 2012
17Igor Kovalenko22013-14
18Zigurds Lanka21993, 2020
19Ilmārs Starostīts22002, 2022
#Women's WinnerTitlesYears
1Milda Lauberte131937, 1943, 1948–57, 1960
2Laura Rogule132003, 2005–06, 2009–11, 2013, 2015–16, 2020–23
3Anda Šafranska81982, 1984, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1996–97
4Astra Klovāne71963-65, 1969–70, 1977–78
5Zara Nakhimovskaya41958-59, 1961–62
6Vija Rožlapa41967, 1971–72, 1974
7Tatjana Voronova41980, 1985–87
8Dana Reizniece41998-2001
9Ilze Bērziņa42004, 2008, 2012, 2019
10Astra Goldmane31975, 1981, 1983
11Ingrīda Priedīte21973, 1979
12Ilze Rubene21976, 1995
13Ingūna Erneste21989, 2002

Notes

  1. "šahs Latvijā". Latvian National Encyclopedia (in Latvian). Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  2. Match victory over Elise Vogel 4:0
  3. Additional tournament results: 1. Elise Vogel 3 (+3, =0, -1) 2. Emīlija Šmite 2 (+2, =0, -2) 3. Marta Krūmiņa 1 (+1, =0, -3)
  4. Vladimir Alatortsev played 'hors concours' in the 1945 Latvian Championship at Riga, and won the tournament (but not the title)
  5. Match victory over Igors Ždanovs 4:3 (+3, =2, -2)
  6. Mark Taimanov played 'hors concours' in the 1949 Latvian Championship at Riga, and won the tournament (but not the title)
  7. Match victory over Lidiya Paramonova 3,5:0,5
  8. Match victory over Zara Nakhimovskaya 3,5:2,5 (+2, =3, -1)
  9. Match victory over Ārija Jansone 3,5:1,5 (+3, =1, -1)
  10. Olga Ignatieva played 'hors concours' in the 1957 Latvian Women's Championship at Riga, and won the tournament (but not the title)
  11. Match victory over Aivars Gipslis 3,5:2,5 (+1, =5, -0)
  12. Match victory over Pēteris Kampenuss 4:3 (+3, =2, -2)
  13. Match victory over Astra Klovāne 2,5:1,5 (+2, =1, -1)
  14. Match victory over Valerij Zhuravliov 4:2 (+3, =2, -1)
  15. Match victory over Ilga Kļaviņa 3,5:1,5 (+3, =1, -1)
  16. Match victory over Juzefs Petkēvičs 3,5:1,5 (+2, =3, -0)
  17. Match victory over Anda Šafranska 3:1 (+3, =0, -1)
  18. Match victory over Alvis Vītoliņš 2:0
  19. Additional tournament results: 1. Edvīns Ķeņģis 2,5 (+1, =3, -0) 2. Jānis Klovāns 2 (+1, =2, -1) 3. Alvis Vītoliņš 1,5 (+1, =1, -2)
  20. Evgeny Sveshnikov won the open tournament (but not the title)
  21. Match victory over Alvis Vītoliņš 2,5:1,5 (+2, =1, -1)
  22. Sergey Okrugin won the open tournament (but not the title)
  23. Match victory over Jānis Daudzvārdis 2:0
  24. Tuulikki Laesson won the open tournament (but not the title)
  25. Match victory over Olita Rause 2,5:1,5 (+2, =1, -1)
  26. Additional match with Anda Šafranska was drawn 2:2 (+1, =2, -1) but Ilze Rubene had the better Berger coefficient in the main tournament
  27. Match victory over Juzefs Petkēvičs 2,5:1,5 (+1, =3, -0)
  28. Match victory over Tatjana Voronova 2,5:1,5 (+1, =3, -0) (Ventspils)
  29. Additional tournament results: 1. Ilmārs Starostīts 1,5 (+1, =1, -0) 2. Viesturs Meijers 1 (+1, =0, -1) 3. Rolands Bērziņš 0,5 (+0, =1, -1)
  30. 1 2 Best of Latvian participants in "Riga Open - 2004"
  31. Daniil Lintchevski won the open tournament (but not the title)
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