Liepajas
Rokade Chess Festival 2005
"Liepajas Rokade" is an annual chess festival held in Liepaja, Latvia.
It consists of two basic events – the Rapid Chess Open and the Rapid
Chess Main Tournament. This year eight Grandmasters were invited to the Main
Tournament, and six players qualified from the Open. The invited players were
Loek van Wely, Alexander Khalifman, Jaan Ehlvest, Kaido Kulaots, Daniel Fridman,
Edvins Kengis, Normunds Miezis and Aloizas Kveynis. Six qualifiers were GM
Evgeny Sveshnikov, IMs Ilmars Starostits, Arturs Neiksans, Meelis Kanep, Candidate
Masters Verner Putka and Vladimir Sveshnikov.

Liepaja lies on the coast of Latvia and is the country's western-most point

Liepaja on a Google satellite picture

A bird's-eye view of the city

The sandy beaches of Liepaja

A fishing vessel steams through the sea gates
The Open Tournament started on the 11th of August, the Main Tournament started
on the 12th. On the 11th a blitz tournament was held. It was won by IM Vaidas
Sakalauskas, second was Jaan Ehlvest, van Wely was third. The Open was won
by IM Darius Zagorskis. Van Wely won the Main Tournament with 11/13. Two more
events were held for the particiapants of the Open – a rapid Team Tournament
and Match between Latvia and Lithuania on the 14th of August (won by Latvia
54.5 vs 45.5).
Final standings of the Main Tournament (Liepajas rokade Superturnirs)
Place Name Feder Rtg Loc Score Berg.
1 VAN WELY, Look NED 2655 11 66.25
2 FRIDMAN, Daniel LAT 2566 9.5 56.25
3 STAROSTITS, Ilmars LAT 2474 7.5 48.25
4 KHALIFMAN, Alexander RUS 2653 7.5 45.50
5 KENGIS, Edvins LAT 2534 7.5 39.50
6 KVEINIS, Aloizas LTU 2510 7 40.50
7 ELVEST, Jaan EST 2614 6.5 36.25
8 SVESHNIKOV, Evgeny LAT 2507 6 34.25
9 KULAOTS, Kaido EST 2570 5.5 33.25
10 NEIKSANS, Arturs LAT 2453 5.5 30.75
11 MIEZIS, Normunds LAT 2527 5 31.50
12 KANEP, Meelis EST 2491 5 29.75
13 PUTKA, Verners LAT 2283 5 26.25
14 SVESHNIKOVS, Vladimirs LAT 2194 2.5 15.75
Picture gallery

The city of Liepaja, on the west coast of Latvia

The playing hall

The players of the main tournament (Liepajas rokade Superturnirs) on the stage

The winner Loek van Wely against Verner Putka of Latvia

GM Jan Ehlvest vs IM Meelis Kanep (in the background Loek van Wely)

Kibitzers during the games

Players in the Open section

IM Meelis Kanep, 22, Estonia

IM Ilmars Starostits, 26, Latvia

Ex FIDE world champion Alexander Khalifman

Reigning Latvian champion GM Edvins Kengis

Galina Stankevica, 18, Latvia

Linda Krumina, 21, Latvia

WIM Ilze Berzina, 21, Latvia

The Latvia-Lithuania match in progress (Latvia won by 54.5-45.5)

GM Normunds Miezis of Latvia defeats GM Kaido Kulaots of Estonia

GM Janis Klovans, 70, and his student NM Katrina Skinke, 14, Latvia
All pictures and information supplied by Matiss
Silis