Jenya, your surname while is not known widely, though here in
Saint-Petersburg the experts look after your successes for a long time. It is
time already to us to have own young star. Your recent successes in the World
championship in Spain and especially in the recently past Petrov memorial
allow to hope for it.
Tell about yourself:
I was born November 28 1985 in Leningrad. The youngest son in
family. From childhood I loved mathematics - when I was 5-6 years I could add
three-value numbers in mind. Since 5 years father learned me to play
chess, I liked the game, I could sit at the chessboard by hours
forgetting about everything. When I became the schoolboy I was brought to the
chess section of the Vyborg's pioneer palace. My first trainer was
Bella A. Beilina.
But when in the section there are a lot of guys, it is difficult to give attention
to everyone, and already when I was 9 years
the parents have decided to find an individual trainer, as they understood,
that it is a sole way to the real perfection.
Peter G. Kotrin became my first personal trainer .
At that time I was the 2nd category chessplayer and for the next 1.5 years of
training I passed the way up to the Master Candidate,
and already at the Saint-Petersburg Championship in 1995 I struggled for
the first places.
I know, that by virtue of different circumstances you were
trained by many Saint-Petersburg trainers...
Yes, in different time with me also worked Aleksander Y.
Korsunsky, Nikolay G. Yakovlev,
Sergey V. Sivokho, Eduard I. Bukhman and Nikolay N. Monin.
Each of them I would like to thanks, from everyone of them I have learned something.
Now for about 1.5 years you are trained by Sergey
Ionov, one of the best ours GM who learned in the famous Botvinnik's school.
So are the continuity of generations.
I think, that last serious successes you connect with the present trainer.
Yes, 2001 year became for me the most successful year while:
I took 2nd places in St-Petersburg championship among the men, having lagged
behind on a half of point from GM Valery Popov. Then, playing in the 2nd
team of Saint-Petersburg in Tomsk on the 4th board I have taken 6
points out of 8 games (the best result among all Petersburgers). I
have won a round robin tournament
in Israel and have taken the 1st GM norm. Then I was invited to the
1st Saint-Petersburg team and took 2.5 points out of 3 games in the
Europe Championship among the club teams in Greece.
Further in the World Championship in Spain I took the 3rd place, though before
the last round I was on the clear 1st place, but I lost the last game.
And at last the last tournament - Petrov memorial, where I took the 1st place
(according to Buhgoltz).
Now You, probably, have felt the self-reliance playing with adults, but
before that you won a lot of children tournaments, isn't it?
The 1st won tournament - "The Neva's coasts" in the beginning of
1997, then at the same year I won the children tournament in Poland and
Championship of Saint-Petersburg(U 14).
In 1998 here in Saint-Petersburg was Championship of Russia (U 14),
where I also have taken the 1st place. And at the same year I took the clear 1st place in
Saint-Petersburg Championship (U 16 - U 18),
although there played the guys for 3-4 years older than me.
Then in 1999 I again (the second year in a row) won
Championship of Russia (U 14) and, playing for the team
of the Chigorin chess club in the Russian children team Championship
in Yaroslavl on the 1st board, I took 8 points out of 9 games.
Lately I really play successfully with adults.
You already have one GM norm, but how fast
have you become the international master?
The 1st IM norm I have taken in the previous Petrov memorial in 2000.
(this tournament is played 1 time per 2 years). There I played against
5 GMs, I have not lost any game and took 6 points out of 9.
At the same year in the round robin tournament "White nights"
in Saint-Petersburg I took the 2nd IM norm.
And soon in Sevastopol, in the round robin tournament I took the 3rd IM
norm, i.e. in 1.5 years I took 3 IM norms and gained the IM title.
Your rating now is 2570 - very good even for GM, one could expect that
the next rank not so far?
Of course, it would be desirable to become GM as soon as
possible, but basically, if I will show the high results constantly,
sooner or later I 'll become GM.
I have noticed a very important quality for the sportsman
in your disposition - you endure the defeats easily. So, in the past tournament (Petrov memorial)
you lost twice and on the next day you won back.
Having lost to Evseev in 8th round, it was necessary to win Ryazantsev
in the last round for taking the 1 place. And you did it!
As is known, there are three reactions to a defeat - painful,
indifferent and aggressive. It seems that the last one is closer to
you, isn't it?
Probably, I consider, that each game is not the last in life.
And the next game I play, as nothing is happened. So, in Tomsk, having lost
to Rustemov, on the next day I won Poluliahov.
But, fortunately lately I lose seldom. When I lost the game
in the last round of the World Championship, I calculated that did not lose
33 games before that one.
I try to play for a win in each game, especially when I play in Swiss system
tournaments.
Playing White in the last tournaments I won all games, but with Black it is more
difficult to do - the opponents put a firm position and it's not
simply to destroy it.
How many hours per day are you engaged in chess?
With trainer it is 3 times per week for 5-6 hours and besides
I study chess by myself.
Do you like other kinds of sport?
Yes I like football, basketball, hockey.
Was engaged in field and track athletics.
Did you ever want to stop play chess?
A long time ago, in childhood, when there were many guys in the
section and trainer had no time to give attention to everyone.
Whether
Do you want to become a professional?
Yes, I decided about it 1.5 years ago.
The purpose is to come in 10 strongest GMs in the World.
How do you think what is your main problem now?
The main problem is that the Saint-Petersburg Chess Federation
does not support me, and without a good sponsor I have no enough money
for trainer and tournaments.
Those young guys, which are well known now - Ponomariov, Bacrot have
very good sponsors. And here unfortunately nobody helps young players.
It seems this is one of the reasons, that nobody from ours young
players took first places in the World championships for a long time.
We hope that this problem will be solved.
