0.Your name, your nationality, your age, male or female.

GATIS GURCKIS, LATVIAN, 28 YEARS, MALE

1.When did you start to play renju and how did you learn it? How many years have you played renju?

I have started to play "free renju" in Balvi , autumn 1986., and I must say thanks to Balvi renju section leader Yuri Popovichenko (enthuiast of "free renju" , and football as well ). Renju "Classics" I started to play when started studies in Latvia University in Riga, Arnis Veidemanis brougt me to Latvia "classics" company. Also I think I must say thanks to Estonian renju players (Ants Soosorv invited me to Karepa).

I also remember one of my first tournaments, it was in Tallinn qualification to USSR 1-st league, there was left one game between estonian players (most probably Tuvikene, Hergauk), the winner of this game will qualify (me no), if they play draw – I qualify, game honestly ended as draw. In the following USSR 1-st league (in Simferopol) I have got a big stimulus and experience to progress.

2.Do you play in a club? In which clubs have you played?

There is Latvia University sport club "Universitates Sports".

The "Universitates Sports" chess club was for many years the base place where Latvia championships as well as Baltic tournaments (i.e. Baltic league, Riga-Tallin-St.Petersburg teams tournament) were held.

3.Which are your best results in national and international tournaments (Usual tournaments and e-mail tournaments). Which is your international rating for the moment?

USSR youth champion in "free renju" (‘89)

3rd place – world team championship in Latvia team (‘94)

Swedish Open (2nd or 3rd place in Arjeplog)

4.Which is the best player you have met?

I can say then Meritee just put moves and just win me, 

The pragmatical and theoretical style of Reims is impressing.

Also I enjoyed very much games with old japaneese renju masters when I visited Japan, they all the time not depending on position have some cuning and amazing ideas, and are fighting till game ends.

5.Can you explain why you enjoy renju?

Sometime I enjoy renju very much (not depending on result), sometime I enjoy to win, sometime I do not want to play renju , sometime I like to see old acquintances.

6.Which is your plans for the future as a player?

The first impressions are the most firm, I hope sometime again I will have the same enjoy in renju tournaments as when I was school boy. 

Also I have places where I wish to play, the first priority is Arjeplog (I hope there will be tournament sometime), the second is Kyoto, and also Tallinn and Karepa... (these are places I like and then renju playing goes easy and I have some luck in results).