Grandmaster Ilya Smirin was crowned Israeli blitz chess champion after a dramatic and tightly contested tournament in the city of Afula that was decided only in the final round and ultimately on tiebreak.
Smirin, 58, of the Ashdod Chess Club, finished the 12-round championship with 10 points, the same total as Grandmaster Avital Boruchovsky of Kfar Saba and International Master Michael Klenburg of Be'er Sheva. Smirin, however, finished first after the overall tiebreak calculation, with Boruchovsky and Klenburg taking the next two places. All three received trophies and prize money.
Smirin has previously won the Israeli chess championship three times, in 1992, 2002 and 2023. He is also part of Israel’s national team, which is due to travel to Uzbekistan in two weeks for the Chess Olympiad.
Members of the national team took time out from a training camp in Netanya to compete in Afula, using the tournament as a final tune-up ahead of the Olympiad. “First place is always nice,” Smirin said after his victory. “It wasn’t easy, 12 rounds and many hours at the board. At the end of the day, it’s always fun to lift a trophy, but my mind is already on the national team, and I wish all the other players in the squad success.”
One of the tournament’s biggest surprises came from 14-year-old Eliran Shilon Rahav of the Afula Chess Excellence Club, who finished fifth overall. Shilon Rahav, who won the under-10 world championship three years ago, scored 9.5 points, the same total as Grandmaster Victor Mikhalevski of Be'er Sheva, who finished fourth. His fifth-place finish also earned him the Israeli under-18 championship title.
In the women’s competition, Noga Orian of the Haifa club took first place with 8.5 points from 12 rounds, finishing ahead of Masha Klinova of Be'er Sheva and Viktoria Chernyak of Kiryat Yam.
The Israel Chess Federation is already preparing for its next major event. The Israeli rapid chess championship will be held in Holon on September 3 and 4, bringing together many of the country’s leading male and female players.
Chess championship in Afula. The top three finishers in the women’s competition
(Photo: Mark Lifshitz)
The event, to be held at Ariel Sharon School in cooperation with the Israel Chess Federation and Holon Municipality, will also include a public chess festival aimed at families, children and fans of the game.
“This was an excellent championship that once again demonstrated the strong momentum of Israeli chess,” said Dr. Zvika Barkai, chairman of the Israel Chess Federation. “Seeing a record number of participants, Israel’s top players competing alongside young and promising talent, is exactly how we want to continue developing the sport.” He congratulated the winners and thanked Afula Municipality for hosting the championship.
The opening move with Afula mayor (right) and the chess federation chairman
(Photo: Mark Lifshitz)
Afula Mayor Avi Elkabatz said the city was proud to host the Israeli blitz championship for the second consecutive year. “The competition brings Israel’s best chess players to the city, but just as importantly, it makes chess more accessible to children, families and residents and strengthens chess activity in Afula,” he said. “We will continue investing in the sport and working to make Afula a major center of chess in Israel.”