The Latvian Chess Championship (
Latvian: Latvijas Šaha čempionāts) is the annual national chess tournament of
Latvia among men and women players, which was established in 1924. It is organized by the
Latvian Chess Federation (
Latvian: Latvijas Šaha federācija), previously - Latvian Chess Union (
Latvian: Latvijas Šaha savienība).
Mikhail Tal was winner twice - in 1953 and 1965.Jānis Klovāns won the Latvian Championship nine times: 1954, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, and 1986.Edvīns Keņģis is an eight-time Latvian Champion, winning the national contest in 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2004 and 2005.Laura Rogule won the Latvian Chess Championship for women thirteen times: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.Dana Reizniece-Ozola won the Latvian Chess Championship in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001.
History
The first professional Latvian chess players can be traced back to the 19th century, when Latvia was a part of the
Russian Empire. They participated in chess tournaments and union congresses, organized by the Riga Chess Association which was founded in 1890. After
World War I and the
Latvian War of Independence and the establishment of the Latvian Chess Union in 1924, the official Latvian chess championship tradition was started as the Latvian Chess Congresses. The first Latvian Chess Congress took place in 1924 in
Riga.[1]
Whyld, Ken (1986), Chess: The Records, Guinness Books, pp. 104–105,
ISBN0-85112-455-0 (results through 1985)
Popovsky, Alexey,
Russian Chess Base chapter "Championships of Republics" (Latvian Championships results: 1941–1990)
Daugavpils Chess, archived from
the original on 2012-01-14, retrieved 2011-05-18 chapter "Turnīri - Latvijas čempionātu rezultāti" (Latvian Championships results: 1924–1993)