Daniel Fridman
Encyclopedia
Daniel Fridman is a German chess master who originates from Latvia. He was Latvian champion
in 1996 and German champion
in 2008.
.
By the mid-1990s, Fridman was recognised as a serious force in Latvian chess and he went on to win the national championship
in 1996, having gained the International Master title in 1994. Leaving his junior status behind, there were some early international tournament successes such as at the Wichern Open in Hamburg
in 1997 (joint second place, behind Sergei Movsesian
) and Senden
in 1998 (joint winner with Frank Holzke).
In 1999 he relocated to Germany and qualified as a Grandmaster in 2001.
('B' Group) 2001, Recklinghausen
Summer Open 2002, Zurich
Christmas Open 2002, Southampton, Bermuda
2003 ('B' Group), Stratton Mountain
2004, Marseille
Open 2006, Nuremberg
2006, Lausanne
2006, Venaco
(Corsica) 2006 and the Liverpool
International Open of 2007.
He won the German Championship
at Bad Wörishofen
in 2008.
He is a renowned master of speed chess and among other victories, took first places at the Essen rapid contest of 2000 and Dutch Open rapid tourney of 2008. Playing internet competitions, he has enjoyed success at the Dos Hermanas
tournaments of 2004 and 2005.
of 1996 and at the Pula
1997 European Team Championship
. He returned to the Olympiad team as first board in 2004 (Calvia
) and in 2006 (Turin
). Having become a German citizen, he has since switched chess federations and as incumbent national champion in 2008, was an automatic choice for the German team at the Dresden Olympiad
.
Playing league chess in the Bundesliga
, he has been a member of the Mulheim Nord club since 2004.
. Having been based mainly in the U.S. since 2006, the couple now plan to cut the need for frequent travelling by spending some time in Germany. They have a daughter, Sofia, born 2007. Daniel's younger brother Rafael (born 1979) is also a chess player and has the rank of an international master (IM).
Latvian Chess Championship
-History:Professional level Latvian chess players have already appeared in the nineteenth century. They participated in chess tournaments and union congresses, organized by the Riga Chess Association. After the World War I, when Latvia became an independent country, official Latvian chess...
in 1996 and German champion
German Chess Championship
The German Chess Championship has been played since 1861, and determines the national champion.Prior to 1880 three different federations organized chess activities in Germany: the Westdeutscher Schachbund , the Norddeutscher Schachbund and the Mitteldeutscher Schachbund . Each one organized its...
in 2008.
Early chess career
As with many chess champions, Fridman learned the rules of the game at an early age, around four years. He soon became a regular player of youth tournaments, competing on a national, regional and international stage. His biggest junior success occurred at Duisberg in 1992, when he took home a bronze medal in the Under-16 category of the World Youth Chess ChampionshipWorld Youth Chess Championship
The World Youth Chess Championship is a chess competition for girls and boys under the age of 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18.The first predecessor of the youth championship was the Cadet Championship. It started off unofficially in 1974 in France for players under 18. The 1975 and 1976 editions were also...
.
By the mid-1990s, Fridman was recognised as a serious force in Latvian chess and he went on to win the national championship
Latvian Chess Championship
-History:Professional level Latvian chess players have already appeared in the nineteenth century. They participated in chess tournaments and union congresses, organized by the Riga Chess Association. After the World War I, when Latvia became an independent country, official Latvian chess...
in 1996, having gained the International Master title in 1994. Leaving his junior status behind, there were some early international tournament successes such as at the Wichern Open in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
in 1997 (joint second place, behind Sergei Movsesian
Sergei Movsesian
Sergei Movsesian is an Armenian chess Grandmaster who used to play for Slovakia, but as of late 2010, Movsesian announced that he plays for his home country of Armenia...
) and Senden
Senden
The town of Senden is the second-largest town of the district of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria and is located at the border to Baden-Württemberg. The town belongs to the Donau-Iller-Nahverkehrsverbund...
in 1998 (joint winner with Frank Holzke).
In 1999 he relocated to Germany and qualified as a Grandmaster in 2001.
Further success
Most of Fridman's major tournament victories have occurred after the year 2000. These include outright or shared first places at EssenEssen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
('B' Group) 2001, Recklinghausen
Recklinghausen
Recklinghausen is the northernmost city in the Ruhr-Area and the capital of the Recklinghausen district. It borders the rural Münsterland and is characterized by large fields and farms in the north and industry in the south...
Summer Open 2002, Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
Christmas Open 2002, Southampton, Bermuda
Southampton Parish, Bermuda
Southampton Parish is one of the nine parishes of Bermuda. It is named for Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton .It is located in the southwest of the island chain, occupying all of the western part of the main island, except for the westernmost tip...
2003 ('B' Group), Stratton Mountain
Stratton Mountain (Vermont)
Stratton Mountain is a mountain located in Windham County, Vermont, in the Green Mountain National Forest.The mountain, a monadnock, is the highest point of Windham County, and of the southern Green Mountains generally. A fire tower located on the summit is generally open for climbing by the public...
2004, Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
Open 2006, Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
2006, Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
2006, Venaco
Venaco
Venaco is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Geography:Venaco is on the Vecchio River with Mont Retondo, to the west and Mont Cardo, on the north. It contains Lake Bellebone.-Population:-References:*...
(Corsica) 2006 and the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
International Open of 2007.
He won the German Championship
German Chess Championship
The German Chess Championship has been played since 1861, and determines the national champion.Prior to 1880 three different federations organized chess activities in Germany: the Westdeutscher Schachbund , the Norddeutscher Schachbund and the Mitteldeutscher Schachbund . Each one organized its...
at Bad Wörishofen
Bad Wörishofen
Bad Wörishofen is a spa town in the district Unterallgäu, Bavaria Germany known for the water-cure developed by Sebastian Kneipp , a Catholic priest, who lived there for 42 years...
in 2008.
He is a renowned master of speed chess and among other victories, took first places at the Essen rapid contest of 2000 and Dutch Open rapid tourney of 2008. Playing internet competitions, he has enjoyed success at the Dos Hermanas
Dos Hermanas
Dos Hermanas is a Spanish city south of Seville in Andalusia, with a population of 125,086 as of 2010.The city's name, which means "two sisters", dates from its founding in 1248 by King Ferdinand III of Castile and honours the sisters of Gonzalo Nazareno, one of the king's principal military...
tournaments of 2004 and 2005.
Team events
He first represented the Latvian men's team on board 4 at the Yerevan Oympiad32nd Chess Olympiad
The 32nd Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, took place between September 15 and October 2, 1996, in Yerevan, Armenia.- Chess competition :...
of 1996 and at the Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
1997 European Team Championship
European Team Championship
The European Team Championship is an international team chess event, eligible for the participation of European nations whose chess federations are located in zones 1.1 to 1.9...
. He returned to the Olympiad team as first board in 2004 (Calvia
Calvià
Calvià is a municipality on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is located in the southwestern part of the island of Majorca, between the Serra de Tramuntana and the Serra de Na Burguesa. The municipal seat is the town of Vila Calvia.Calvià...
) and in 2006 (Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
). Having become a German citizen, he has since switched chess federations and as incumbent national champion in 2008, was an automatic choice for the German team at the Dresden Olympiad
38th Chess Olympiad
The 38th Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between 12–25 November 2008, in Dresden, Germany and was won by Armenia.The 2010 Olympiad is...
.
Playing league chess in the Bundesliga
Chess Bundesliga
The term Chess Bundesliga , normally refers to the premier league of team chess in Germany. It is arguably the strongest and longest running league of its kind, attracting many top grandmasters from Europe and beyond....
, he has been a member of the Mulheim Nord club since 2004.
Personal life
Fridman is married to American IM and WGM Anna ZatonskihAnna Zatonskih
Anna Zatonskih is a chess player from the United States. She is a Woman Grandmaster, as well as an International Master. She is a chess professional, who coaches players and competes in tournaments. Zatonskih is the 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011 U.S. Women's Chess Champion.Zatonskih learned chess at...
. Having been based mainly in the U.S. since 2006, the couple now plan to cut the need for frequent travelling by spending some time in Germany. They have a daughter, Sofia, born 2007. Daniel's younger brother Rafael (born 1979) is also a chess player and has the rank of an international master (IM).