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Riga has all the right conditions to host European Youth Chess Championship – Grandmaster Mikhalchishin

BC, Riga, 20.08.2018.Print version

Riga has all the right conditions to host the European Youth Chess Championship, believes the European Chess Union's representative, Grandmaster Adrian Mikhalchishin, cities LETA.

The European Youth Chess Championship opened at the Kipsala exhibition center in Riga on Sunday, bringing together over 1,000 players from 47 countries. Around 110 players represent Latvia at the tournament.


"I am honored to address you on behalf of the Riga City Council," Riga Vice Mayor Andris Ameriks said while opening the event. "We are proud of our city, which marks its 817th birthday this year, and the events that are taking place in Riga right now. This chess championship is one of the greatest and most important events to take place here as part of the annual Riga Festival," he said, wishing all participants in the tournament every success in the future.


Mikhalchishin said in turn that the tournament was one of the major chess competitions in Europe. "The conditions in Riga are excellent and the organizers have done a great job so the players could feel at home. Latvia has had a number of outstanding players, and everyone has a chance to rise to the top level here. Latvia is unique in that its Finance Minister, Dana Reizniece-Ozola is a Chess Grandmaster. We also have special prizes entitling the best players of the tournament to visit, free of charge, chess camps where they will have the opportunity to attend classes by the world's best chess coaches."


Latvian Education and Science Minister Karlis Sadurskis said during the event that those engaged in traditional sport disciplines train to build speed and strength, "but sports also mean harmony and balance. Chess is a mind sport based on strategic thinking. In some countries, chess has been incorporated in schools' curricula, helping students achieve better results in their studies."


"The participants in the tournament have to realize that this is a place where they can experience real emotions - the joy of victory and the despair of defeat," Reizniece-Ozola told the players, wishing them to enjoy the tournament and their stay in Riga. "Riga has hosted different chess tournaments, but this one is my favorite as here I can see the future of chess and the up-and-coming stars."


The organizer of the event, Egons Lavendelis said he was very happy that the championship was taking place in Riga, and that the organizers would do everything in their power for the tournament to be a success.


The European Youth Chess Championship will run through August 29.

 





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