In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we went over the best Iranian Chess players. Now in this article, we’re ranking the best Moldovan Chess players from Moldova, starting with the number ten spot in FIDE. Most of these players are Grandmasters with an Elo rating over 2500. For more information on ratings, see the guide on how to get a FIDE rating.
10. Ilia Martinovici
Full name: Ilia Martinovici
Title: FIDE Master
Born: 2003
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 1739
Rapid: 2219
Blitz: 2282
Classical: 2408
Profiles
Ilia Martinovici was granted the title of FIDE Master in 2016. He has been a chess player from 2017 to 2022 playing a total of 91 games. In those games, he won 25, lost 29, and drew 37 hence earning him a percentage winning score of 47.8 percent. The most recent tournaments he played include; Grandiscacchi Ch Open A, GM Grandiscacchi GM Mix, and Vergani Cup Jan- all being played in various months of 2022 in Italy.
9. Lulian Baltag
Full name: Lulian Baltag
Title: International Master
Born: July 1, 1986
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 1698
Rapid: 2263
Blitz: 2326
Classical: 2411
Profiles
In 2011, Baltag was accorded the title of International Master. Between 2001 and 2021, he played a total of 50 games for which he won 17, lost 14, and drew 19. He equaled a percentage winning of 53.0 percent. He played in two notable tournaments; the 2012 and 2021 European tournaments which made him the Moldovan champion.
8. Viacheslav Slovineanu
Full name: Viacheslav Slovineanu
Title: International Master
Born: April 13, 1972
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 2650
Rapid: 2377
Blitz: 2311
Classical: 2412
Profiles
Viacheslav Slovineanu was presented with the International Master title in 1997. FIDE recognized him as a FIDE trainer in 2014. He has played a total of 209 games from 1995 to 2014. In those games, he won 74, lost 33, and drew 102 thus equaling a percentage winning score of 59.81 percent. Among the notable tournaments he has played include; ROM-chT div-A in 2006, Halkidiki op, and Predeal op in 2007, and also V Chebanenko Rapid Open in 2014.
7. Vasile Sanduleac
Full name: Vasile Sanduleac
Title: Grandmaster
Born: January 2, 1971
Federation: Maldova
Ratings
World ranking: 1591
Rapid: 2323
Blitz: 2345
Classical: 2418
Profiles
In 2006, Sanduleac was granted the title of grandmaster. Before that, he had been awarded the International Master title and the FIDE Master title in 1997 and 1993 respectively. In 2015, FIDE recognized him as an International Trainer. Notable championships he has participated in include; the 2003 European Tournament, the 2004 Calvia Olympiad, the 2015 European Club cup, and the 2006 Turin Olympiad among others.
6. Serghei Vedmediuc
Full Name: Serghei Vedmediuc
Title: International Master
Born: July 2, 1980
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 1308
Rapid: 2336
Blitz: 2348
Classical: 2439
Profiles
Serghei has been crowned the title of Grandmaster in 2007 and the FIDE Master title in 2005. In 2019, he was recognized as a FIDE trainer. He has a FIDE rating of 2464. He is Moldova’s two times chess champion- in 2009 and 2011. The 2009 European tournament, the 2013 29th Capelle-la Grande, the 2012 Instabul Olympiad, the 2011 European tournament, and the 2016 Baku Olympiad are the notable tournaments he has played.
5. Andrei Macovei
Full name: Andrei Macovei
Title: International Master
Born: 2000
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 959
Rapid: 2267
Blitz: 2472
Classical: 2470
Profiles
Macovei was conferred with the title of International Master in 2019 and the FIDE Master title in 2016. He has a FIDE rating of 2453 and a Peak rating of 2624. Macovei became a Moldova Classic winner in 2019, Rapid in 2022, and Blitz in 2020, 2021, and 2022. He became a chess instructor in 2016 and a qualified chess coach and Gym enthusiast in 2020. He has played a total of 188 games between 1999 and 2022. In those particular games, Andrei has won 48, drawn 85, and lost 55 earning him a percentage score of 48.14 percent.
4. Ivan Schitco
Full name: Ivan Schitco
Title: International Master
Born: January 3rd, 2003
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 936
Rapid: 2290
Blitz: 2337
Classical: 2472
Profiles
Schitco was granted the title of International Master in 2019 and the FIDE Master in 2017. Between 2015 and 2022, Ivan has played a total of 201 games in which he has won 61, drawn 87, and lost 53, hence giving him an average score of 51.99 percent. The most recent tournaments he has participated in 2022 include; Targu Mures Open A, Saint Louis Congress GM, DCC April GM Inv, and the College Final Four. The first tournament took place in Romania while the other three were played in the U.S.A.
3. Vladimir Hamitevici
Full name: Vladimir Hamitevici
Title: Grandmaster
Born: February 19, 1991
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 845
Rapid: 2443
Blitz: 2359
Classical: 2482
Profiles
Vladimir was accorded the title of Grandmaster in 2017 the International Master title in 2010 and the FIDE master in 2006 from FIDE. He won the Moldovan tournament in 2010 and 2018. In his chess career, Vladimir has played a total of 284 games from the year 2006 to 2020. He has a FIDE rating of 2461 and a Peak rating of 2519. For the games he has played, he garnered an average score of 55.7 percent.
2. Bologan Victor
Full name: Bologan Victor
Title: Grandmaster
Born: December 14, 1971
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 374
Rapid: 2550
Blitz: 2541
Classical: 2574
Profiles
In 1991, Bologan was accorded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE. He has a peak rating of 2734 and a FIDE rating of 2574. He triumphed in the Canadian open chess tournament in 2005, the Aeroflot Open, and the Dortmund Sparkassen chess tournaments in 2003. In addition, Bologan represented his country in the chess Olympiad between 1992 to 1998, 2002, and 2014.
1. Viorel Iordachescu
Full Names: Viorel Iordachescu
Title: Grandmaster
Birth: April 20, 1977
Federation: Moldova
Ratings
World ranking: 264
Rapid: 2552
Blitz: 2563
Classical: 2585
Profiles
Viorel Iordachescu earned the title of grandmaster in 1999. In 2015, he was recognized as a FIDE senior trainer. He has a peak rating of 2651 and a FIDE rating of 2585. In 2000 and 2004, Viorel was part of the chess players that competed in the FIDE world tournament. During the Corus tournament which took place in Wijk aan Zee, Viorel came third best. In the same competition in 2005, he finished first position together with the other six players. He went on to clinch the Reggio Emilia championship in 2006-2007.
At the Moscow Open in 2009, he came the second position with two other chess players. After winning on tie break-in that same year in Bad Wiessee, he managed to win the thirteenth Open International Bavarian tournament.
That concludes the list of the best Moldovan Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best Norwegian Chess players or the best Spanish Chess players.
Sources
- Crowther, Mark (2011-09-21). “The Week in Chess: FIDE World Cup Khanty-Mansiysk 2011”. London Chess Center. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
- Monitorul Oficial, Monitorul Oficial (22 October 2021). “PREȘEDINTELE REPUBLICII MOLDOVA DECRET Nr.188 din 15.10.2021 privind conferirea „Ordinului Republicii””. Monitorul Oficial. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- Mikhail Golubev. Interview with Victor Bologan. GrandMaster Square
- Crowther, Mark (14 May 2010). “40th Bosna International 2010”. The Week in Chess. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- “Campionii Moldovei la Sah intre Femei”. www.sahmoldova.md. Federația de Șah a Republicii Moldova. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
- “Julian Stockwin”. Historic Naval Fiction. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- Stockwin, Julian. “Stockwin’s official biography”. julianstockwin.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
- “Ilija Martinović » WC Qualifiers Europe 2021/2022”. worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- Janičić, Svetozar (14 January 2022). “Ilija Martinović se preselio iz Maribora u Odesu”. Sportklub (in Serbian). Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- Plestenjak, Rok (19 June 2020). “Maribor ujel veliko okrepitev, za katero ni odštel niti evra” (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 21 December 2021.