Riga Christmas Chess Festival - IM tournament-2025
Round-RobinStandard
10 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 15 Dec 2025 to 21 Dec 2025 in Riga, Latvia. 9 titled players from 7 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2303, and top seed was Vitaly Sivuk (🇸🇪 SWE, GM, 2466).
Vitaly Sivuk (🇸🇪 SWE, GM, 2466) won with 7.5/9, ahead of Normunds Miezis (6.0) and Ilmars Starostits (5.5). Sivuk won solo starting round 4.
Location
🇱🇻Riga, Latvia
Dates
15 Dec 2025 → 21 Dec 2025
Time control
Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1
System
Round-robin · 9 rounds
Titled players · 9
GM×3
FM×6
Federations · 7 represented
🇱🇻Latvia×4
🇸🇰Slovakia×1
🇳🇴Norway×1
🇮🇱Israel×1
🇸🇪Sweden×1
🇱🇹Lithuania×1
🇨🇿Czech Republic×1
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 10 · 9 roundsGM Vitaly Sivuk led from R4 onwards, the runner-up race stayed tight.
Co-leaders
4
1
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
R4 · LEADER CHANGE18 Dec
GM Vitaly Sivuk takes the sole lead (3.5/4).
R8 · DECISIVE LEAD20 Dec
GM Vitaly Sivuk opens a +1.5-point gap over the chasing pack (closest: GM Normunds Miezis); the title is out of reach before R9.
R2 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND
GM Vitaly Sivuk drew with GM Normunds Miezis (Black).
Cross-table
| # | Player | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pts | SB | Bh | Δ Elo | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇸🇪GMSivuk, Vitaly | 2466 | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.5 | 30.25 | 37.5 | +9.1 | 2558 |
| 2 | 🇱🇻GMMiezis, Normunds | 2375 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 6.0 | 23.75 | 39.0 | +5.3 | 2420 |
| 3 | 🇱🇻GMStarostits, Ilmars | 2331 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 5.5 | 21.25 | 39.5 | +6.1 | 2380 |
| 4 | 🇱🇻FMVingris,Mikelis | 2339 | 0 | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5.5 | 19.50 | 39.5 | +10.2 | 2379 |
| 5 | 🇨🇿FMKaras, Marek | 2246 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4.5 | 20.25 | 40.5 | +15.4 | 2309 |
| 6 | 🇱🇻FMTolmacevs,Artjoms | 2273 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4.0 | 15.75 | 41.0 | -4.4 | 2263 |
| 7 | 🇸🇰FMElias, David | 2289 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | 4.0 | 14.50 | 41.0 | -6.2 | 2261 |
| 8 | 🇱🇹FMBazilius, Augustinas | 2257 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 3.5 | 14.25 | 41.5 | -8.0 | 2228 |
| 9 | 🇳🇴Aamodt, Peder Marcus | 2189 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 3.0 | 11.50 | 42.0 | 0.0 | 2191 |
| 10 | 🇮🇱FMIliaguev, Kafar | 2266 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | 1.5 | 5.50 | 43.5 | -50.2 | 2034 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Karas, MarekFMCZE+15.44.5 pts · #5
- 2Vingris,MikelisFMLAT+10.25.5 pts · #4
- 3Sivuk, VitalyGMSWE+9.17.5 pts · #1
Top rating losers
- 1Iliaguev, KafarFMISR-50.21.5 pts · #10
- 2Bazilius, AugustinasFMLTU-8.03.5 pts · #8
- 3Elias, DavidFMSVK-6.24.0 pts · #7