The Latvian Chess Championship 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, previously - Latvian Chess Union .
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]
After the start of the Soviet occupation of Latvia the 1940 edition was not held, but in 1941 the first Chess Championship of the Latvian SSR was played. The tournament was also played once during the German occupation during WWII, in 1943. After the restoration of Latvian independence, the Latvian Championship returned in 1990.
The tournament has been mostly held in the capital Riga and the village of Mežezers of Pļaviņas Municipality in southern Vidzeme.
| Men's Winner | Titles | Years | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 1954, 1962, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1975, 1979, 1986 | ||
| 2 | 8 | 1955-57, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1966 | ||
| 3 | 8 | 1984, 1987–90, 1997, 2004–05 | ||
| 4 | 7 | 1973, 1976–78, 1982–83, 1985 | ||
| 5 | 4 | 1930, 1935, 1937, 1938 | ||
| 6 | 4 | 1941, 1945–46, 1949 | ||
| 7 | 4 | 1999, 2011, 2015, 2019 | ||
| 8 | 3 | 1980, 1992, 1994 | ||
| 9 | 3 | 2003, 2008, 2010 | ||
| 10 | 2 | 1927, 1934 | ||
| 11 | 2 | 1944, 1950 | ||
| 12 | Mikhail Tal | 2 | 1953, 1965 | |
| 13 | Anatolijs Šmits | 2 | 1969, 1975 | |
| 14 | 2 | 1974, 1985 | ||
| 15 | 2 | 1991, 2006 | ||
| 16 | 2 | 2009, 2012 | ||
| 17 | 2 | 2013-14 | ||
| 18 | 2 | 1993, 2020 | ||
| 19 | 2 | 2002, 2022 |
| Women's Winner | Titles | Years | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | 1937, 1943, 1948–57, 1960 | ||
| 2 | 13 | 2003, 2005–06, 2009–11, 2013, 2015–16, 2020–23 | ||
| 3 | 8 | 1982, 1984, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1996–97 | ||
| 4 | 7 | 1963-65, 1969–70, 1977–78 | ||
| 5 | 5 | 2004, 2008, 2012, 2019, 2024 | ||
| 6 | 4 | 1958-59, 1961–62 | ||
| 7 | 4 | 1967, 1971–72, 1974 | ||
| 8 | 4 | 1980, 1985–87 | ||
| 9 | Dana Reizniece | 4 | 1998-2001 | |
| 10 | 3 | 1975, 1981, 1983 | ||
| 11 | 2 | 1973, 1979 | ||
| 12 | 2 | 1976, 1995 | ||
| 13 | 2 | 1989, 2002 |