The 56th edition of the Ilmar Raud Memorial Chess Tournament will take place 3-10 July at the Viljandi Sports Center in Viljandi, a town in southern Estonia. This year, the event will include qualifications for Estonian Men’s and Women’s Individual Chess Championships, Estonian Junior Chess Championships, and Estonian Seniors Chess Championships. Based on the final results, Estonian best female and male players will qualify for the National finals.
The event will be played in 9 rounds, swiss system, with time control: 90 minutes for 40 moves, plus 15 minutes till the end of the game, with an increment of 30 seconds per move, starting from the move one. The current starting rank list of players is led by GM Tomas Laurusas, GM Kaido Kulaots and GM Paulius Pultinevicius. (scroll down for starting list)
Throwback: GM Aleksej Aleksandrov convincing in Ilmar Raud Memorial / GM Arturs Neiksans tops 49th Ilmar Raud Memorial 2015
The tournament is dedicated to the memory of Ilmar Raud, a chess player from Viljandi who was a two-time Estonian Chess Champion, winner of bronze medal at the Buenos Aires Male Olympics in 1939, and one of the best and most talented chess players of Estonia in the late 1920s and 1930s.

Current starting list of participants:
No.
Name
FED
RtgI
1
GM
Laurusas Tomas
LTU
2561
2
GM
Kulaots Kaido
EST
2537
3
GM
Pultinevicius Paulius
LTU
2524
4
GM
Miezis Normunds
LAT
2448
5
GM
Starostits Ilmars
LAT
2441
6
GM
Kanep Meelis
EST
2424
7
IM
Seeman Tarvo
EST
2411
8
IM
Sirosh Ilja
EST
2402
9
IM
Kiik Kalle
EST
2381
10
IM
Shishkov Andrei
EST
2366
11
IM
Sakalauskas Vaidas
LTU
2327
12
Vorobjov Pavel
EST
2278
13
IM
Borsos Bogdan
UKR
2200
14
Krivenko Dion
EST
2109
15
Medar Marti
EST
2063
16
Soot Margus
EST
2062
17
Andrijashkin Deniss
EST
2006
18
Sadekov Maksim
EST
1993
19
Pedmanson Albert
EST
1979
20
Heinmets Tonu
EST
1961
21
Kull Tormi
EST
1826
22
Protassov Vlad
EST
1824
23
Hansson Markus
EST
1724
24
Kruusiauk Heda
EST
1677
25
Kao Kermo
EST
1656
26
Urgas Jaan
EST
1638
27
Staub Madis
EST
1555
28
Polendik Tiina
EST
1514
29
Sepandi Jaak
EST
1507
30
Pallum Rasmus
EST
1435
31
Oim Mikk Kaarel
EST
1297
32
Lehes Erik Johannes
EST
1275
33
Lain Sander
EST
1219
34
Roots Lem-Leonhard
EST
1212
35
Povvat Aalo
EST
1084
36
Zafra Kim Yutangco
PHI
0
.
