Valneris wins World Cup stage in draughts in the Netherlands
Latvian international grandmaster Guntis Valneris has won the World Cup stage in draughts in the Netherlands, scoring 15 points.
Latvian draughts player Guntis Valneris claimed victory at the World Cup stage held in the Netherlands over the weekend, the Latvian Draughts Federation reported.
The tournament featured 119 competitors from 13 countries. Valneris, an international grandmaster, earned 15 out of 20 possible points, finishing ahead of reigning world champion Jan Hrēnendeiks of the Netherlands. Both players had the same number of points, but the Latvian had better tiebreak indicators, securing the top spot.
Dutch grandmaster Jitse Slumps took third place with 14 points. Another Latvian participant, Klāvs Norenbergs, collected 12 points and finished in 23rd position.
The field included 11 international grandmasters, nine international masters, and 16 national-level masters. Valneris’s performance was particularly notable given his previous achievements: he became world champion in international draughts in 1994. With this win, he has once again demonstrated his strength on the international stage.
