|
Arturs Neikšāns
Arturs Neiksans ( lv, Arturs Neikšāns, born 16 March 1983) is a Latvian chess player who has held the FIDE title of Grandmaster since 2012. He is a four-time Latvian champion, one of the leading Latvian chess players, an FIDE-accredited chess trainer, author and a commentator of high-level chess tournaments. Biography Born in Valka (a small Latvian bordertown with Estonia), Neiksans started to play chess relatively late for an eventual grandmaster, being 9 years old upon learning the game. At age 16, he received the title of a national master, and at age 18 he was ranked as an international master. In 1999, being only 16 years old, Neiksans won the Latvian Chess Championship, thus becoming the youngest-ever Latvian champion. He beat Mikhail Tal's record, which was set in 1953, by several months. After graduating from high school, Neiksans essentially left competitive chess, and after receiving an MBA Master's degree in Public Relations, he mostly worked in the field of co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valka
Valka (; german: Walk) is a town and municipality in northern Latvia, on the border with Estonia along both banks of the river Pedele. Valka and the Estonian town Valga are twins, separated by the Estonian/Latvian border but using the slogan "One Town, Two Countries". The border dividing the Livonian town of Walk was marked out in 1920 by an international jury headed by British Colonel Stephen George Tallents. With the expansion of the Schengen Agreement and abolition of the Estonian/Latvian border in 2007, it was announced that common public bus transport would be established between Valka and Valga. Also, all border crossing-points were removed and roads and fences opened. In 2016 it was announced that due to better welfare and higher salaries in Estonia, many Valka inhabitants have registered themselves as inhabitants of Valga. History The town of Walk (in German) was first mentioned in 1286 and from 1419 was the seat of the Landtag of the Livonian Confederation. City righ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander Shabalov
Alexander Anatolyevich Shabalov (russian: Алекса́ндр Анато́льевич Шаба́лов; lv, Aleksandrs Šabalovs; born September 12, 1967) is an American chess grandmaster and a four-time winner of the United States Chess Championship (1993, 2000, 2003, 2007). He also won or tied for first place seven times in the U.S. Open Chess Championship (1993, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016). Shabalov was born in Riga, Latvia, and was known during much of his career for courting complications even at the cost of objective soundness, much like his fellow Latvians Mikhail Tal and Alexei Shirov. He has transitioned to a more conservative and positional playing style as of 2019. In 2002 he tied for first place at the Aeroflot Open in Moscow with Gregory Kaidanov, Alexander Grischuk, Aleksej Aleksandrov, and Vadim Milov. In 2009 Shabalov shared first place with Fidel Corrales Jimenez in the American Continental Chess Championship. Shabalov regularly lectured chess p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2017 Women's European Individual Chess Championship
Women's European Individual Chess Championship 2017 was a Swiss-system tournament in Riga, to decide the women's European individual chess champion. The title was won by Nana Dzagnidze of Georgia for the first time. Tournament At the European Chess Union (ECU) General Assembly during the 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku in September 2016, the organizational rights to the 18th Individual European Chess Championship for women were awarded to Latvia, who held the event in Riga from 10 to 22 April 2017, under the auspices of European Chess Union. The venue for the championship was the hotel "Radisson Blu Hotel Latvia" (Riga, Elizabetes Street 55) in the center of Riga. The main organizers from Latvia were the President of the Latvian Chess Federation Āris Ozoliņs and tournament director Egons Lavendelis. The chief arbiter of the tournament was Ashot Vardapetyan (Armenia). The tournament was held on Swiss-system in 11 rounds with time control for each player: 90 minutes for 40 moves ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sports Commentator
In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was the first medium for sports broadcasts, and radio commentators must describe all aspects of the action to listeners who cannot see it for themselves. In the case of televised sports coverage, commentators are usually presented as a voiceover, with images of the contest shown on viewers' screens and sounds of the action and spectators heard in the background. Television commentators are rarely shown on screen during an event, though some networks choose to feature their announcers on camera either before or after the contest or briefly during breaks in the action. Types of commentators Main/play-by-play commentator The ''main commentator'', also called the ''play-by-play'' announcer or commentator in North America, ''blow-by-blow'' in com ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Igor Kovalenko
Igor Viktorovich Kovalenko (russian: Игорь Викторович Коваленко; lv, Igors Kovaļenko; born 29 December 1988, Novomoskovsk) is a Ukrainian chess player who played for Latvia between 2013 and 2021 and holds the FIDE title of Grandmaster (GM). Kovalenko was awarded the titles of International Master (IM) in 2008 and Grandmaster (GM) in 2011. He won the Latvian Chess Championship in 2013 and 2014. In 2016, Kovalenko came second in the European Individual Chess Championship in Gjakova (Kosovo). In 2019, he won the Riga Technical University Open. Igor Kovalenko played for Latvia in Chess Olympiads: * in 2014, at the second board in the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromsø (+5 −2 =4), * in 2016, at the second board in the 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku (+6 −1 =4), * in 2018, at the first board in the 43rd Chess Olympiad in Batumi (+6 −3 =0). Igor Kovalenko played for Latvia in the European Team Chess Championship The European Team Championship (often abbrev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caro–Kann Defence
The Caro–Kann Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 c6 The Caro–Kann is a common defence against the King's Pawn Opening. It is classified as a Semi-Open Game, like the Sicilian Defence and French Defence, although it is thought to be more solid and less dynamic than either of those openings. It often leads to good endgames for Black, who has the better pawn structure. It allows Black to circumvent enormous bodies of theory in 1.e4 openings such as the Ruy Lopez and the Sicilian Defence. Unlike its sister opening, the French Defence, the Caro–Kann does not hinder the development of Black's light-squared bishop. However, it comes at the cost of a tempo because Black has to play 1...c6 before pushing the pawn to c5, whereas Black can push c7–c5 in one move in the French Defence. White can combat the Caro–Kann in several different ways, often gaining a space advantage; additionally, Black has less mobility and can lag in development. In the 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baltic States
The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea are sometimes referred to as the "Baltic nations", less often and in historical circumstances also as the "Baltic republics", the "Baltic lands", or simply the Baltics. All three Baltic countries are classified as high-income economies by the World Bank and maintain a very high Human Development Index. The three governments engage in intergovernmental and parliamentary cooperation. There is also frequent cooperation in foreign and security policy, defence, energy, and transportation. The term "Baltic states" ("countries", "nations", or similar) cannot be used unambiguously in the context of cultural areas, national identity, or language. While the majori ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elizabete Limanovska
Elizabete Limanovska (born 30 September 2000) is a Latvian chess player who holds the title of Woman FIDE Master. She won the Latvian Women Chess Championship in 2018. Biography Seven times Elizabete Limanovska won in the Latvian Girl's Chess Championships in different age groups: in 2009 - U10, in 2012 - U12, in 2014 - U14, in 2015 and 2016 - U16, in 2017 and 2018 - U18. She regularly participated of the European Youth Chess Championships (2010 — U10; 2014 — U14; 2016 — U16; 2017 — U18) and World Youth Chess Championships in different age groups (2011, 2012 — U12; 2015, 2016 — U16; 2017 — U18). In April 2017, in Riga she participated in the Women's European Individual Chess Championship. At the end of July and the beginning of August of the same year, Elizabete Limanovska took part in the International Women chess tournament in Erfurt and fulfilled the FIDE master (WFM) norm. Since 2011, she regularly took part in the Latvian Women's Chess Championships. In May ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Katrīna Amerika
Katrīna Amerika ( Šķiņķe, born 31 May 1991 in Jelgava) is a Latvian chess player who holds the FIDE title of Woman International Master (2009). She shared third place in the European Girls Under-12 Championship in 2003. She won the Latvian Chess Championship for women in 2014, and finished second in 2011, and 2013, and third on three occasions (2004, 2009, 2010). Amerika played for Latvia in the Chess Olympiads: * In 2008, at fourth board in the 38th Chess Olympiad in Dresden (+7 −2 =1); * In 2010, at fourth board in the 39th Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk (+4 -2 =3); * In 2012, at fourth board in the 40th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul (+5 -3 =1); * In 2014, at fourth board in the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromsø (+8 -2 =1). She played for Latvia in the European Team Chess Championship (women): * In 2011, at third board in the 18th European Team Chess Championship (women) in Porto Carras (+2 −1 =1); * In 2015, at fourth board in 20th European Team Chess Championship (wom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laura Rogule
Laura Rogule (born 5 February 1988 in Riga) is a Latvian chess player who holds the title of Woman Grandmaster. She won the Latvian Chess Championship for women in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. In 2002, she won the World Girls Under-14 Championship. In 2012, she won the European Blitz Chess Championship and European Rapid Chess Championship in Warsaw. In August 2022, Laura Rogule was the best among women in the "Riga Technical University Open" tournament "A". Laura Rogule played for Latvia in Chess Olympiads: * In 2004, at third board in the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calviá (+5, =1, -5); * In 2006, at second board in the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin (+7, =2, -3); * In 2008, at first board in the 38th Chess Olympiad in Dresden (+3, =4, -3); * In 2010, at second board in the 39th Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk (+5, =1, -3); * In 2012, at second board in the 40th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul (+5 -2 =2); * In 2014, at second board ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toms Kantāns
Toms Kantāns (born 16 January 1994) is a Latvian chess grandmaster (2017), Latvian Chess Championship winner (2023). Biography Kantāns started playing chess at the age of six. He has been a Latvian Youth Chess Champion in different age groups, and regularly participated in the European Youth and World Youth Chess Championships in different age groups. In 2007, he won silver medal in European Union Youth Championship in the U14 age group, but in 2008 in this same tournament won bronze medal. Since 2009, Toms Kantans has regularly participated in the Latvian Chess Championships. Best results – 1st place (2023), 2nd place (2015, 2017) and 3rd place (2010, 2014). He is multiple winner of Latvian Team Chess Championship with Riga Technical University team (2010, 2012, 2015). In August 2022, Kantāns finished second in the Riga Technical University Open "A" tournament. In June 2023, in Montreal, he won the international chess tournament ''Canadian Transnational 2023 - Classic C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nikita Meshkovs
Nikita Evgenievich Meshkovs ( lv, Ņikita Meškovs, russian: Никита Евгеньевич Мешков; born 30 June 1994) is a Latvian chess grandmaster (2017). He won the Latvian Chess Championship in 2018. Biography Meshkovs started playing chess at the age of four. At the age of six, he became a student at the Riga Chess School. His first coach was Leonīds Borisovs. He won six Latvian Junior Chess Championships in different age groups, and regularly participated in the European Youth and World Youth Chess Championships in different age groups. In 2008, in Mureck he won the European Union U14 chess championship. Since 2011, he has regularly participated in the Latvian Chess Championships, placing third in 2015, second in 2016, and winning the competition in 2018. In June 2018, in Palanga he won Baltic Zonal Tournament second stage. In 2019, he won the A-Group Northwest Cup Final on tie-break from Vadim Moiseenko. In 2020, he won the Panevezys International Chess ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Sports Commentator")
