FIDE President Opens the Baltic Zonal Chess Tournament in Liepaja

The Baltic Zonal Chess Tournament has started in Liepaja with a formal opening ceremony participating the FIDE President and the heads of the Baltic chess federations. In it, twelve of the most accomplished chess masters from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will compete for the FIDE Presidential K. Ilyumzhinov Cup.

In Liepaja the first of the three stages of the Baltic Zonal Tournament takes place; the second will be held in September in Lithuania, and the third – in January in Estonia. The winner of the three stages in aggregate will be admitted to the World Cup tournament in 2015.

'We all are one family, so – let's be together!' at the opening ceremony said the FIDE Baltic Zone President Aris Ozolins, who is also the organizer of the Tournament. Since the restoration of independence this is the first separate tournament in Liepaja with standard time control and the World Chess Federation (FIDE) rating calculation. The official title of the tournament is the Kirsan Ilyumzhinov Cup, and the FIDE President himself came to open the event. The prize fund, contributed by the FIDE President – 10 000 Euro for each stage of the tournament – means 2500 Euro prize for each stage's winner and 300 Euro prize for the 12th place holder. The President of the Chess Federation of Latvia (LŠF) Peteris Smidre as well as the heads of the chess federations of Lithuania and Estonia also took part in the opening ceremony.

After the opening, the chess players had their first round. The second round will take place on Saturday, June 7, at 4 p.m. On Sunday, June 8, at 10 a.m. there will be the 3rd round and at 4 p.m. – the 4th round. Two rounds, at 10 a.m. and at 4 p.m., will be held on all following days. The final rounds will be conducted on Wednesday, June 12 – at 10 a.m. – the 10th round and at 4 p.m. – the final, 11th round. The closing ceremony of the tournament will be held on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. 

Each country is represented by four players, and a total of 11 games must be played in the tournament. Detailed information and current standing of the players can be found at http://www.chess-results.com/tnr136197.aspx?lan=1.

The tournament will be on until June 12, it takes place in Liepaja, at the Conference Hall of Europa City Amrita Hotel, Rīgas Street 7/9. The match will be broadcast online at the LŠF website www.sahafederacija.lv  and on a large screen at the venue.

About the Chess Federation of Latvia:
The Latvian Chess Union (LŠS) was established on April 13, 1924, and in 1927, when Latvia first took part in the World Chess Olympiad, it became a FIDE member. After the restoration of independence, in 1991, the LŠS was re-established and in the same year regained its status as the FIDE member, later becoming also a member of the European Chess Union (ECU). In 2010 the LŠS was renamed the Chess Federation of Latvia. The President of the LŠF since September 2011 is Peteris Smidre.

More at www.sahafederacija.lv