16.06.2026.
List of Players for the 2026 World Championship Open Blitz
List of Players for the 2026 World Championship Women Blitz
25.05.2026. List of Players Riga Open 2026
05.05.2026. Rules & Regulations for the World championship blitz 2026 Women
05.05.2026. Rules & Regulations for the World championship blitz 2026 Open
05.05.2026.
Attention: Due to the 2026 World Draughts Championships Blitz, there are changes to the FMJD World Cup Riga Open 2026 Rules & Regulations
17.04.2026. Latvia to Host the 2026 World Draughts Championships Blitz
The FMJD Executive Council has officially awarded the organization of the World Championships Blitz (Open and Women categories) to the Latvian Draughts Federation (LDF).
- Date: July 8, 2026
- Venue: Radisson Blu Daugava Hotel, Riga (Kugu street 24)
- Registration: Open to non-suspended FMJD members via the FMJD Control Panel.
Please send notifications to office@fmjd.org and valde@dambrete.lv. Rules and regulations will be available shortly on the FMJD Calendar. We look forward to crowning new champions in the heart of Riga!
27.02.2026. Location & Accommodation
27.02.2026. FMJD World Cup Riga Open 2026 Rules & Regulations
15.09.2025. Riga Open 2026 will take place from July 5th to July 10th. The tournament will feature a time control of 60 minutes + 30 seconds per move.
19.07.2025. Video. A Look Back at Riga Open 2025
13.07.2025. Photos. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN BLITZ 2025
13.07.2025. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN BLITZ 2025 winner is Guntis Valneris
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN BLITZ 2025 results
12.07.2025. Video. Riga Open 2025 || Closing Ceremony
12.07.2025. Video. Interview with Riga Open 2025 winner Guntis Valneris
12.07.2025. Video. Interview with Jitse Slump || Riga Open 2025
12.07.2025. Photos. Closing Ceremony and Afterparty
12.07.2025. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN BLITZ 2025 Schedule
12.07.2025. Guntis Valneris and Kateryna Musiienko are Riga Open 2025 Winners
12.07.2025. Photos. Ninth Round of Tournament
12.07.2025. Video. Round 9 LIVE
11.07.2025. Video. Interview with Yurii Anikeev || Riga Open 2025
11.07.2025. Photos. Eighth Round of Tournament
11.07.2025. Video. Round 8 LIVE
10.07.2025. Photos. Seventh Round of Tournament
10.07.2025. Video. Round 7 LIVE
10.07.2025. Photos. Sixth Round of Tournament
10.07.2025. Video. Interview with Guntis Valneris || Riga Open 2025
10.07.2025. Video. Interview with Alexander Shvartsman || Riga Open 2025
10.07.2025. Video. Round 6 LIVE
09.07.2025. Photos. Fifth Round of Tournament
09.07.2025. Video. Round 5 LIVE
08.07.2025. Photos. Fourth Round of Tournament
08.07.2025. Video. Round 4 LIVE
08.07.2025. Video. Round 3 LIVE
08.07.2025. Photos. Third Round of Tournament
07.07.2025. Photos. Second Round of Tournament
07.07.2025. Video. Round 2 LIVE
06.07.2025. Video. Interview with Vladislavs Vesperis || Riga Open 2025
06.07.2025. Photos. First Round of Tournament
06.07.2025. Video. Round 1 LIVE
06.07.2025. Video. Opening Ceremony
06.07.2025. Photos. Opening Ceremony
04.07.2025. Prize Money Fund Distribution and Supporters
14.06.2025. World Championship Blitz 2025 will also take place during the Riga Open 2025.
List of Participants: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OPEN BLITZ 2025
03.06.2025. List of Participants
FMJD World Cup ✭✭✭ Riga Open 2025 Men’s and Women’s.
04.03.2025. Location & Accommodation
04.03.2025. FMJD World Cup Riga Open 2025 Rules & Regulations
16.09.2024. Riga Open 2025 will be held 06.07.-12.07.
12.07.2024. Video. Interview with Guntis Valneris || Riga Open 2024
12.07.2024. Video. Interview with Viktoriya Motrichko || Riga Open 2024
12.07.2024. Video. Interview with Wouter Sipma || Riga Open 2024
10.07.2024. Video. HE DID IT! For the First Time in His Career!
06.07.2024. Video. Riga OPEN 2024 || Awards ceremony
06.07.2024. Photos. Closing Ceremony and Afterparty
06.07.2024. Wouter Sipma and Viktoriya Motrichko are Riga Open 2024 Winners
06.07.2024. Photos. Nineth Round of Tournament
05.07.2024. Photos. Eighth Round of Tournament
04.07.2024. Photos. Seventh Round of Tournament
04.07.2024. Photos. Sixth Round of Tournament.
03.07.2024. Photos. Fifth Round of Tournament
02.07.2024. Photos. Fourth Round of Tournament
02.07.2024. Photos. Third Round of Tournament
01.07.2024. Photos. Second Round of Tournament
30.06.2024. Video. Why Do So Many Checkers Players Play Here?
30.06.2024. Photos. First Round of Tournament
30.06.2024. Photos. Opening Ceremony
27.06.2024. Prize Money Fund Distribution and Supporters
27.05.2024. Men and women will play in the same group.
20.05.2024. List of Participants
FMJD World Cup ✭✭✭ Riga Open 2024 Men’s and Women’s.
28.02.2024. Location & Accommodation
27.02.2024. FMJD World Cup Riga Open 2024 Rules & Regulations
11.09.2023. Riga Open 2024 will be held 30.06.-06.07.
09.07.2023. Video. Interview with Viktoriya Motrichko || Riga Open 2023
09.07.2023. Video. Interview with Katarzyna Stanczuk || Riga Open 2023
09.07.2023. Video. Interview with Luize Gudevica Liepina and family || Riga Open 2023
08.07.2023. Photos. Closing Ceremony
08.07.2023. Jan Groenendijk and Viktoriya Motrichko are Riga Open 2023 Winners
08.07.2023. !!! Changes. Closing ceremony will be at 15:30 !!!
08.07.2023. Photos. Final Day of Tournament
07.07.2023. Photos. Seventh Day of Tournament
07.07.2023. Photos. Sixth Day of Tournament
07.07.2023. Video. Interview with Alexey Domchev || Riga Open 2023
06.07.2023. Video. Interview with Nicholas Ramsundar || Riga Open 2023
05.07.2023. Video. Interview with Nona Nano || Riga Open 2023
04.07.2023. Video. Interview with Klavs Norenbergs || Riga Open 2023
04.07.2023. Video. Interview with Jurii Anikeev || Riga Open 2023
03.07.2023. Video. Interview with Ron Heusden || Riga Open 2023
02.07.2023. Photos. First Day of Tournament
01.07.2023. Photos. The Day Before a Tournament
30.06.2023. Prize Money Fund Distribution and Supporters
18.05.2023. List of Participants
FMJD World Cup ✭✭✭ Riga Open 2023 Men’s.
FMJD World Cup ✭✭✭ Riga Open 2023 Women’s.
05.04.2023. Location & Accommodation
22.02.2023. FMJD World Cup Riga Open 2023 Rules & Regulations
09.07.2022. Roel Boomstra and Natalia Sadowska are Riga Open 2022 Winners
11.07.2022. Photos
10.07.2022. News
13.05.2022. World Cup Riga Open 2022 Rules & Regulations
28.07.2019. Alexander Georgiev and Arleta Flisikowska are Riga Open 2019 Winners
23.07.2019. Photos
22.07.2019. Video
30.03.2019. Riga Open 2019 Rules & Regulations
22.07.2018. Elena Cesnokova wins Riga Open 2018 in both Open and Women’s
21.07.2018. Photos
30.03.2018. Riga Open 2018 Rules & Regulations
12.02.2017. Matthias de Kruijf and Viktoriya Motrichko are Riga Open 2017 Winners
07.02.2016. Edward Buzhinski and Elena Cesnokova are Riga Open 2016 Winners
17.11.2014. Laimonis Zalitis and Olga Sadovskaja are Riga Open 2014 Winners
12.06.2002. Alexander Georgijev became the winner of the Andris Andreiko Memorial 2002.
12.06.2002. Photos
10.06.2002. Before the seventh round, a large and comfortable bus brought participants, referees, members of the organizing committee and guests to the burial place of Andris Andreiko. A wreath-laying ceremony took place at the grave and monument, official representatives of the FMJD, EDC, the organizing committee, the judging panel and associates of the outstanding Riga resident made speeches.
09.06.2002. Today, within the framework of the memorial to A. Andreiko, a blitz tournament was held, in which 33 athletes took part. All participants were divided into 3 subgroups, 2 winners from each subgroup played the main prize in a round-robin tournament. Unexpectedly for many, young Roberts Misans won – the world and European champion among cadets (Latvia, Dobele), who won in an additional match for 1st place experienced Laimonis Zalitis 3:1. (G.Sh)
02.06.2002. List of Players
01.05.2002. XIII European International CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL Andreiko Memorial Tournament 2002 Rules & Regulations
21.10.1993. Alexander Shwartsman is Andreiko Memorial 1993 Winner
23.10.1993. Neatkariga Cina, IN MEMORY OF THE GREAT MASTER Peteris Karlsons
IN MEMORY OF THE GREAT MASTER
PETERIS KARLSONS
Andris Andreiko (1942–1976) is Latvia’s most prominent draughts player of all time. On October 17, he would have turned 51, but Andris has not been among us for seventeen years now… I remember, during my career as a journalist in the mid-seventies, I often visited the Central Chess and Draughts Club. I always met the grandmaster there as well, and admirers of his talent would always gather around him, eagerly catching every word Andris said. During position analyses, hours flew by quickly. For a change of pace, Andris would pick up a novuss cue. We played a match or two at the square (not checkered) table.
The array of awards won by Andris Andreiko in competitions is truly unique. In 1958, the 9th-grade student of Secondary School No. 2 became the winner of the Riga Championship, in which almost all the best draughts players participated. Skeptics had to admit: the boy plays at the level of a master! At sixteen years of age, he participated in the finals of the USSR Championship for the first time and immediately made people talk about him: shared 4th–5th place and only one game lost. Later, 3 gold and 2 silver medals were won in World Championships, 4 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze at European forums, 8 gold and 3 silver in USSR Championships, and 10 first, 9 second, and 1 third place in international tournaments.
One of the world’s most outstanding draughts players, the Dutchman Ton Sijbrands, puts it this way: – We knew Andreiko as a brilliant tactician, but at the same time, he was also an excellent strategist. Even for his most unexpected move, a logical justification could afterwards be found.
What is a combination of play? In the opinion of master Yakov Shaus, it instills optimism into the game. In chess, a combination follows logically from a professional advantage, but in draughts, there can be a completely hopeless position, and then a single piece causes a storm on the board.
The 2nd Andris Andreiko Memorial took place in memory of the great master (the first one was in 1989). 10 participants started. As we already reported, the guest from Russia, international grandmaster A. Schwarzman, won with 13 points out of 18. G. Valneris (Latvia) finished in the following positions with 12 points, L. Zalitis and R. Vipulis (both Latvia) with 11 each, V. Shchegolev (Russia), H. Meijer (Netherlands), and H. Klarenbeek (Holland) with 9 each, E. Buzhinskis (Lithuania) with 7, R. Paegle (Latvia) with 5, and K. Leesman (Estonia) with 4 points.
I asked international grandmaster Guntis Valneris to comment on the tournament results.
– The competitions were well-organized, and all participants felt good at the Mežezers base near Pļaviņas. We didn’t even notice that it was autumn. In that tournament, L. Zalitis and R. Vipulis fulfilled the grandmaster norm. For Laimonis, this is already the second time, and thus we can expect an addition to our family of highest-ranking draughts players.
– You were the leader almost the whole time, but at the end… – Yes, there probably would have been two winners. The game with R. Vipulis, which I lost, turned out to be fatal for me. A point would have given the same result as Schwarzman.
– What are your future plans? – I am going to Holland. There, I am participating in the national team championship as part of a first-league team. The next round will be on October 30.
18.10.1989. Guntis Valneris is Andreiko Memorial 1989 Winner
03.10.1989. Sports (Publication of the Sports Societies of the Latvian SSR) Aivars Freimanis
A. ANDREIKO MEMORIAL STARTS
[Photo caption / Logo]: ANDREIKO MEMORIAL
Today at 15:00, the 1st international 100-square draughts tournament, dedicated to the memory of the three-time world champion A. Andreiko (1942–1976), will begin in the Golden Hall of the District Officers’ House.
… In the autumn of 1973, I did not yet know that later the Republic Chess and Draughts Club would become my workplace — the editorial office of the magazine “Dambrete” (Draughts). But like most boys in the class, I was on friendly terms with sports. That is probably why the episodes of recess periods are so clearly etched in my memory, during which we discussed the results of the competitions that had just ended. With unflagging interest, we also followed A. Andreiko’s match for the world champion title with the Dutch grandmaster T. Sijbrands.
For me and the younger generation of draughts players, Andris Andreiko’s name is associated with an irreplaceable personality. In seventeen years spent at the draughts board, he managed to acquire a truly unique collection of medals: 3 gold and 2 silver medals won in World Championships, 4 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal in European Championships, 8 times won the national champion title and 3 third places, victories in 10 international tournaments, 9 times won the runner-up prize.
How were so many victories won in tournaments? From understanding the game, from knowledge? Yes, and also taking into account the opponent’s psychology. Andris did not fight with the position, but with the specific opponent, and very often found the correct moves for the opponent only by analyzing the played game…
Since ancient times, draughts and chess have had an advantage compared to other sports. In the scoresheets of competitions, not only the sporting results are recorded, but also the game itself. A. Andreiko has left a rich heritage for future generations — his games, from which more than one draughts player has learned and will continue to draw ideas.
Finally, the dream of the republic’s draughts players has come true — the first A. Andreiko Memorial will take place. Today, in the House of the Riga Latvian Society, at the black-and-white boards will sit outstanding draughts opponents and team comrades — former world champions A. Gantvarg (Minsk), N. Shchegolev (Moscow), USSR former champion M. Korhov (Odessa), and international grandmaster, Rigan V. Vigman. The main prize will also be contested by young grandmasters G. Valneris (Riga), V. Virny (Kharkiv), the Dutch B. Wiersma, H. van der Zee, and H. Jansen, the Swiss H. Vermin and E. Autar (Suriname), masters U. Laimite (Dobele), and P. Kazarihs (Belgium).
We invite interested parties and sports fans to visit the memorial. Here you will be able not only to follow the world-class grandmaster battles with commentary by former world champion, Dutchman T. Sijbrands and H. Wiersma, but also to try your own hand in simultaneous exhibition matches. Today is the opening of the tournament, the draw, and the first round.
Aivars Freimanis