Anatolijs Šmits

Anatolijs Šmits, also known as Anatols Šmits (September 2, 1941 – January 30, 1998), was a Latvian chess master.

Šmits won the Soviet Junior Championship in 1960[1] and was Latvian Chess Champion in 1969[2] and 1975.[3] He also gained second place in Cup of USSR in 1970 (after David Bronstein).[4]

Šmits played for Latvia in Soviet team competitions:

• In 1960, at seventh board in 7th Soviet Team Chess Championship in Moscow (4,5 from 8);[5]
• In 1961, at seventh board in 3rd Soviet Team Chess Cup in Moscow (+2, =2, -1);[6]
• In 1967, at fourth board in 10th Soviet Team Chess Championship in Moscow (+3, =4, -2);[7]
• In 1969, at third board in 11th Soviet Team Chess Championship in Grozny (5,5 from 8);[8]
• In 1972, at fourth board in 12th Soviet Team Chess Championship in Moscow (+2, =4, -1);[9]
• In 1975, at fourth board in 13th Soviet Team Chess Championship in Rīga (+2, =3, -2).[10]

Šmits was an excellent teacher as exemplified by his coaching for the World Championship match of Nona Gaprindashvili against Nana Alexandria of Georgia at Pitsunda/Tbilisi 1975, which Nona Gaprindashvili won. For this effort, Smits received a special prize in 1975 from the Georgian Chess Federation.