A rapid chess tournament in memory of Sergey Zaryanko was held in Vitebsk
The recent 36th regional open chess tempo tournament, organized by the council, the Vitebsk Veterinary Academy, the Department of Sports and Tourism of the Regional Executive Committee, the trade union of state and other institutions, and the "Marko" footwear holding, was dedicated to the artist Sergey Zaryanko (1818 – 1870), widely known in the 19th century, but now only to connoisseurs.
The chess tournament had not only sports but also educational and upbringing goals – to remind about an undeservedly forgotten countryman whose work still evokes admiration. The story of Sergey Zaryanko's life and work generated great interest among participants and fans.
The tournament brought together 104 chess players from Vitebsk, Novopolotsk, and 12 district centers of the region, Gomel, Minsk, Zhodino, as well as Rudnya (Smolensk region, Russian Federation). In the mixed tournament of 10 rounds with a time control of 5 minutes + 3 seconds per move, 20 players with a rating above 2000, led by international grandmaster Raisa Eidelsohn, crossed swords. By the way, the honored chess veteran does not miss a single tournament in Vitebsk if she is not participating in other competitions; she does a lot to popularize the ancient game and the intellectual development of children and youth.
The winner of the main tournament was an Orsha schoolboy, candidate for master of sports of the International Chess Federation Mikhey Naumenko, who scored 9 points out of 10. The second place was taken by veteran, Candidate Master of Sports Alexander Kameko (Vitebsk) with 8 points. The third place (by best coefficient) was taken by Candidate Master of Sports Andrey Delnik with 7.5 points (Vitebsk).
Among women, Raisa Eidelson had no equal; the leader among veterans was Vladimir Oblamsky (Minsk), among amateurs – Sergey Komissarov (Vitebsk), among representatives of rural areas – Sergey Volodkin (Dokshitsy), among schoolchildren – Makar Naumenko (Orsha) and Victoria Volkova (Vitebsk), and among foreign participants – Candidate Master of Sports Boris Pogosyan (Rudnya). Winners and prize-winners, as well as those who made it into the top ten players, were awarded cups, medals, diplomas, and souvenirs.
Sergey Konstantinovich Zaryanko was born in the town of Lyady, Kopyisky Uyezd, Mogilev Governorate (now Vitebsk Region). He was an academician and professor at the Imperial Academy of Arts of the Russian Empire. He created a series of portraits of members of the royal family for the "Romanov Gallery" in the Hermitage, as well as portraits of Russian nobility. Among his students were the subsequently famous Russian artists Vasily Perov, Vasily Pukirev, Vladimir and Konstantin Makovsky, and others.
Mikhail LESHCHINSKY, Vitebsk.
Photos provided by the regional veterans' organization and from open sources.