Kovalenko after win over Fedoseev: In some games I rolled over my opponents like a tank

 
RIGA, July 18 (LETA) – Latvian chess grandmaster Igor Kovalenko rolled over some of his opponents like a tank to win the Mikhail Tal blitz chess memorial on Thursday, the winner told LETA after the tournament. 

The winner of the blitz event named his victory over Russian chess player Vladimir Fedoseev his decisive feat in the tournament, while Fedoseev, who on Wednesday won the rapid chess competition, highlighted his win over Azerbaijan’s grandmaster Gadir Guseinov. 

“Both tournaments had strong lineups with many grandmasters,” Aris Ozolins, President of the Latvian Chess Federation, said at a news conference which was held after the competition at the Radisson Blu Latvija hotel. “Kovalenko’s victory in the blitz is therefore all the more pleasing. Moreover, he celebrated a very convincing victory in tough competition, beating the runner-up by half-point.”

 “It was a very good event, one of the strongest tournaments in the Baltic states in recent years, both in terms of organization and the lineup of participants. It is highly important for chess players to rehydrate, and the sponsors took care of this, providing mineral water and Coca-Cola. Also, the hall where we played was spacious and the air was fresh,” the blitz winner Kovalenko said, adding that he always strives for success in chess.

 “I always want to get the first place. In that respect, I am more an optimist, even utopist. I want to win each game, but this time I could afford a tie in the end,” the Latvian chess player said. “I did well. Remembered my youth. I took the 5th place in the rapid chess event and fought for medals until the last round. There was a disappointment after the ninth round when I had gained a better position against David Navar but the game ended in a tie.”

 On Thursday, Kovalenko won the blitz chess event very convincingly. “I suppose the game against Fedoseev in the 7th round was the decisive one,” the winner said. “I think he lost a won game against me. I breathed a sigh of relief as I achieved a tie, but later I fared even better and managed to win. At that point, opponents started fearing me. I, on the other hand, played effortlessly and in some games rolled over my opponents like a tank.”
The Latvian grandmaster’s future plans include a tournament organized by Riga Technical University and the World Cup in two months’ time at which Kovalenko will represent the Baltic states.

 Fedoseev, the winner of Wednesday’s rapid chess tournament, finished second in the blitz. “I played very well. I had not played that well this year yet,” the Russian grandmaster commented his performance in Riga. “It was a wonderful tournament with many strong chess players. In many games everything was decided in the end-game where having stronger nerves was crucial.”

 Fedoseev named the 9th round game against Azerbaijani grandmaster Gadir Guseinov his most important match at the tournament.

 The last international tournament of the Tal Memorial, the Riga Holidays 2019, which will be played by children, is scheduled to begin July 19 at the National Library of Latvia.
The total prize fund of the tournaments is EUR 35 000, EUR 25 000 for the rapid chess tournament and 10 000 for the blitz tournament. Entry is free of charge for the spectators.

The Mikhail Tal chess memorial is supported by Rietumu Bank, Coca-Cola, Tolmets and Latvijas Balzams.

Russian chess player Vladimir Fedoseev triumphed in Mikhail Tal rapid chess memorial. Igor Kovalenko showed the best result among all Latvian players taking up the 5th place.

The Tal Memorial was organised to celebrate Mikhail Tal (1936-1992), the 8th World Chess Champion, who was born and lived in Riga. Tal is to this day considered as one of the most brilliant and creative chess-players in the history of the game. Thanks to his original approach to the game and aggressive attacking style he was called “the Magician from Riga”.

The event gathered almost 300 players from 25 countries as well as an impressive amount of 55 grandmasters. As Aris Ozolins, the President of Latvian Chess Federation proudly mentioned during the press conference – this was the first-ever event in Latvia with so many grandmasters participating. All players had 15 minutes for the game plus 5 seconds for every move played.

The total prize fund of the tournaments is EUR 35 000, EUR 25 000 for the rapid chess tournament and 10 000 for the blitz tournament. Entry is free of charge for the spectators.

First six rounds of the Tal Memorial were held on Tuesday and this day was dominated by Miguel Munoz from Spain, who won all of the games, becoming a sole leader. There was a big group of strong players ready to use his mistakes – a group of five players with 5.5 points and even more with 5 points, among them the Latvian players Kovalenko and Nikita Meshkov.

In the decisive phase of the tournament on Wednesday, Vladimir Fedoseev from Russia, who was the strongest among all players and has not lost a single game among 273 players in 11 rounds, scored 8 wins and drew three games, overall collecting 9.5 points. It was a deserved win for Fedoseev who played an impressive tournament, winning every game. The Russian grandmaster was really happy and in the interview after the closing ceremony he admitted that this was a really important victory for him because this has been a really tough year for him and the results have not met his expectations.

The 2nd place with 9 points was taken by the Czech grandmaster David Navara. Navara participated in the prestigious Grand Prix knock-out event at the Latvian National Library but lost in the first round and decided to enter the rapid chess memorial. The organisers and the chess fans were really pleased with that because the Czech player is a true genius of chess and a true fighter.

Places 3 to 9 were shared among the players with 8.5 points. The player with the best tie-break and the winner of the 3rd place was the talented young player from Germany, Rasmus Svane, who seemed to be very surprised with his great success himself.

The Latvian top player Kovalyenko also gathered 8.5 points. The important victory in the last round over the Romanian player Constantin Lupulescu ensured him the 5th place.

The top female player was Alisa Galliamova, the former runner-up at the Women’s World Chess Championship and the bronze medalist of the European Women Chess Championship 2017, which were held in Riga as well. The second women prize was won by the 9th time Latvian Women Champion Laura Rogule and the third place went to Inna Gaponenko.

On Thursday, the second part of the Memorial – a blitz tournament, will be held in the “Omega” hall of the Radisson Blu Latvia hotel. This time the participants will have three minutes for the game and two seconds for each move. The competition will take all day and end at 19:30 with the closing ceremony and press conference. There is even a possibility that more participants of the Grand Prix will join the event as well.

The Rapid and Blitz Tal Memorial was organized by the Latvian Chess Federation and sponsored by Rietumu Bank, Coca-Cola, Tolmets and Latvijas Balzams.

Mikhail Tal rapid chess memorial, organized by the Latvian Chess Federation, opened on July 16. International children’s tournament Riga Holidays will also run alongside the adult competition.

Two major fast chess tournaments named after Mikhail Tal will take place in the Omega hall of Radisson Blu Latvija hotel for several days. A press conference before the event was held at noon of July 16, while the opening ceremony, featuring cello trio Melo-M, started at 1 p.m.

Chess players from all over the world will participate in the eighth Mikhail Tal chess memorial. “Approximately 300 players from 26 countries will take part in each of the two tournaments (rapid and blitz), including more than 50 grandmasters. It is the first time so many grandmasters participate in a competition in Latvia. I believe we are the world’s chess center for these several days,” said the Latvian Chess Federation’s President Āris Ozoliņš.

Ozoliņš also reveals that a joint decision on organization of the memorial in Riga was taken in Tallinn when the city hosted Paul Keres chess tournament in January, which is when FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich was approached. Before that, large tournaments in memory in Tal were organized in Moscow.

Rapid chess matches started right after the opening ceremony and will continue for two days. Each player has 15 minutes, plus 5 seconds additional time per each move. The winner will be determined based on the Swiss system. The blitz tournament will get under way on July 18, also in the Omega hall of Radisson Blu Latvija hotel. Players participating in the tournament will each have 3 minutes and 2 seconds additional time per move.

More than 100 players will represent Latvia at both tournaments, led by Igors Kovaļenko who is currently ranked approximately 20th in the global fast chess rankings.

In addition to the chess events for adults, the Latvian National Library will host international tournament Riga Holidays 2019 from July 19 to 24, where the best players among children will be determined.

“Historically, Riga has played an important role in the global chess community, first of all thanks to the outstanding grandmaster Mikhail Tal who lived and worked here. The capital city of Latvia has hosted important chess tournaments in the past, and we are very happy that this excellent tradition is continuing and Riga has become one of the chess capitals of the world. Figuratively speaking, Mikhail Tal’s work is continued, inspiring the current players to ever strive for new achievements. We, on the other hand, are pleased to support such intellectual and prestigious events as international chess tournaments,” says Rietumu Charity Fund CEO Inga Šīna. 

The total prize fund of the tournaments is EUR 35,000: EUR 25,000 for the rapid chess tournament and EUR 10,000 for the blitz tournament. The Mikhail Tal chess memorial is supported by Rietumu Banka, Coca-Cola, Latvijas Balzams and Tolmets.