Riga Technical University Chess Open

30/05/2025

Dear chess friends,

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the cancellation of RTU Open 2025 due to insufficient funding. Despite our dedication and best efforts, we were unable to overcome the challenges this year and we didn’t want to keep you waiting any longer.

We sincerely apologize to all participants and supporters for any inconvenience this may cause and we hope to be back next year.

Best regards,
RTU Open Team

21/08/2023

13/08/2023

THE FINAL ROUND HAS STARTED!

7️⃣ players are currently sharing the 1st place 💥 Who will become a winner of the 12th Riga Technical University Open?

Will it be last year's champion, Paulius Pultinevicius, to become a very first player to win our Festival 2 times?

Or the superstar Baadur Jobava?

Or perhaps one of the Norwegian youngsters - Abdrlauf or Kvaloy?

Blomqvist and Sivuk are certainly equally dangerous and hungry to win it all!

As well as young Dragos Ceres who simply refused to be defeated here so far...
..as you can see, nothing is clear!

👉You can follow the games already and very soon, at 11am CET, the live commentary will start where you can observe the final action together with the commentators!🎙️

12/08/2023

8th round is on!

And meanwhile Toms Kalnins, head of the organising committee, talked to the Latvian TV about our Festival 🔥 Amazing to see interest of the local press with our Festival!

12/08/2023

Only 2 rounds to go! That means tomorrow we will know our winners and every half a point is even more precious than before 🔥

As you can see on the pairings - 4 players are currently sharing the 1st spot and they will play each other today.

Another 8 players have only half a point less and can catch the leaders as well...so tension is still great and another round full of fireworks on the board surely awaits us today!

The game starts at 2pm CET and a live commentary 🎙️with your hosts GM Arturs Neiksans and WIM Anna Kantane one hour later - at 3pm CET.

Stay tuned!

12/08/2023

Praggnanandhaa R. played twice in our Festival - in 2018 and 2021. Now he's conquering the chess world!

We wish him best of luck during remaining rounds of the World Cup and beyond!

5 years ago interviewing Pragg at the Riga Technical University Chess Open ✌️now he's in top 16 of the World Cup after beating Hikaru Nakamura!

How far do you think he'll go?
His next opponent is Berkes.

Meanwhile I haven't gotten to the World Cup😅 and am again here at the Riga Technical University Open commentating yet another edition of the event. Today at 2pm CET we HAVE the 8th round and tomorrow a big finish 💪
So come by and say hi 👋 on the broadcast if you have a moment.



*unfortunately I only have a black&white version of this picture, but still thank you so much to European Chess TV for making it.

11/08/2023

WGM Tatev Abrahamyan from USA 🇺🇸 the highest rated female player in our event!

📸: Mark Livsh*tz

10/08/2023

❗Big win on the board 1️⃣ for Elham Abdrlauf 🇧🇻

21-year old IM is now in the studio telling about his incredibly complex game against Tor Fredrik Kaasen!

Link to the broadcast is below⬇️

10/08/2023

Absolutely thrilling win by Tor Friedrik Kaasen🇳🇴 gives him a sole lead after 5 rounds!

6th round starts in 2h, at 17:00 local time!

10/08/2023

5️⃣th round has started💥 and so has a very exciting double-round day for us!

Currently we have 5 leaders with a perfect score - Elham Abdrlauf, Eric Blomqvist, Toivo Keinanen, Tor Fredrik Kaasen and Dragos Ceres 💪

On the first board 18-year old Norwegian player Elham Abdrlauf is playing with White pieces against experienced ever-dangerous Eric Blomqvist from Sweden.

Many exciting games await you and you can follow them together with our commentators 🎙️ GM Arturs Neiksans and WIM Anna Kantane during the broadcast, starting 12:00 local time!

09/08/2023

AAAAAND....ACTION❗️ Games are going and our commentators are ready to start the show💥

Join GM Arturs Neiksans and WIM Anna Kantane now!

09/08/2023

4th round is starting at 15:00 local time - in less than half an hour! 💥

14 players have gathered 100% of points and today we have many tight clashes on the menu 🙌

Among the leaders we have a big surprise - Latvian youngster Reinis Paikens rated 2107 is performing amazingly so far and is 300 points lower-rated than any other player with 3/3. Will he continue his great run?

To find out and follow the games of all the top players - join the broadcast 🎙️with a fantastic commentary by GM Arturs Neiksans and WIM Anna Kantane ♟️

*broadcast is starting 1h after the game - at 16:00 Riga time