Helsinki Team Blitz Championship Masters group was played at Shakkiareena on 20.10.2025.
LauttSSK 1 was the 7th (team points 15/26, game points 26½/52):
LauttSSK 2 was the 12th (team points 5, game points 13½):
Full results on Chess Results.
Lauttasaari Championship 2025 was played with classical time control and 18 players in March–October.
Top results:
Three other players also reached 4 points: Olli-Pekka Peitsalo (1742), Mikko Salo (1591) and Kari Valli (1551). Full results are in Chess Manager.
Most games are in the club's PGN archive.
Below are the most critical moments in my games.
Daniel Clarke – Jyrki Heikkinen (round 1) after 14...Ne8-c7:
White played 15.Qe1 with a small advantage.
Better was 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.Bxb7 with a decisive advantage. During the game, I had considered only 15...Nxe6 16.Nd5 Nc6, but that is even worse for Black because of the pin 17.Bg4!.
Kari Valli – Jyrki Heikkinen (round 5) after 43.Ra1-h1:
After 43...Qe7?? 44.Qxe7??, Black won in move 62.
We both missed a perpetual check 44.Qxc6+! Kb8 45.Qxb5+. In fact, the engine shows a small advantage for White, but most players would probably be happy to take a draw here as White.
Shakkiareenalla 7.9.2025 pelattu seurajoukkueiden SM-kilpailun 1. divisioonan ottelu LauttSSK – Etelä-Vantaan Shakki päättyi 1½–6½:
SM-liigasta viime kaudella tippunut EtVaS ei antanut meille paljon mahdollisuuksia. Tosin Erkillä ja Pekalla oli jopa voittojatko tarjolla.
Seuraavalla kierroksella kohtaamme kotiottelussa Joensuun su 28.9.2025.
I first became interested in chess in June 2022, when I was in Class 9 at Tilingatar Secondary School in Nepal. Earlier, I had watched the South Indian movie Check, which impressed me a lot, but at that time I didn't even know how the pieces moved. Later, when my teacher announced that our school would join a chess tournament, I immediately remembered that movie and felt inspired to learn.
Since I didn't know the rules, I asked my friend Ascharya, who had an Elo of about 1355, to teach me. He introduced me to the basics and helped me understand the game. That's how my chess journey started – from being a complete beginner to developing a real passion for the game.
What attracts me most in chess is the combination of strategy and tactics. I enjoy the way every move has a purpose and how long-term planning connects with short tactical ideas. I also like the competitive side, because it challenges me to stay focused and improve myself with every game. For me, chess is not just about winning, but also about thinking creatively, solving problems, and testing my patience.
Mainly I play from my Lauttasaari chess club as my club provide me this golden opportunity.
I regularly train chess nowadays. I get help from my Finnish Fide master friend and help from ChessBase India and Remote Chess Academy as well.
Yes, I do have a favorite opening. The first trap I ever learned was the Blackburne Gambit, and because of that it has a special place for me. I don't usually play it in serious tournaments, but I like trying it in casual games because it reminds me of my early days in chess and how exciting it felt to discover traps and tricks for the first time.
I started playing chess mainly for fun and to take part in beginner tournaments. But later, when I watched the Chess Olympiad in Chennai through ChessBase India's YouTube channel, I felt really inspired. I thought it would be amazing to be there one day, representing my country. From that moment, my goal became not just to enjoy chess, but also to work hard and someday play the Chess Olympiad for Nepal.
Yes, I have participated in chess competitions, and the biggest lesson I have learned is the importance of staying fully present in every moment. In chess, even a single mistake can turn a winning position into a loss, and sometimes a lost position can be saved if the opponent makes a blunder. Because of this, I've realized that I cannot relax until the very end of the game – concentration and patience are everything.
For me, my first chess tournament game is the most memorable one, even though I lost as Black. I was quite happy to survive until move 35, especially because I had learned the basics of chess only about 30 days earlier in Nepal. That game gave me confidence and motivation to keep improving.
I don't really try to copy anyone's playing style – I prefer to play my own natural game. But I do admire D. Gukesh, who has become my idol. The first time I followed the Chess Olympiad in Chennai, livestreamed by Sagar Shah from ChessBase India, Gukesh was playing on Board 1. He kept winning game after game, and I was impressed not only by his strength but also by how quiet and humble he was. That's when I became a fan of him.
Yes, chess has helped me a lot in everyday life. It has trained me to solve critical problems and improved my quick decision-making skills. Chess also taught me to think carefully on both the positive and negative sides before starting anything, which has been very useful beyond the board.
For me, a chess club should organize regular tournaments, just like our Lauttasaari club does. I also think it would be very helpful if the club had a chess coach to guide both beginners and intermediate players.
Suuntasimme kohti Tallinnaa viime torstaiaamusella. Oli peräti 27. kerta kun oteltiin perinteisestä kerhon Tallinnan 5 minuutin pikapelimestaruudesta. Luvassa oli vaihtelevaa kesäsäätä, sade ei kuitenkaan päässyt yllättämään. Pelasimme M/S Finlandian kabinetissa mennen tullen ja nautimme jälleen maukkaista buffeteista.
Menomatkan alkukarsinnan täysturnauksen tulokset:
1. Seppo Aakio 9/9, 2. Juhani Lehti 7½, 3. Kai Backman 5½, 4. Olavi Mattila 5½, 5. Jukka Tuovinen 5, 6. Mauno Kangas 4, 7. Timo Siikonen 3, 8. Eero Patola 3, 9. Jyrki Kivinen 2, 10. Reijo Rautio ½.
Tulokset olivat aika yllätyksettömiä, jollei nyt lasketa Sepon maksimitulosta ja Olavin voittoa Jukasta.
Karsinnan perusteella määräytyneet cup-ottelut pelattiin paluumatkalla "paras neljästä" -systeemillä. Otteluparien ja samalla koko kisan lopputulokset:
Finaalissa Aakio ja Lehti olivat jälleen vastakkain, keskinäisten voittojen ollessa tasan 4–4! Sopuremin jälkeen mustilla pelannut Seppo toteutti kyseenalaisen systeemilaadunuhrauksen e5-ruudussa ja onnistui valkean virheen jälkeen vangitsemaan Juhanin daamin. Tilanteessa 1½–½ Juhanin oli yritettävä, mutta solidi skandinaavinen ei ehkä ollut siihen paras valinta. Mustan varomattomien siirtojen jälkeen valkea saavutti ylivoimaisen upseeripelin eikä mitään ollut tehtävissä. Näin Jussin kahden perättäisen mestaruuden putki katkesi ja keskinäiset mestaruudet ovat nyt 5–4 Sepolle.
Pronssiottelussa Kai otti voiton Olavista vahvalla 2½–½-suorituksellaan ja lisäsi pronssimitaliensa määrän jo kahteen kolmen viime vuoden ajalta. Onnittelut! Olavi puolestaan osoitti olevansa edelleen hurjassa vedossa voittaen Jukan cupin ekalla kierroksella 2½–½, peli ei kuitenkaan riittänyt enempään jatkossa, mutta kisan 4. sija on loistava suoritus 85-vuotiaalta!
Sijoituskisasta on pakko mainita Eeron "uudelleen syntyminen" ja kisan voitto 4 pisteellä 5 pelistä. Jukka sai saman tuloksen, mutta hävisi keskinäisen pelin. Tulostaulukko 1997–2025 on kerhon tulospalvelussa.
Timon meille valitseman erinomaisen ravintola Mix Reston "fine dining" kuhat, fileet ja risotto maistuivat hyvän viinin ja oluiden kera. Jälkiruoat nautittiin yllättäen Maiasmokk-kahvilassa.
Matkan kulttuuriantia edusti tällä kertaa tutustumisemme peräti kahteen valokuvausmuseoon: toinen ryhmä kävi Tallinnan valokuvausmuseossa, jossa lähinnä esiteltiin Viron valokuvauksen historiaa; sekä toinen Fotografiska-museossa, jossa nähtävillä oli useamman nykyvalokuvauksen mestarin teoksia, mm. Henriette Sabroe Ebbeseniä, Bruce Gildeniä ja Elliott Erwittiä.
Kiitos kaikille reissusta ja hienoista muistoista – ensi vuonna uudestaan!
Kirjoitti Seppo Aakio