Liepāja hosted its first open chess championship this past weekend, drawing a diverse field of players to Liepāja State Gymnasium on November 22nd. The inaugural event, organized by the Liepāja Complex Sports School, featured rapid chess formats for competitors ranging from elementary school students to adults, with over 80 participants registered across all divisions. Mihils Kovaļskis took the top individual prize, while the city of Kuldīga demonstrated strong overall performance throughout the tournament.
Liepāja, Latvia – Mihils Kovaļskis emerged victorious at the Liepāja Open Chess Championship, held November 22nd at Liepāja State Gymnasium. The inaugural event, organized by the Liepāja Complex Sports School, drew competitors across multiple divisions, showcasing both established players and rising talent in the Latvian chess scene.
The competition featured both individual and team rapid chess formats, with players ranging from second-grade students to seasoned adults. Chess coach Gaļina Sudmale oversaw the tournament, highlighting the diverse field of competitors.
Kovaļskis, an alumnus of the Liepāja Complex Sports School’s chess program, claimed the top spot in the individual tournament. Jānis Krūmiņš and Artūrs Feldmanis, both representing Kuldīga, finished second and third respectively.
Kuldīga also dominated the team competition, with the quartet of J. Krūmiņš, A. Feldmanis, Raivo Šteinbergs securing the championship title. The “Ezerkrasts” team – comprised of Āris Ozoliņš, Vitālijs Daškevičs, and Imants Gruduls – finished in second place, while “Starko” – featuring Staņislavs Meļihovs, Iļja Šarakovs, and Jānis Sēlis of Liepāja – rounded out the podium in third.
Separate youth championships were also held. In the fourth-grade group, Rinalds Glužģis took second place among the boys, and Elīza Spicina won the girls’ division, both representing LKSS. The third-grade group saw a tie for second/third place between Savēlijs Anaņjevs and Ārons Bulavs, while Roksana Sidorova claimed first place in the young women’s category.
The rapid chess competition concluded with Āris Ozoliņš, Vitālijs Daškevičs, and Iļja Šarakovs, all from Liepāja, taking first, second, and third place respectively. The strong showing from local players underscores the growing chess community within the Liepāja region.
