The 2013 edition of the Latvian Championships for men and women were held on 13th-20th April at the Mikhail Tal Chess Club in Riga.
GM Igor Kovalenko maintained the lead he had after 7 rounds and, despite losing his last round game against lower-rated FM Nikita Meskovs, took first place in the national event.
GM Arturs Neiksans could have taken advantage of Kovalenko’s final loss but only achieved a draw against Sergejs Klimakovs. With this result, he arrived second after edging Kristaps Kretainis in the tiebreak score.
The women’s tournament had a more dramatic finish as three players tied on 7/9 points. WGM Laura Rogule and WIM Katrina Skinke, who was leading after 7 rounds, tied on the first two tiebreak criteria, but Rogule had a higher rating performance, which was the third tiebreaker. WGM Ilze Berzine finished third.
Final standings below.
Igor Kovalenko
Laura Rogule
Photos by Matīss Sīlis
Final Standings – Open Tournament:
| 1 | GM | Kovalenko Igor | 2596 | 7.0 |
| 2 | GM | Neiksans Arturs | 2539 | 6.5 |
| 3 | NM | Kretainis Kristaps | 2228 | 6.5 |
| 4 | FM | Meskovs Nikita | 2328 | 6.0 |
| 5 | NM | Putka Verners | 2321 | 6.0 |
| 6 | GM | Sveshnikov Evgeny | 2534 | 5.5 |
| 7 | NM | Klimakovs Sergejs | 2248 | 5.5 |
| 8 | IM | Antoms Guntars | 2376 | 5.5 |
| 9 | MK | Stepins Edgars | 2102 | 5.5 |
| 10 | IM | Sveshnikov Vladimir | 2434 | 5.0 |
| 11 | FM | Lavendelis Egons | 2337 | 5.0 |
| 12 | MK | Bernotas Arturs | 2268 | 5.0 |
| 13 | MK | Osis Renars | 2143 | 5.0 |
| 14 | IM | Berzinsh Roland | 2411 | 5.0 |
| 15 | MK | Starcevs Dmitrijs | 2123 | 4.5 |
| 16 | MK | Kalnins Kristaps | 2280 | 4.5 |
| 17 | MK | Tokranovs Dmitrijs | 2110 | 4.0 |
| 18 | MK | Dunaveckis Deniss | 2043 | 4.0 |
| 19 | MK | Rasa Gints | 2085 | 4.0 |
| 20 | FM | Krustkalns Kristaps | 2244 | 4.0 |
| 21 | FM | Kantans Toms | 2356 | 3.5 |
| 22 | MK | Vins Aleksis | 1915 | 3.5 |
| 23 | MK | Visockis Janis | 2144 | 3.5 |
| 24 | NM | Daudzvardis Janis | 2185 | 3.0 |
| 25 | MK | Mierins Eriks | 2105 | 3.0 |
| 26 | MK | Krilovs Nikolaijs | 2013 | 2.5 |
| 27 | MK | Indricans Olgerts | 2120 | 2.0 |
| 28 | MK | Shumskis Aleksandrs | 1853 | 2.0 |
| 29 | GM | Miezis Normunds | 2556 | 1.0 |
Final Standings – Women’s Tournament:
| 1 | WGM | Rogule Laura | 2306 | 7.0 |
| 2 | WIM | Skinke Katrina | 2207 | 7.0 |
| 3 | WGM | Berzina Ilze | 2292 | 7.0 |
| 4 | I | Golubeva Marija | 1787 | 5.5 |
| 5 | I | Djogteva Jekaterina | 1789 | 5.5 |
| 6 | I | Parhomenko Margarita | 1641 | 5.0 |
| 7 | MK | Otikova Elina | 1926 | 5.0 |
| 8 | WFM | Ungure Liga | 2043 | 5.0 |
| 9 | I | Dombrovska Stefanija | 1543 | 5.0 |
| 10 | I | Ziljaeva Veronika | 1633 | 5.0 |
| 11 | MK | Matisone Dana | 1719 | 4.5 |
| 12 | MK | Rogule Agnija | 2099 | 4.5 |
| 13 | I | Kane Marta | 1839 | 3.5 |
| 14 | I | Migunova Aleksandra | 1601 | 3.0 |
| 15 | I | Jablonskaja Anastasija | 1261 | 2.5 |
| 16 | I | Dernova Arina | 1810 | 2.5 |
| 17 | I | Cernavska Olga | 1806 | 2.0 |
| 18 | I | Kannina Krista | 1833 | 1.5 |
