The Baltic Chemistry Olympiad or BChO is an annual academic competition for school students from the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), where students are to solve theoretical and practical problems from different branches of chemistry. The competition is similar to the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). The first BChO was held in 1993 in Riga and then subsequently in Tartu and Vilnius. In 2011, BChO was held in Vilnius and the next one will be held in 2012 in Riga. The event is usually being organised by the leading university of the hosting country.
Structure
20 students participate in every BChO – 6 from each country and 2 more come from the host country. Usually, there are 6 theoretical tasks (2 tasks are prepared by each country) worth 60 points and 2 practical tasks worth 40 points (prepared by the host country) for a grand total of 100 points. According to the results of the BChO each country chooses members of the national team to participate in International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). The jury includes representatives from each country.