9th International Chess Festival

Riga Technical University Open 


Riga Technical University and Latvian Chess Federation are honoured to invite all chess friends to participate in the 9th international chess festival „Riga Technical University Open 2019”, which will take place on August 3rd – 11th in Riga – hometown of 8th World Chess champion Mikhail Tal. Playing hall of festival will be the international exhibition centre “Kipsala”, the largest specialized exhibition venue in the Baltics, located across the bridge from the famous historical centre of Riga.

Previous 8 years festival gathered world famous grandmasters and the strongest players of Europe and world. The 1st Riga Technical Open was held in August 2011 and won by GM Alberto David (ITA). Since then many top grandmasters have participated and won the festival - GM Jan Markos (SLO) in 2012, GM Bartosz Socko (POL) in 2013, GM Hrant Melkumyan (ARM) in 2014, GM Alexei Shirov (ESP) in 2015, GM Martyn Kravtsiv (UKR) in 2016, GM Vladimir Onischuk (UKR) in 2017 and GM Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) in 2018. Other than winners the biggest names of the previous festivals were GMs Ilja Smirin, Daniel Fridman, Igor Kovalenko, Richard Rapport, Vladislav Kovalev, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli, Daniel Naroditsky, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Andrey Esipenko and many others.

Over the years many players have gained their FIDE title norms at the festival festival as there are many titled players from various countries participating each year. Last year the main tournament gathered 260 participants from 37 countries including 24 GMs and 127 titled players.

9th edition of festival will become the most interesting and entertaining. This year we have introduced three new tournaments so festival will last 2 days longer – 9 days in total. The total prize fund of the festival is planned to be a record breaking 26 000 EUR with the 1st of 2500 EUR prize in the Tournament A. In 2019 the program of the festival will feature 6 classical chess tournaments, 2 blitz tournaments and 1 rapid tournament, so any chess player starting from an internationally known top class GM to a beginner is welcome to find an appropriate tournament for him or her.

REGULATIONS (pdf)

Tournament A – Grandmaster Tournament
August 5th - 11th, open for all players. Swiss System, 9 rounds, ELO rated.
The tournament will have GM, IM, WGM and WIM norms and will be included in ACP tour.
Time control: 90 minutes per game per player + 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 15 100 EUR.

Tournament B – Amateur ELO Tournament
August 5th - 11th, open for players with ELO until 2299. Swiss System, 9 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 90 minutes per game per player + 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 1 500 EUR.

NEW: Tournament Y – Youth ELO Tournament
August 5th - 11th, open tournament for players U14 with ELO until 2199.
Swiss System, 9 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 90 minutes per game per player + 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 3 000 (worth prizes).

Tournament C – Weekend Amateur Open ELO Tournament
August 8th - 11th, open for players with ELO until 2199. Swiss System, 7 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 60 minutes per game per player + 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 800 EUR.

Tournament D – Weekend Amateur Open ELO Tournament
August 8th - 11th, open for players with ELO until 1899. Swiss System, 7 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 60 minutes per game per player + 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 800 EUR.

Tournament E – Weekend Amateur Open ELO Tournament
August 9th - 11th, open for players with ELO until 1599. Swiss System, 7 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 30 minutes per game per player + 30 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 800 EUR.

NEW: Tournament F – Opening Blitz Tournament
August 3rd, open for all players. Swiss System, 11 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 3 minutes per game per player + 2 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 1 000 EUR.

NEW: Tournament G – Open Rapid Tournament
August 4th, open for all players. Swiss System, 9 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 15 minutes per game per player + 5 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 2 000 EUR.

Tournament H – Open Closing Blitz Tournament
August 11th, open for all players. Swiss System, 11 rounds, ELO rated.
Time control: 3 minutes per game per player + 2 seconds per move starting from the move 1.
Prize fund: 1 000 EUR.

During the festival will be organized such additional events like GM lectures, simuls, excursions etc.

Early entries for the ELO tournaments and accommodation requests should be sent before 15th of July. Special prices for hotels are available till this date as well. More detailed information about schedule, accommodation and registration can be found in the official homepage of the tournament http://rtuopen.lv/en/.

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Winner of the last year festival


Playing Hall


Riga, Latvia