Tartu blitz tournament

To make chess tournaments attractive for weaker players the handicap formula is used. Other big incentive is good organization and the money.

In Tartu the big prize fund did not attract so many players. Most likely chess players were cautious because it was first tournament for the main sponsor Mr. Ants Vihmand and this was his first time to organize an chess event. He probably hoped for more players and I think next time there will be more, because the organization was excellent. Total 65 players took part this time and the prize fund of 3000 EUR and 6 Grandmasters among the participants makes this tournament the biggest in Tartu for last decades. The blitz tournament of 11 double rounds had some hint. Every round the opening position was decided beforehand by drawing it from more than 60  positions. Some of them were quite normal, but you do not like to play 1.g4 in the first move. I was leading most of the tournament but in the last rounds I got tired and Neiksans from Latvia won the tournament. The whole table of results one may found on http://vaadeldaja.blogspot.com/

                                      Elo  Points

  1   Neiksans, Arturs         2537 17   

  2   Ehlvest, Jaan             2591 16   

 3-4  Külaots, Kaido          2573 15   

      Kantans, Toms           2344 15   

 5-6  Sepp, Olav               2458 14.5 

      Kanep, Meelis             2536 14.5 

 7-9  Putka, Verners          2306 14   

      Kiik, Kalle                   2404 14   

      Seeman, Tarvo            2440 14   

10-12 Volodin, Aleksander  2498 13.5 

      Mustaps, Matiss           2304 13.5 

      Ðvõrjov, Igor                2366 13.5