VI Coop Saaremaa Chess Festival - Blitz Tournament

SwissBlitz

82 players participated in this 11-round tournament, held on 30 May 2025 in Kuresaare, Estonia. 34 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2525, and top seed was Anish Giri (🇳🇱 NED, GM, 2663).

Anish Giri (🇳🇱 NED, GM, 2663) won with 9.5/11, ahead of Toivo Keinanen (8.5) and Ruslan Ponomariov (8.5). Giri won solo starting round 5.

The biggest upset came in round 1: Mihkel Vohla (1898) beat Ruslan Ponomariov (GM, 2591), a +693-point gap.

Location

🇪🇪Kuresaare, Estonia

Dates

30 May 2025

Time control

Blitz: 3 minutes for game with 2 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 11 rounds

Top seed

🇳🇱GMAnish Giri2663

Avg top 10

2,525

Participants

Titled players · 34

GM×12

IM×8

FM×4

CM×3

WGM×1

WIM×2

WFM×3

WCM×1

Federations · 8 represented

🇪🇪Estonia×50

🇱🇻Latvia×9

🇱🇹Lithuania×6

🇫🇮Finland×5

🇳🇱Netherlands×2

🇺🇦Ukraine×2

🇺🇸United States of America×1

🇸🇪Sweden×1

Top 3

🥇
GMAnish Giri
🇳🇱NED·2663
9.5pts·2721perf+7.1
🥈
IMToivo Keinanen
🇫🇮FIN·2609
8.5pts·2650perf+6.2
🥉
GMRuslan Ponomariov
🇺🇦UKR·2591
8.5pts·2533perf-2.2

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 11 rounds

GM Anish Giri led from R5; +1.0-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Giri9.5Ponomariov8.5Narva8.5Keinanen8.5Blomqvist8Ehlvest8

R5–R11 · LEAD HELD

GM Anish Giri never relinquished the lead after R5; final gap +1.0 over the runner-up.

R8 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

GM Anish Giri beat GM Ruslan Ponomariov (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

GM Anish Giri 5 wins (R1–R5)GM Ruslan Ponomariov 6 wins (R2–R7)IM Mai Narva 4 wins (R8–R11)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1GMAnish Giri	*	1	—	½
2GMRuslan Ponomariov	0	*	—	1
3IMMai Narva	—	—	*	0
4IMToivo Keinanen	½	0	1	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Giri, AnishGM	2663	NED	+50B	+36N	+35B	+12N	+11B	=5N	+13B	+3N	=6B	=2B	+8N	9.5	72.5	77.5	65.25	2721	+7.1
2	Keinanen, ToivoIM	2609	FIN	+40N	+14B	+4N	=7B	+8B	−3N	+5B	=9N	+11B	=1N	+12B	8.5	78.0	83.5	62.75	2650	+6.2
3	Ponomariov, RuslanGM	2591	UKR	−41B	+65N	+48B	+37N	+21B	+2B	+18N	−1B	+14N	+6N	=5B	8.5	70.0	74.0	55.00	2533	-2.2
4	Narva, MaiIM	2349	EST	+53B	+22N	−2B	+42N	+19B	−13N	=16B	+26N	+9B	+18N	+11B	8.5	68.0	73.0	54.00	2475	+39.8
5	Blomqvist, ErikGM	2401	SWE	+56N	=39B	+6N	+17B	+7N	=1B	−2N	+20B	+12N	=8B	=3N	8.0	75.5	80.5	56.50	2547	+22.6
6	Ehlvest, JaanGM	2421	USA	+49B	=48N	−5B	+63N	+10B	+15B	+7N	+12B	=1N	−3B	+14N	8.0	72.0	76.0	52.25	2489	+13.1
7	Volodin, AleksandrGM	2428	EST	+61B	+28N	+38B	=2N	−5B	+36N	−6B	+16N	+10B	−11N	+22B	7.5	69.5	74.0	46.75	2373	-2.4
8	Larkin, VladyslavIM	2424	UKR	+69N	+44B	+27N	+9B	−2N	−18B	+37B	+13N	+35B	=5N	−1B	7.5	69.5	73.5	45.00	2440	+5.4
9	Smeets, JanGM	2530	NED	+33B	+16N	+21B	−8N	−13B	+28N	+43B	=2B	−4N	+37N	+19B	7.5	69.0	74.5	47.25	2390	-13.6
10	Rogule, LauraWGM	2171	LAT	F	+52B	+69N	=15B	−6N	+49N	+38B	+40B	−7N	+35N	+18B	7.5	59.5	59.5	40.50	2338	+23.2
11	Laurusas, TomasGM	2501	LTU	+59N	+25B	+18N	+20B	−1N	+14B	−12N	+19B	−2N	+7B	−4N	7.0	74.0	78.5	45.00	2439	-5.7
12	Kulaots, KaidoGM	2477	EST	+45N	+29B	+19N	−1B	+27N	+20B	+11B	−6N	−5B	+28N	−2N	7.0	72.0	77.5	43.50	2423	-3.9
13	Maier, ChristianIM	2226	GER	−51N	+47B	+57N	+32B	+9N	+4B	−1N	−8B	−30N	+44B	+31N	7.0	67.0	72.0	44.00	2241	+4.1
14	Golubovskis, MaksimsFM	2186	LAT	+70B	−2N	+41B	+23N	+35B	−11N	+26B	+36N	−3B	+30N	−6B	7.0	67.0	71.0	39.00	2354	+45.2
15	Golubka, PetroGM	2481	CAN	+55B	=42N	=17B	=10N	+31B	−6N	=39B	−28N	+48B	+27N	+30B	7.0	62.5	67.5	40.75	2244	-25.5
16	Narva, TriinWFM	2073	EST	+62N	−9B	+51N	−18B	+69N	+50B	=4N	−7B	+40N	+38N	=21B	7.0	62.0	66.0	37.00	2204	+37.2
17	Lahdelma, HenriFM	2194	FIN	+76N	+78B	=15N	−5N	=48B	−22N	=41B	+45B	+29N	=19B	+28N	7.0	59.5	63.0	36.50	2141	-9.0
18	Vorobjov, Pavel	2229	EST	+65B	+41N	−11B	+16N	+26B	+8N	−3B	=35N	+27B	−4B	−10N	6.5	69.0	73.0	38.75	2326	+29.4
19	Shvyrjov, IgorGM	2217	EST	+68B	+63N	−12B	+28N	−4N	+44B	+23B	−11N	+39B	=17N	−9N	6.5	64.5	68.5	35.00	2219	+2.3
20	Novik, MaximGM	2286	LTU	+67B	+23N	+26B	−11N	+43B	−12N	+22B	−5N	−28B	=39N	+37B	6.5	63.5	67.5	36.75	2260	-1.0
21	Krupenski, JuriIM	2267	EST	+47N	+32B	−9N	+44B	−3N	−30B	−40N	+67B	+50N	+42B	=16N	6.5	62.0	66.0	35.00	2141	-14.2
22	Kolesnikovs, Ivans	1983	LAT	+81N	−4B	+54N	−27B	+52N	+17B	−20N	+42B	=37B	+36N	−7N	6.5	62.0	63.5	32.25	2155	+31.1
23	Heinmets, Tonu	1977	EST	+75N	−20B	+78N	−14B	+64N	+27B	−19N	=29B	−36B	+59N	+38B	6.5	55.5	59.0	30.50	2096	+27.4
24	Olde, MargarethWIM	2053	EST	−46B	+66N	−49B	+65N	+33B	−26N	=55B	+41N	−38B	+40N	+36B	6.5	53.5	57.5	33.00	2085	+9.6
25	Seeman, TarvoIM	2170	EST	+72B	−11N	+61B	−26N	−50B	+68N	+33B	−39N	=59B	+43N	+35B	6.5	53.5	57.5	31.75	2123	-8.2
26	Kazakouski, ValeryGM	2546	LTU	+57N	+37B	−20N	+25B	−18N	+24B	−14N	−4B	+34N	−31B	+50N	6.0	64.0	69.0	34.50	2228	-37.5
27	Valgmae, ToomasCM	2207	EST	+66B	+46N	−8B	+22N	−12B	−23N	+50N	+44B	−18N	−15B	+57N	6.0	62.0	66.0	31.50	2124	-19.0
28	Mironov, Ruslan	2024	EST	+71N	−7B	+64N	−19B	+60N	−9B	+59N	+15B	+20N	−12B	−17B	6.0	62.0	66.0	30.50	2161	+33.6
29	Siemer, Tambet	2032	EST	+77B	−12N	+53B	−35N	−49B	+66N	+60B	=23N	−17B	=41N	+39B	6.0	55.5	59.0	28.50	1997	-9.8
30	Mierins, Eriks	2008	LAT	F	−64B	+62N	+68N	+67B	+21N	−35B	+43N	+13B	−14B	−15N	6.0	55.0	55.0	31.50	2110	+28.2
31	Antoms, GuntarsIM	2075	LAT	F	+76B	=56N	+45B	−15N	−40B	+47N	=48N	+49B	+26N	−13B	6.0	55.0	55.0	30.50	2082	+2.2
32	Gudovskis, Konstantins	1960	LAT	+58B	−21N	+46B	−13N	+63B	−37N	+67B	−38N	−43B	+53N	+49B	6.0	54.5	58.5	28.50	1972	+1.6
33	Narva, JaanFM	1890	EST	−9N	+62B	−43N	+76B	−24N	+52B	−25N	−51B	+70N	+64N	+48B	6.0	53.5	57.0	26.00	1923	+6.6
34	Blokhin, SofiaWFM	1980	EST	+82B	−35N	−63B	+66N	+46B	−43N	+53B	−37N	−26B	+65N	+55B	6.0	50.0	50.0	23.50	1938	-11.0
35	Shishkov, AndreiIM	2296	EST	+60N	+34B	−1N	+29B	−14N	+42B	+30N	=18B	−8N	−10B	−25N	5.5	68.0	72.5	31.25	2163	-17.8
36	Kalvaitis, SigitasFM	2184	LTU	+64N	−1B	=45N	+39B	+40N	−7B	+48N	−14B	+23N	−22B	−24N	5.5	65.0	69.0	29.25	2073	-31.0
37	Dubrovin, Robert	2172	EST	+54N	−26N	+55B	−3B	+59N	+32B	−8N	+34B	=22N	−9B	−20N	5.5	64.5	69.0	29.75	2165	-3.4
38	Laizans, Aivars	2208	LAT	+52N	+51B	−7N	=40B	=42N	=48B	−10N	+32B	+24N	−16B	−23N	5.5	62.0	67.0	30.50	2023	-48.2
39	Uibokant, Mathias Robert	1999	EST	+79B	=5N	−42B	−36N	+54N	+45B	=15N	+25B	−19N	=20B	−29N	5.5	62.0	64.5	30.25	2085	+19.0
40	Tsiganova, MonikaWIM	1942	EST	−2B	+70N	+77B	=38N	−36B	+31N	+21B	−10N	−16B	−24B	+60N	5.5	61.5	65.0	27.25	2041	+27.2
41	Vohla, Mihkel	1898	EST	+3N	−18B	−14N	−52B	+76N	+51B	=17N	−24B	+66N	=29B	=42N	5.5	61.0	64.5	30.25	1991	+26.8
42	Zajakins, Artjoms	2034	LAT	+73N	=15B	+39N	−4B	=38B	−35N	+49B	−22N	+53B	−21N	=41B	5.5	60.5	64.5	28.50	2063	+12.8
43	Rychagov, NikitaCM	2175	EST	−63B	+68N	+33B	+49N	−20N	+34B	−9N	−30B	+32N	−25B	=45N	5.5	59.0	63.0	29.75	2007	-42.6
44	Puusepp, KaimarCM	2008	EST	+74B	−8N	+67B	−21N	+53B	−19N	+63B	−27N	+51B	−13N	=46B	5.5	57.0	61.0	24.75	1993	-3.8
45	Bondarenko, Dmitry	1867	EST	−12B	+74N	=36B	−31N	+56B	−39N	+61B	−17N	=65B	+63N	=43B	5.5	54.0	58.0	25.00	1961	+19.2
46	Altjoe, Ago Hugo	0	EST	+24N	−27B	−32N	+57B	−34N	−60B	−51N	+69B	+52N	+76B	=44N	5.5	53.5	57.0	26.75	1903	0.0
47	Ehrlich, Sten-Andreas	1774	EST	−21B	−13N	−74B	+71N	=77B	+65N	−31B	+64N	+60B	−48N	+59B	5.5	49.5	53.0	22.75	1890	+27.0
48	Cimins, Alberts	2004	LAT	+80N	=6B	−3N	+56B	=17N	=38N	−36B	=31B	−15N	+47B	−33N	5.0	64.0	66.0	25.75	2064	+8.6
49	Rajandu, Aaron	1835	EST	−6N	+80B	+24N	−43B	+29N	−10B	−42N	+52B	−31N	+54B	−32N	5.0	61.0	63.0	24.50	1939	+42.0
50	Vihmand, Ants	1957	EST	−1N	−54B	+73N	+51B	+25N	−16N	−27B	+55N	−21B	+66N	−26B	5.0	60.5	64.5	24.50	1961	+1.2
51	Kiritshenko, Platon	1749	EST	+13B	−38N	−16B	−50N	+58B	−41N	+46B	+33N	−44N	−57B	+71N	5.0	57.0	61.0	27.50	1818	+17.5
52	Kais, Kristofer	1745	EST	−38B	−10N	+79B	+41N	−22B	−33N	+58B	−49N	−46B	+74N	+64B	5.0	54.5	57.0	21.00	1778	+1.2
53	Jevglevski, Lev	1808	EST	−4N	+81B	−29N	+75B	−44N	+64B	−34N	+70B	−42N	−32B	+66B	5.0	53.5	55.0	17.50	1793	-12.0
54	Kibe, Marten	1623	EST	−37B	+50N	−22B	+61N	−39B	−55N	−56B	+58N	+68B	−49N	+67B	5.0	51.0	55.0	22.50	1819	+84.4
55	Magi, Ramon	1881	EST	−15N	+73B	−37N	−64B	+72N	+54B	=24N	−50B	=63N	+71B	−34N	5.0	51.0	55.0	22.25	1780	-52.4
56	Uukkivi, Raigo	1822	EST	−5B	+82N	=31B	−48N	−45N	=73B	+54N	−66B	−71N	+61B	+70B	5.0	50.0	50.0	18.50	1731	-25.6
57	Ruotanen, Helge	1896	FIN	−26B	+72N	−13B	−46N	−70B	+77N	−64B	+62N	+78B	+51N	−27B	5.0	49.5	53.0	20.50	1788	-25.0
58	Molder, Margus	0	EST	−32N	+60B	−59N	−69B	−51N	+72B	−52N	−54B	+82N	+75B	+65B	5.0	46.0	46.0	16.50	1650	0.0
59	Merivee, Romet-Renee	1884	EST	−11B	−77N	+58B	+74N	−37B	+70N	−28B	+68N	=25N	−23B	−47N	4.5	54.0	57.5	20.25	1760	-39.8
60	Sorm, Aivar	1808	EST	−35B	−58N	+72B	+77N	−28B	+46N	−29N	=63B	−47N	+73B	−40B	4.5	51.0	54.5	19.00	1728	-21.0
61	Narva, ReginaWFM	1850	EST	−7N	+71B	−25N	−54B	−62N	+74B	−45N	+75B	=73N	−56N	+63B	4.5	50.0	54.0	18.00	1606	-58.0
62	Bubnys, Marius	1560	LTU	−16B	−33N	−30B	+79N	+61B	−67N	−68B	−57B	=72N	+81N	+76B	4.5	46.5	48.0	14.00	1653	+14.0
63	Koosel, Hans-Georg	1646	EST	+43N	−19B	+34N	−6B	−32N	+69B	−44N	=60N	=55B	−45B	−61N	4.0	57.0	61.0	20.25	1838	+88.0
64	Reinholm, Karl Kristjan	1663	EST	−36B	+30N	−28B	+55N	−23B	−53N	+57N	−47B	+67N	−33B	−52N	4.0	55.5	59.5	20.00	1795	+62.4
65	Ruotanen, Hannu	1759	FIN	−18N	−3B	+71N	−24B	=73N	−47B	+81N	+76B	=45N	−34B	−58N	4.0	55.0	56.5	13.75	1728	-12.0
66	Uurits, Karel	1715	EST	−27N	−24B	+81N	−34B	+78N	−29B	+75N	+56N	−41B	−50B	−53N	4.0	52.5	54.0	14.00	1633	-14.4
67	Jarnstrom, Henrik	1800	FIN	−20N	+75B	−44N	+78B	−30N	+62B	−32N	−21N	−64B	+72B	−54N	4.0	52.0	55.5	16.00	1648	-37.8
68	Verhni, Vladimir	1749	EST	−19N	−43B	+80N	−30B	+75N	−25B	+62N	−59B	−54N	=78B	=73N	4.0	50.0	52.0	14.25	1631	-28.8
69	Vaiknurme, Einar	1846	EST	−8B	+79N	−10B	+58N	−16B	−63N	−70B	−46N	−74B	+82B	+80N	4.0	49.0	49.0	9.50	1160	-38.4
70	Shadrina, EvaWCM	1666	EST	−14N	−40B	−75N	+80B	+57N	−59B	+69N	−53N	−33B	+79B	−56N	4.0	48.5	50.5	13.50	1701	+10.0
71	Sutt, Jakob	1475	EST	−28B	−61N	−65B	−47B	+74N	−78N	+80B	+79N	+56B	−55N	−51B	4.0	45.0	47.0	13.50	1506	+6.4
72	Pokk, Fred	1591	EST	−25N	−57B	−60N	+81B	−55B	−58N	+74B	=77N	=62B	−67N	+79B	4.0	44.5	46.0	12.00	1470	-19.4
73	Randma, Urmas	1530	EST	−42B	−55N	−50B	+82N	=65B	=56N	=77B	=78N	=61B	−60N	=68B	4.0	44.5	44.5	12.25	1640	+16.8
74	Joeorg, Marius	0	EST	−44N	−45B	+47N	−59B	−71B	−61N	−72N	+82B	+69N	−52B	+81N	4.0	44.0	44.0	11.00	1562	0.0
75	Keskula, Rait Mart	0	EST	−23B	−67N	+70B	−53N	−68B	+79N	−66B	−61N	+81B	−58N	+82B	4.0	41.0	41.0	8.00	1485	0.0
76	Kais, Kaarel	1679	EST	−17B	−31N	+82B	−33N	−41B	+80N	=78B	−65N	+77B	−46N	−62N	3.5	47.5	47.5	7.25	1515	-27.8
77	Ratkevicius, Andrius	1521	LTU	−29N	+59B	−40N	−60B	=47N	−57B	=73N	=72B	−76N	+80B	−78N	3.5	46.0	48.0	13.25	1612	+12.2
78	Shamrai, Vladimir	0	EST	F	−17N	−23B	−67N	−66B	+71B	=76N	=73B	−57N	=68N	+77B	3.5	45.5	45.5	13.25	1644	0.0
79	FIDE 4533895	0	—	−39N	−69B	−52N	−62B	=81N	−75B	+82N	−71B	+80B	−70N	−72N	2.5	38.5	38.5	2.75	897	0.0
80	FIDE 4525094	0	—	−48B	−49N	−68B	−70N	+82B	−76B	−71N	+81B	−79N	−77N	−69B	2.0	37.0	37.0	1.50	922	0.0
81	FIDE 4529049	0	—	−22B	−53N	−66B	−72N	=79B	+82N	−65B	−80N	−75N	−62B	−74B	1.5	40.5	40.5	1.25	936	0.0
82	FIDE 4529057	0	—	−34N	−56B	−76N	−73B	−80N	−81B	−79B	−74N	−58B	−69N	−75N	0.0	40.0	41.5	0.00	972	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Koosel, Hans-GeorgEST
+88.0
4.0 pts · #55
2Kibe, MartenEST
+84.4
5.0 pts · #51
3Reinholm, Karl KristjanEST
+62.4
4.0 pts · #47

Top rating losers

1Narva, ReginaWFMEST
-58.0
4.5 pts · #64
2Magi, RamonEST
-52.4
5.0 pts · #43
3Laizans, AivarsLAT
-48.2
5.5 pts · #40

Biggest upsets

R1+693 Elo gap
Vohla, Mihkel1898 beat GMPonomariov, Ruslan2591
R1+529 Elo gap
Koosel, Hans-Georg1646 beat CMRychagov, Nikita2175
R1+477 Elo gap
Kiritshenko, Platon1749 beat IMMaier, Christian2226