Despite all the difficulties that the world currently is facing, we are happy to announce that the long-established tradition of the international chess festival “Riga Technical University open” will be continued this year as well, and the 11th edition of the festival will take place from 13th till 21st of August 2022 in the traditional venue of the international exhibition hall “’Ķīpsala”.
The course of the festival is a great merit of our supporters – Riga Technical University, FIDE, Riga City Council, Latvian Sports Federations Council and Latvian Chess Federation.
This year`s festival`s program offers 8 different tournaments with a planned prize fund of 27 800 EUR in total. Tournament “A”, the headliner and the main tournament of the festival, will start on Monday, 15th of August. During the whole week until Sunday, 21st of August participants will have to play 9 rounds with a time limit of 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move. By gathering more than 200 participants the prize fund of the tournament will reach the sum of 17 100 EUR in total.
Along with the main tournament, two more tournaments will start simultaneously and will have the same playing schedule. Tournament “B” suits amateur players with an ELO rating below 2300, but Tournament ”Y” is designed especially for juniors up to 14 years of age and with an ELO rating which does not exceed 2200.
By adapting to the new FIDE rules which are in force from the 1st of January, the weekend amateurs’ tournaments have been reorganized. Tournament “C” will start on Thursday, 18th of August and will be played in 7 rounds with the time control of 60 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move. Only players with an ELO rating up to 2300 can take part in tournament “C”. In turn, the start of the Tournament “D” is scheduled for Friday, 19th of August. The same 7 rounds will be played but with a shortened time control. Players will receive 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move. This tournament is designed for players with an ELO rating till 1800.
Participants are invited to warm up in the blitz and rapid tournaments which will be held before the classical part of the festival on the 13th and 14th of August respectively. In turn, the traditional late Sunday night blitz tournament after the end of all the classical tournaments will become the culmination point of the festival.
As always, the festival is open to chess lovers all over the world regardless of their age and chess level. However, according to the current local legislation, participants from the Russian Federation and the Belarus Republic are not able to take part in the festival.
In order to make it easier for you to plan your trip, organizers are offering special prices for the accommodation possibilities in the official hotels of the festival. Accommodation reservations, as well as early entries for the ELO tournaments, should be done by the 1st of August.
In case of any questions please do not hesitate to contact us, the Organizing Committee
will be happy to assist you and make your trip to Riga truly unforgettable. We are looking
forward to seeing you in Riga!
Contact information:
Honorary Tournament Director
Egons Lavendelis
egons.lavendelis@rtu.lv
Tournament Director
Toms Kalnins
chess@rtu.lv
Phone/WhatsApp: +371 29967610