Viktorija Cmilyte
Encyclopedia
Viktorija Čmilytė is a Lithuania
n chess player with the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and (absolute) Grandmaster (GM). She won the gold
medal at the Women's European Individual Chess Championship in 2011 (Tbilisi
). She is a former two-time national champion.
for Girls (under 10) (Szombathely
1993) and World Youth Champion
for Girls (under 12) (São Lourenço
1995).
. In order to do so, she had to overcome three male grandmasters and an IM in a tie-break contest, a feat that she repeated five years later in 2005, this time outgunning GM Šarūnas Šulskis
in the play-off. The victory had a special meaning this time, as the competition was held in her home city, Lithuania's fourth largest.
In 2000, she entered the European Junior Championship
for Girls (under 20) in Asturia, finishing vice-champion behind Jovanka Houska
. By 2001, she was ranked number one by FIDE amongst girls. This was also the year that she won the Corus (Reserve Group) tournament at Wijk aan Zee
.
Čmilytė has also enjoyed considerable success at the Women's European Individual Chess Championship, where she captured silver medals in 2003 (Istanbul
), 2008 (Plovdiv
), and 2010 (Rijeka
). She became World Women's Rapidplay Champion in 2007. She has also registered three grandmaster (GM) norms in Gibraltar in 2008, in Novi Sad 2009 and in Rijeka 2010, and received the GM title in 2010, a rare commodity in women's chess.
At the Women's World Chess Championship
, she has been a serious contender on two occasions. On the first occasion, in 2004, she was defeated in the latter stages by former world champion Maia Chiburdanidze
. In 2006, Čmilytė went a step further, eliminating first her Russian rival Alexandra Kosteniuk
, then beating Chiburdanidze in the quarter-final. However, she lost in the semi-final to Alisa Galliamova
.
double gold medal winner. Each were for outstanding performances on board one; the first at Istanbul
in 2000 (9½/12) and the second at Calvià
2004 (8½/11). She earned a place on the team for the first time when she was thirteen (in Yerevan
, 1996) and was first board at fifteen (Elista
, 1998), contributing a plus score each time.
In the Women's Bundesliga
in Germany, she is a team member of OSC Baden Baden, but has also played some league chess in Sweden.
. She also has a penchant for languages, speaking Russian, English and Spanish in addition to her native Lithuanian.
Viktorija Čmilytė was married to GM Alexei Shirov
from August 2001 to early 2007, she resides in Lithuania with her two children.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n chess player with the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and (absolute) Grandmaster (GM). She won the gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
medal at the Women's European Individual Chess Championship in 2011 (Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
). She is a former two-time national champion.
Early years
She started playing chess at the age of six, having been taught the moves by her father. He remained her coach during the formative years and the early achievements were sensational, as she collected many important junior titles, including European Youth ChampionEuropean Youth Chess Championship
Since 1991, the European chess union organises the European Youth Chess Championship in the groups under 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 year. Until 2002, there was also a tournament for the under 20, see European Junior Chess Championship.-Boys winners:...
for Girls (under 10) (Szombathely
Szombathely
Szombathely is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas county in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria...
1993) and World Youth Champion
World 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...
for Girls (under 12) (São Lourenço
São Lourenço, Minas Gerais
São Lourenço is a Brazilian town in the state of Minas Gerais, in the Southwest region of the country. It is one of the smallest Brazilian municipalities, with only 57.2 km² , and it is well known nationwide for its natural beauty and healing mineral waters...
1995).
National champion and world championship contender
On reaching age sixteen, she moved outside the sphere of junior chess, winning the full national championship of Lithuania, held in VilniusVilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. In order to do so, she had to overcome three male grandmasters and an IM in a tie-break contest, a feat that she repeated five years later in 2005, this time outgunning GM Šarūnas Šulskis
Šarūnas Šulskis
Šarūnas Šulskis is a Lithuanian chess Grandmaster .-Chess career:He won the Lithuanian Chess Championship on five occasions: in 1991, 1994, 1998 , 2007 and 2009...
in the play-off. The victory had a special meaning this time, as the competition was held in her home city, Lithuania's fourth largest.
In 2000, she entered the European Junior Championship
European Junior Chess Championship
The first chess youth championship in Europe was the yearly European Junior Championship for under age 20. It was played from 1971–2002. FIDE officially introduced the European Junior Championship in 1970 at their Annual Congress and so the 1971/72 edition was the first official European...
for Girls (under 20) in Asturia, finishing vice-champion behind Jovanka Houska
Jovanka Houska
Jovanka Houska is an English chess player with the titles International Master and Woman Grandmaster .-Formative years:...
. By 2001, she was ranked number one by FIDE amongst girls. This was also the year that she won the Corus (Reserve Group) tournament at Wijk aan Zee
Wijk aan Zee
Wijk aan Zee is a small town on the coast of the North Sea in the municipality of Beverwijk in the province of North Holland of the Netherlands. The prestigious Tata Steel chess tournament formerly Corus chess tournament and before that called Hoogovens tournament takes place there every year.Due...
.
Čmilytė has also enjoyed considerable success at the Women's European Individual Chess Championship, where she captured silver medals in 2003 (Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
), 2008 (Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
), and 2010 (Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
). She became World Women's Rapidplay Champion in 2007. She has also registered three grandmaster (GM) norms in Gibraltar in 2008, in Novi Sad 2009 and in Rijeka 2010, and received the GM title in 2010, a rare commodity in women's chess.
At the Women's World Chess Championship
Women's World Chess Championship
The Women's World Chess Championship is played to determine the women's world champion in chess. Like the World Chess Championship, it is administered by FIDE....
, she has been a serious contender on two occasions. On the first occasion, in 2004, she was defeated in the latter stages by former world champion Maia Chiburdanidze
Maia Chiburdanidze
Maia Chiburdanidze is a Georgian chess grandmaster, and the seventh Women's World Chess Champion. She is the only chess player in history who has won nine Chess Olympiads....
. In 2006, Čmilytė went a step further, eliminating first her Russian rival Alexandra Kosteniuk
Alexandra Kosteniuk
Alexandra Konstantinovna Kosteniuk is a Russian chess Grandmaster and a former Women's World Chess Champion.-Chess career:Kosteniuk learned to play chess at the age of five after being taught by her father...
, then beating Chiburdanidze in the quarter-final. However, she lost in the semi-final to Alisa Galliamova
Alisa Galliamova
Alisa Galliamova is a Russian chess player, who was born to Russian father and Tatar mother. She holds the FIDE titles Woman Grandmaster and International Master. In 1988 she won the World Junior Girls Chess Championship...
.
Olympiad success
In team chess, she has represented Lithuania at most of the major events and is an OlympiadChess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
double gold medal winner. Each were for outstanding performances on board one; the first at Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 2000 (9½/12) and the second at Calvià
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...
2004 (8½/11). She earned a place on the team for the first time when she was thirteen (in Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, 1996) and was first board at fifteen (Elista
Elista
-Twin towns/sister cities:Elista is twinned with the following sister cities. Howell, New Jersey, United States Lhasa, Tibet, China. Ulan-Ude, Buryat Republic, Russia-See also:*Geden Sheddup Choikorling Monastery*Burkhan Bakshin Altan Sume-External links:...
, 1998), contributing a plus score each time.
In the Women's 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....
in Germany, she is a team member of OSC Baden Baden, but has also played some league chess in Sweden.
Personal life
By way of hobbies, she enjoys sports that suit her tall frame, such as volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. She also has a penchant for languages, speaking Russian, English and Spanish in addition to her native Lithuanian.
Viktorija Čmilytė was married to GM Alexei Shirov
Alexei Shirov
Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov is a Soviet-born Latvian chess grandmaster. He has consistently ranked among the world's top players since the early 1990s, and reached a ranking as high as number four in 1998...
from August 2001 to early 2007, she resides in Lithuania with her two children.