SM Blitz: LauttSSK is back to the Masters after a 3 year gap

Finland Blitz Team Championship, Akaa 1.–2.8.2026

For the fourth time in this club's history, we made it to the Master's group, after a 3 year gap! 

Trip down memory lane 

We first accomplished the feat in 2018, then again in 2019, and once more in 2022 (2020 and 2021 had no tournament due to covid). 

• 2018 - LauttSSK makes history
• 2019 - LauttSSK cruises to master's
• 2022 - LauttSSK is now unstoppable

However, that juggernaut of success took a hit. In 2023 and 2025, we didn't have a full strength team. And in 2024, we narrowly missed out. I blame myself for that, as it was the first tournament with the 3+2 format and my own performance (<2000) was simply not where it needed to be. 

2026 Tournament Brief 

This year, the tournament was played in Akaa. A unique venue that needed 2 separate buildings to host the tournament (and one of those had electricity problems so the lights would regularly go out during the game with players shuffling pieces in the dark, hahaha).

The team trained hard for the tournament, with regular appearances in the practice tournaments in July, and a lot of online 2+1 training to build the speed. That hard work payed off, as we were able to qualify for the Master's group quite comfortably. Congratulations to our team of talented individuals, of starkly different age groups (oldest 71, youngest 26) and cultural backgrounds (Finnish, Indian, Nepalese) - 1. Seppo 2. Ashwin 3. Pekka 4. Sameep

Final result - 27th in Finland.

Day 1

The whole team played quite well to consistently score the necessary points to qualify for Master's. Pekka, who played the individual cup before the tournament started, was in really fine form and came 2nd on board 3, displaying exceptional technical conversion skills in the endgames. Seppo as usual came out all gun blazing, fighting like the boxer he is and delivered once again for the team. I had a slightly rocky start but got into my groove in the second half of the day. And Sameep was solid, managing his time fairly well, but allowing the occasional blunder to slip in.

Team results

1. JyS 73
2. Aatos   72
3. LauttSSK    65,5
4. EtVaS 2    61,5
5. Gambiitti 3   61,5
6. PSY 2   61 

Player results

1. Seppo (16½/21, 2178) – 4th best on board 1, behind Aku Salonen, Tommi Luukkonen, and Yannick Kather
2. Ashwin (15½, 2077) – 5th best on board 2, behind Petteri Laihonen, Aarne Saastamoinen, Henri Koskinen, and Kari Pulkkinen
3. Pekka (17, 2051) – 2nd best on board 3, behind Antti Virtanen
4. Sameep (16½, 1948) – 3rd best on board 4, behind Heikki Salo and Sami Hämäläinen.

 

Day 2

Though it was a tough day for us, there was no feeling that we did not belong. Even against the top most teams, we were able to compete and ask challenging questions. Even after enduring multiple consecutive losses, we were able to keep our head together and battle on without tilting.

Team results

1. TammerSh 91
2. PSY   75
3. RaahLi    75
4. HSC    74½
5. TammerSh 2   69 

...  

27. LauttSSK  35½

28. LprSK   34½

Seppo handled the pressure of Master's group board 1 remarkably well as usual, proving yet again why he is a former Finnish Senior's champion.

Despite a rough start to the day, enduring 10 consecutive rounds without tasting victory, I managed to dig deep and bounce back in the second half and end with a result I can be quite proud of. The 3+2 format has been my weakness, but I have been working hard at it, and am delighted to see that hard work paying off.

Pekka had some exceptional wins against top level Fide Masters, showing that he can take down the very best of players. There was also a notable improvement in time management. 

Sameep had his first exposure to the Master's group, and undoubtedly learned a lot from the experience, which will only make him, and our team a lot stronger in the years to come. 

Player results

1. Seppo (8/27, 2098)
2. Ashwin (11½, 2158)
3. Pekka (7, 1976)
4. Sameep (9, 1955)

Highlights

• Seppo won against Joni Sokolov (2153), Onni Korjus (2092), Mika Laitinen (2204), Rami Kivilahti (2090), Lauri Kangas (2100), Juha Jordan (2164), and drew against Mikko Kivistö (2221), Jarkko Penttinen (2242), IM Mikael Nouro (2287), and Juha Hynninen (2232).
• Ashwin won against Eero Marjusaari (2095), IM Petri Kekki (2205), Tomi Åberg (2097), Jimi Multanen (2317), Kari Heinola (2101), Mikke Vesa (2102), Sameli Kaitaranta (2052), Toni Vainikka (2152), Kimmo Karvinen (2071), and Petteri Laihonen (2250), and drew against Lauri Hagelberg (2160), Jussi Upero (2247), and Arto Satonen (2203).
• Pekka won against Juha Kemppinen (2145), Sami Hallenberg (2187), Riku Haataja (2113), Miska Moisio (1928), Joel Molander (2043), FM Teemu Topi-Hulmi (2282), and FM Risto Nevanlinna (2238).
• Sameep won against Petri Kopsa (2013), Sauli Tiitta (2072), Aarne Ruokokoski (1847), FM Heikki Salo (2087), Ari Pitkänen (2014), Jani Väkevä (2142), Matias Tuominen (2047), and Sami Hämäläinen (2078), and drew against Verneri Salmi (1966) and Jarmo Hautaniemi (2095).

Memorable Moments for me

• Great outdoor lunch with the extended LauttSSK team at Ravintola Oskari 
• Seppo, Sameep and I sharing all our blitz secrets with each other in the car ride to the venue.
• Hearing Seppo talk about his younger days as a boxer, sales director, car crasher, and more.
• Learning about the legacy of the late great FM Harri Hurme and his negotiation skills 
• Solving the dinner menu with Seppo and Sameep like it was a tactics puzzle. 
• Coming a minute late to a game ala Magnus and still managing to win against a strong opponent
• Meeting one of the YouTube influencers that had come here for the tournament - Tushar Anand
• Collaborative puzzle solving with Sameep on chess.com Survival mode on our way back from the venue. 

 Great playing with you. See you all next time!

  

JSM 2026–2027: 1st division

The program of the LauttSSK 1 team (of 8 players) at the Finnish Team Championship (JSM) 2026–2027 1st division, section 2:

• Sat 12.9.2026: KSY–LauttSSK (Joensuu)
• Sun 13.9.2026: JoeSK–LauttSSK (Joensuu)
• Sat 31.10.2026: LauttSSK – Gambiitti 2
• Sat 21.11.2026: LahS–LauttSSK (Lahti)
• Sat 9.1.2027: LauttSSK–KymS
• Sat 6.2.2027: LauttSSK–KäpSK
• Sat 13.3.2027: MatSK 2 – LauttSSK

The matches will be played at Shakkiareena if not mentioned otherwise.

Please register to the JSM tournament on June 30 at the latest:

• Select "IN" at Nimenhuuto.
• Add a comment, telling how many matches you are planning to play; for example, 1–2, 3–4, or more.

We will register as many 3rd division teams (of 4 players) as possible, depending on the number of Nimenhuuto registrations.

Last 3 years, we got almost 30 registrants, and were able to register 3 teams to the 3rd division (in addition to the 1 team to the 1st division).

The program of the 3rd division will be published in August.

All players need a chess license, except those who play at the 3rd division and have played at most 10 selo-rated games.

Simul by Johanna Paasikangas

Lauttasaari chess club organized a simultaneous exhibition (mainly) for beginners at Lauttasaari library on 25.4.2026. Playing as White, FIDE Master and Women's Finnish Champion 2026 Johanna Paasikangas (Etelä-Vantaan Shakki) won all the 9 games.

The shortest game lasted 40 minutes (16 moves), most others less than 1 hour and 40 minutes, and the longest two 2 hours and 30 minutes (68 moves).

4 participants had played no rated games, 2 had played 10, and 3 some 30–60 rated games in the last 2 years.

We will have a joint analysis session of the games at the library on Monday, 27.4.2026, at 17–20.

The next simul is planned to be played in the fall 2026.

Helsinki Team Rapid 2026 (M Group)

Helsinki Team Rapid (M Group) was played at Shakkiareena on 13.4.2026.

Our match points were 8/14, game points 23½/42:

1. Juhani Lehti 3/7
2. Seppo Aakio 4
3. Ashwin Kumar 3
4. Pekka Kauppala 3½
5. Jyrki Heikkinen 5
6. Sameep Dahal 5

After Gambiitti, EtVaS and KäpSK, we came the 4th, which is our best result ever. Moreover, we were only half a game point behind KäpSK.

LauttSSK 2 will play in the A group on 16.4., and LauttSSK 3 in the B group on 20.4.

LauttSSK club evenings in January–June 2026

Changes to LauttSSK club evenings at Lauttasaari church in January 2026:

• Held only twice a month.
• Free entry.
• One classical training game every 2 months.

The dates are listed in the Nimenhuuto monthly calendar:

Name	Time control	When
Blitz	3'+02"	1st Wednesday of each month
Rapid	10'+05"	3rd Wednesday of odd-numbered months
Classical	60'+10"	3rd Wednesday of even-numbered months

With the changes, we hope that more people would attend club evenings:

• One has to plan when to come to play (e.g., at Nimenhuuto).
• Entry fee ("ovimaksu") seemed to be an issue for some people, so we stop collecting it.
• The bi-monthly classical training game is inspired by classical Tuesdays at Shakkiareena ("pitkän pelin tiistai"), but our games are not rated.

Playing only twice a month is a big change as the club has been playing at the church weekly since mid-1970s. In May 2026, the club board will assess how the changes have worked, and decide how to continue after June.

Note that one can still play chess in Lauttasaari every week as we continue organizing casual chess sessions at Lauttasaari library on Mondays at 17–20 (next time on January 12, 2026). The sessions were originally for beginners, but nowadays many club players attend them, too.

Please

• add the days in your calendar, and
• give feedback of the changes at club evenings, or to board members!

Simul by Ashwin Kumar

Lauttasaari chess club organized a simultaneous exhibition for beginners at Lauttasaari library on November 22, 2025. Playing as White, Ashwin Kumar (top selo rating over 2000, blitz over 2140) of the club got the result 8 wins and 2 losses (against Yakub Mohamed and Tamerlane Camden-Dunne).

The shortest game lasted 1 hour (20 moves), the longest one 2 hours (45 moves).

The participants had no or little experience from classical games. 3 had played a few rated games, a couple had played in a simul before.

The players can analyze their games together with Ashwin at the library on Monday, November 24, 2025, at 17–20.

The next simul is planned to be played in the spring 2026.

Results of the LauttSSK weekend tournament 2025

32 players joined the LauttSSK rated weekend tournament at Shakkiareena on 1.–2.11.2025. The format has been the same since 2017: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment, 4 rounds, and an extra rapid tournament for beginners on Saturday.

The group winners:

• A: Johanna Paasikangas (EtVaS) 3/4
• B: Joel Molander (HSC) 4 (!)
• C: Niko Mäläskä (Gambiitti) 3½

The best performance results:

1. Daniel Clarke (LauttSSK) 1,17
2. Hannes Koivusipilä (LauttSSK) 1,12

Each winner got a voucher for the eBooks service Forward Chess, a chess book or a voucher (free entry) to one LauttSSK rated tournament in 2026–2027. Konsta Kallunki (RaahLi) won (again) a LauttSSK voucher in the raffle.

The full results are on the tasaselo pages.

Photos by Pasi Paasonen

Helsinki Team Blitz Championship

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):

1. Seppo Aakio (2144) 6½/13
2. Ashwin Kumar (2133) 6
3. Mikhail Mitiushin (1999) 7
4. Jyrki Heikkinen (1998) 7

LauttSSK 2 was the 12th (team points 5, game points 13½):

1. Pekka Kauppala (1972) 6
2. Jyrki Kivinen (1880) 2
3. Emil Horttanainen (1773) 4½
4. Daniel Clarke (-) 1

Full results on Chess Results.

Lauttasaari Championship 2025 results

Lauttasaari Championship 2025 was played with classical time control and 18 players in March–October.

Top results:

• Jyrki Heikkinen (2083) 6/6
• Pranav Kulkarni (1579) 4½
• Hannes Koivusipilä (1474) 4

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.

Player of September: Sushil Bhandari

How and when did you get interested in chess?

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 in chess does attract you most?

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.

How often do you play chess?

Mainly I play from my Lauttasaari chess club as my club provide me this golden opportunity.

How do you train chess?

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.

Do you have a favorite opening or variation?

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.

Your chess goals, or do you play mainly for fun?

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.

Experiences from chess competitions

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.

Your most memorable or instructive chess game?

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.

Do you admire some chess player?

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.

Have chess skills helped your everyday life?

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.

Activities you expect from a chess club?

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.

Player of August: Daniel Clarke

How and when did you get interested in chess?

My parents introduced me to the game when I was around 4 years old. I don't have a huge amount of memories about what attracted me to the game back then, but it remained one of my biggest hobbies throughout my whole childhood.

I stopped playing around 18, and only recently started playing again a couple of years ago.

What in chess does attract you most?

I'm a competitive person by nature, so the competitive one on one, non random aspect of the game has always been a big draw for me.

I'd say what I enjoy about chess has changed over time. Nowadays, I appreciate beautiful, creative chess ideas and chaos on the board. My younger self would've hated the unclear nature of such positions.

How often do you play chess?

Pretty much every day in some shape or form. Sometimes it's just a quick blitz game online during a commute. Over the board rapid games are my favourite way to play.

How do you train chess?

I try to review every game I play – even if briefly. Rapid or longer games I'll look at without an engine first. I also follow some educational creators online. In some ways, I'm completely relearning the game, as I never had access to proper coaching when younger. I just played a lot.

I recently explored coaching to try to identify and remove some of the bad habits in my game that have stuck around from childhood.

Do you have a favorite opening or variation?

Not really. What opening I play depends a lot on the parts of my game I'm trying to improve.

I tend to stay away from openings that have been proven to be fundamentally unsound. Other than that, I'll happily play anything that can lead to an interesting and imbalanced position.

Your chess goals, or do you play mainly for fun?

A big part of chess these days is fun, as I don't have unlimited time for the game, but I'm still playing to improve and trying out new things (especially online) – even if that leads to some less than perfect results in the short-medium term.

Experiences from chess competitions

I played in many competitions as a child from around the age of 8 onwards: school tournaments and leagues, local chess leagues and tournaments, cross-county tournaments and so on. Nowadays, I play in the JSM and some local tournaments.

Your most memorable or instructive chess game?

Probably most memorable win was against a WFM in a rapid otb game.

Most memorable and perhaps also instructive loss was as a child – where I had a clearly winning position up a minor piece against one of my main "rivals" towards the end of a local chess tournament. I got so excited and crumbled under the pressure as he slowly but surely equalised, and converted the endgame. It was a good lesson in how a game is never won if you don't have the skill to convert it. He's a GM now though... so maybe I can be excused for losing!

Do you admire some chess player?

I admire the subtle positional play from players like Karpov and Capablanca. I wouldn't say my style is similar to theirs at all, but that's why I admire their play so much – it's a part of chess where I still have a lot to learn.

Have chess skills helped your everyday life?

Most probably! My work requires a lot of logical thinking, so I'm sure that chess skills translate to the day to day in some way.

Activities you expect from a chess club?

Active players and opportunities to play competitively, internal tournaments, coaching.

SM Blitz: LauttSSK youngsters make an impact

This was a tournament unlike many others for our club. Most of the legends like Seppo, Jyrki, Pekka, Kalle, Arto, Jarmo, and even Tero were missing this year. But despite that, the youngsters rose to the occasion and showed that the LauttSSK team will always be a force to reckon with. Hats off to Sameep, Oskari, and Pranav for a good showing!

Pranav, playing in his first ever blitz tournament, showed a mature level of skill, nerves, and time management on board 4. 

Oskari ensured that all the players were on time, clear on the rules, well hydrated, and in good spirits despite enduring some tough games on board 3.

Sameep was exceptional on board 2, beating many strong players, and quickly learning how to manage his time and his game under blitz pressure. 

On board 1 for the first time in this tournament, I knew I was going to face some stiff opposition. But I am pleased with how I handled the pressure, and satisfied to see my hard work in the 3+2 format pay off.

Day 1

Lots of ups and downs on Day 1. Eventually a fair outcome. Rank 8th in the group with qualification to Division 2.

Team results

1. RaahLi  74,5
2. MatSK 2   73
3. TuSKa    64
4. ESK    64
5. VammSK 2   62,5
6. Aatos 3   61,5
7. TuTs 4   54,5
8. LauttSSK 1  49,5
9. HSK 3   48 
10. I-HSK    48

Player results

1. Ashwin (12/21) – 8th best on board 1; a decent result, though I'm capable of better.
2. Sameep (12) – 12th best on board 2; a solid effort! The ranking is misleading. With just 2 more wins, he would have been 4th best.
3. Oskari (11,5) – 9th best on board 3; winning some crucial points in the post lunch segment.
4. Pranav (14) – 6th best on board 4; an excellent showing. He consistently won the games he ought to, and often secured many draws against 2000+ opponents. 

 Day 2

Division 2 brought more stability to the day. The swings of ups and downs were a bit less emphatic since the level was consistently in that 1800-2200 range. 

Team results

1. PSY 2 (61)

2. EtVas 2 (56,5) – the team of youngsters did really well!

3. KymS (54)

...

15. MatSK 3 (44,5) 

16. LauttSSK 1 (44)

17. TammerSh 4 (43)

Player results

1. Ashwin (15,5/23) performance: 2192
2. Sameep (13,5) performance: 2062
3. Oskari (5,5) performance: 1715
4. Pranav (9,5) performance: 1807

 Highlights

• Ashwin won against M Heinola Kari (2176), M Lehtosaari Mauri (2324), M Heino Hannu (2037), M Nieminen Kari (2043), M Saastamoinen Aarne (2070), FM Vinke Dietmar (2151), FM Salimäki Janne (1912), and a draw against FM Koskinen Henri (2203).
• Sameep won against M Lehtilä Taneli (2101), M Viljava Tapani (1959), Sjöman Tapani (2005), Ulvila Ismo (2013), and Salonen Mikko (2094).  
• Oskari had commendable draws against players like Nordlund Jukka (2110), Lehtonen Simo (2024), and Koskinen Matti (1945).
• Pranav won against Sinervuo Veli-Pekka (1956) and Lauhala Antti (1902), and noteworthy draws against Levomäki Rikumatti (2042) and Nurmi Timo (1942).

 Memorable Moments for Me

• Tampere good times with Kari, Pasi, Janne, Oskari at Napolitan Pizzeria
• Dinner with Sameep and Pranav at Sher e Punjab after the tournament
• Catching up with the chess fraternity at the Tampere messukeskus

Thank you all for reading. Until next time.

Sauna evening 12.6.2025

LauttSSK sauna evening was held at Lapinlahden Lähde on 12.6.2025. Because of Helsinki Day, sauna was somewhat crowded but nice in any case.

After sauna, 11 players attended the June Grand Prix Blitz tournament at pylvässali on the 3rd floor.

Top results:

1. Ashwin Kumar (9/10)
2. Petr Veselý (8)
3. Antti Suominen (KäpSK, 8)

Photo by Pasi Paasonen

Simul by Antti Suominen

Lauttasaari chess club organized a simultaneous exhibition for beginners at Lauttasaari library on April 12, 2025. Playing as White, a national candidate master Antti Suominen got the result 8 wins and 1 loss (against Patricija Šapokaitė).

The shortest game lasted 1 hour (22 moves), the longest one 2 hours (54 moves).

The participants were "beginners" who have been playing mainly at the library:

• most played now their first classical game.
• 3 played at a simul also in 2023.
• 1 has played 20 games in rated tournaments.

As a comparison, during the last 30 years, Antti has played

• 1.700 rated classical/rapid and
• 1.900 rated blitz games.

The players can analyze their games together with Antti at the library on Monday, April 28, 2025, at 17–20.

The next simul will probably be played in the fall 2025.

Helsinki Team Rapid 2025 (M Group)

Helsinki Team Rapid (M Group) was played at Shakkiareena on 31.3.2025. LauttSSK 1 qualified back to the M group last year, so our main goal was to be in top 6, as the last 2 teams would drop to the A group.

Our mission was accomplished with 3 wins (against Itä-Helsinki, Etelä-Vantaa 2, Espoo), so we ended up safely in the 5th place.

Our match points were 6/14, game points 17½/42:

1. Seppo Aakio (blitz rating 2118) 3/7
2. Ashwin Kumar (2088) 4
3. Jyrki Heikkinen (1998) 3½
4. Mikhail Mitiushin (1999) 3
5. Sameep Dahal (1947) 3½
6. Jyrki Kivinen (1880) ½

LauttSSK 2 will play in the A group on April 7, and LauttSSK 3 in the B group on April 14.

Results of the LauttSSK weekend tournament 2024

40 players joined the LauttSSK rated weekend tournament at Shakkiareena on 2.–3.11.2024. The format has been the same since 2017: 90 minutes + 30 seconds increment, 4 rounds, and an extra rapid tournament for beginners on Saturday.

The group winners:

• A: Aku Salonen (Aatos) 4/4
• B: Eino Pölkki (EtVaS) 3½
• C: Caner Pisgin (HSC) 3½
• D: Stefan Wahlbäck (KäpSK) 3½

The best performance results:

1. Radmir Vorobyov (MatSK) 0,79
2. Vinh Do Tuong (HSC) 0,74
3. Pessi Heino (EtVaS) 0,73

Each winner got a chess book or a voucher (free entry) to one LauttSSK rated tournament in 2025–2026. Konsta Kallunki (RaahLi) won a voucher in the raffle.

The full results are on the tasaselo pages.

Photos by Pasi Paasonen

Simul by Seppo Aakio

LauttSSK organized the third simultaneous exhibition this year at the Lauttasaari library on October 14, 2023. Playing as Black, a national candidate master Seppo Aakio won 6 and lost 4 games (against Huong Nguyen, Jonne Sotala, Oskari Ilkka and Andrei Vavilkin).

The participants were "beginners" who have been playing at the library. For some, this was the first long game.

Seppo played much faster than Juhani Lehti in the spring simul: the shortest game lasted only 1 hour (22 moves), and the longest one 2 hours (64 moves).

The players can analyze their games with Seppo at the library on Wednesday, October 25, at 17–20.

The next simul is planned to be played in February–March 2024.

Photo by Pasi Paasonen

TJ Spartak Letohrad's trip to Finland

For the first time in its history, the TJ Spartak Letohrad chess club sent a team to a foreign tournament. We took part in the Finnish blitz chess team championships for four-person teams.

From left (in order of board number) Petr Veselý, Kamil Mikyska, Václav (Vašek) Janeček, Jakub (Kuba) Ježek

Our long-time player Petr Veselý has been living with his family in the Finnish city of Espoo for several years, so our trip had several goals... Visit a friend, play chess and, last but not least, get to know the beauties and attractions of Finland.

Our departure awaited us on Tuesday August 1 2023 from the Prague airport, and the gateway to the Nordic country for us was the airport in Vantaa. After getting to know Petr's family over excellently prepared salmon (probably the most typical Finnish food, besides the inescapable "kahvi" and the blueberry juice) the first item on our weekly program on Wednesday was getting to know the beauties of Helsinki.

The walk along the harbor with the old market hall, where we tasted various local delicacies, was very impressive, and no visitor should miss a visit to the architectural monuments in the center of Helsinki. The Orthodox-style Uspenski church is beautifully decorated inside, the Evangelical white stone cathedral is a clear dominant feature over the harbor and the Church in the rock is truly remarkable. For a peaceful walk and possibly a swim, I recommend the island of Seurasaari, which is designed as an open-air museum of ancient village architecture with a very pleasant cafe in a barn and a famous restaurant.

After a pleasantly spent day, we took part in a blitz championship tournament of the local chess club LauttSSK in the evening. It was an excellent opportunity for our whole team not only to get to know the different playing style of the Finnish players, but also an opportunity to talk about the game of chess in English. A great way to practice for the expected weekend tournament. We would like to thank the Lauttasaari club for inviting us to the tournament.

On Thursday we moved some 350 km further north to the vicinity of the championship venue in the town of Seinäjoki. We rented a log cabin by the lake in the neighboring village of Peräseinäjoki.

The small, well-equipped cabin became our training retreat for four days

We boosted our chess training by hikes in the beautiful nature full of blueberries, swims in the lake, a rowboat trip, some minigolf...

... and by having a barbecue every evening. Against all forecasts, the weather worked out wonderfully for us, which was a bit comical when talking to family members from the Czech Republic, because it was raining heavily and cold in our homeland at the time. Turns out we flew to Finland to warm up.

But even more than the pleasant weather, we were surprised by the cleanliness of all the tourist attractions and the courtesy of the local people with which they treated all the common facilities. Unfortunately, for the Czechs, this is an unprecedented or almost unimaginable thing.

After three days of training, a weekend tournament of four-member teams awaited us at a pace of 2×5 minutes per game in "olympic" system (each point on the individual boards adds up the total score). Saturday was qualifying. We had 21 matches against drawn opponents. Together we scored 40½ points, which was enough to advance to the second non-championship final group. Despite the heavy game load, we practiced a little on Saturday evening, which helped some more, some less.

In Sunday's group we had 23 games from which we got 42½ points, taking 16th place in the group. In the overall ranking this meant 64th place out of 136 participants. Particularly admirable was the performance of Petr Veselý on the first board, who scored 16 points on Sunday and was the best in the group on his board. The overall winner of the tournament was the team from Tampere.

But for our team, the tournament was, above all, a great experience in an excellent friendly atmosphere and a good excuse to get to know many nice places and many friendly people.

On the way back to Helsinki, we stopped to swim on the beautiful beach of one of the lakes near Tampere and then at the sea directly in Espoo at a wonderful summer temperature of 28 °C. The return to cold Prague on Tuesday was not all that pleasant, but the memories of the trip to Finland will remain nothing but positive for our entire team.

Written by Kamil Mikyska

Lauttasaari Blitz Ch

The Lauttasaari Blitz Championship was played at the club room on August 2, 2023, because the Seurasaaren Kruunu restaurant was under renovation. The tournament was the biggest we have ever organized (outside Shakkiareena): 30 players!

Half of the players

Top results:

1. Kimmo Karvinen (G) 12/15
2. Seppo Aakio 11½
3. Evgenii Kaliagin (-) 10½
4. Antti Suominen (KäpSK) 10
5. Jyrki Heikkinen 9½

Champion 2023

Simul by Juhani Lehti

National Master Juhani Lehti gave a simultaneous exhibition at the Lauttasaari library on May 20, 2023.

The 11 participants were "beginners" who have been playing at the library or at the beginners' tournaments at Shakkiareena. For most of them, this was their first or second long game.

The shortest game lasted 2 hours (20 moves), and the longest one a bit over 3 hours (45 moves).

Playing as Black in every game, Juhani got the result 9 wins and 2 draws (against Isroilkhon Salikhodjaev and Emil Horttanainen).

The players can analyze their games with Juhani at the library on Wednesday, May 24, at 17–20.

The next simul is planned to be played in the fall.

The first photo by Pasi Paasonen