Mikhail Tal was a Soviet Latvian chess player. Widely regarded as one of the best attacking players and a creative genius, Tal was renowned for his unpredictability and improvisation. He was also known as the magician from Riga for his daring, combinatorial playing style. Since 2006, the Mikhail Tal Memorial has been annually held in Moscow to honor Tal's memory.
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Mikhail Tal
(Soviet-Latvian Chess Player Who Became the Youngest World Chess Champion at the age of 23)
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 9, 1936
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Riga
Died: June 28, 1992
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Martins Licis
(Latvian-American Strongman)

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5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 28, 1990
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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Kristaps Porzingis
(Latvian Professional Basketball Player)
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 2, 1995
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Liepāja
Kristaps Porzingis is a Latvian basketball player who currently plays professional basketball at the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he represents the Dallas Mavericks. Standing at 7’3, Porziņģis is one of the tallest players active in the NBA. Also an important player for his Latvian national team, Kristaps Porzingis won the Latvian Rising Star of the Year award in 2015.
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Elīna Garanča
(Soprano)

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Jeļena Ostapenko
(Latvian Professional Tennis Player)

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10
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 8, 1997
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
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Cynthia Lynn
(Actress)

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2
Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities
Birthdate: April 2, 1936
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Riga
Died: March 10, 2014
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Ksenia Solo
(Actress)

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3
Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities
Birthdate: October 8, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Latvian SSR
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
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Mairis Briedis
(Boxer)

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6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 13, 1985
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Elya Baskin
(Actor)

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1
Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities
Birthdate: August 11, 1950
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
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Ernests Gulbis
(Latvian Professional Tennis Player)

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2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 30, 1988
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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Mariss Jansons
(Conductor)

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4
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 14, 1943
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Riga
Died: November 30, 2019
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Rodions Kurucs
(Basketball player)

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1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 5, 1998
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cēsis
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
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Anastasija Sevastova
(Latvian Professional Tennis Player)

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2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 13, 1990
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Liepāja
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
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Deniss Vasiļjevs
(Figure skater)

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1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 9, 1999
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Daugavpils
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
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Artūrs Irbe
(Latvian Professional Ice Hockey Coach and Former Goaltender)

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1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 2, 1967
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
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Dāvis Bertāns
(Basketball player)

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5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 12, 1992
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Valmiera
Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
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Aminata Savadogo
(Singer)

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Gidon Kremer
(Violinist)

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Uljana Semjonova
(Basketball player)

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0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 9, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Zarasai
Height: 7'0" (213 cm)
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Kārlis Ulmanis
(4th President of Latvia)

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4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 4, 1877
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bērze
Died: September 20, 1942
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Jānis Timma
(Basketball player)

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2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 2, 1992
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Krāslava
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
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Andris Biedriņš
(Basketball player)

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3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 2, 1986
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 7'0" (213 cm)
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Zemgus Girgensons
(Latvian Professional Ice Hockey Centre)

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2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 5, 1994
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Laima Vaikule
(Actress)

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Tania Russof
(Latvian Pornographic Film Actor)

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Gil Kane
(Artist)

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Listed In: Artists & Painters
Birthdate: April 6, 1926
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Riga
Died: January 31, 2000
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Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga
(Politician)

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Ernst Johann von Biron
(Duke)

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Listed In: Historical Personalities
Birthdate: November 23, 1690
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kalnciems
Died: December 28, 1772
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Anžejs Pasečņiks
(Basketball player)

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2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 20, 1995
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 7'2" (218 cm)
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Māris Verpakovskis
(Latvian Retired Professional Footballer Who Played as a Striker)

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1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 15, 1979
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Liepāja
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
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Jānis Strēlnieks
(Basketball player)

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0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 1, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Talsi
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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Dairis Bertāns
(Basketball player)

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1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 9, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Valmiera
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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Martins Dukurs
(Latvian Skeleton Racer)

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0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 31, 1984
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
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Agata Muceniece
(Actress)

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2
Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities
Birthdate: March 1, 1989
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
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Elmārs Zemgalis
(Latvian-American Chess Master and Mathematics Professor at Highline College)

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Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 9, 1923
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Riga
Died: December 8, 2014
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Maria Skobtsova
(Poet)

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1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 20, 1891
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Riga
Died: March 31, 1945
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Renārs Kaupers
(Singer)

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1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: September 1, 1974
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Jelgava
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
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Konstantin Gluhov
(Latvian Heavyweight Kickboxer and Mixed Martial Artist)

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2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 17, 1980
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Riga
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
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Rolands Šmits
(Basketball player)

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0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 25, 1995
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Valmiera
Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
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Samanta Tīna
(Singer)

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Peter Greste
(Australian Journalist, Academic and Writer)

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Artūrs Kurucs
(Basketball player)

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0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 19, 2000
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Cēsis
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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Justs Sirmais
(Singer)

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1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 6, 1995
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ķekava
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Jānis Porziņģis
(Basketball player)

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1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 13, 1982
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Liepāja
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
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Alexei Shirov
(Latvian and Spanish Chess Player)

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Juris Hartmanis
(Computer scientist)

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Kristine Opolais
(Singer)

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Anatoly Solovyov
(Cosmonaut)

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Arkadij Naiditsch
(Azerbaijani Chess Player)

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Igors Rausis
(Bangladeshi Chess Player and Coach)

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