Chess Forum / Analysis / January 2007

Very good puzzles - in the NY Petersburg match he played 2 games against
Boris Gulko, and these were probably the most interesting games of the
event. Certainly the most unbalanced and dynamic of all positions. He kept
his cool under immense pressure, especially in the situation of his trapped
Queen.

The young player competed in the Russian championship 2006, but failed to
win a game on that occassion, but good experience against a v. strong field,
when P. Svidler could only come 4th.

Final standings
1 Alekseev - 7.5
2 Jakovenko - 7.5
3 Inarkiev - 7.0
4 Svidler - 6.0
5 Rublevsky - 5.5
6 Khairullin - 5.5
7 Tomashevsky - 5.5
8 Grigoriants - 5.0
9 Nepomniachtchi - 5.0
10 Khismatullin - 5.0
11 Vitiugov - 3.5
12 Najer - 2.5

Better results will come, and since he is still so young, his excellent
performance in the world under 20 last October will soon deliver its
promise:

The World Junior Championships (under 20) took place October 2nd - 17th
2006, in Yerevan (Armenia).
Final leading standings:
1 IM Andriasian, Zaven 2463 ARM 9.5
2 IM Vitiugov, Nikita 2596 RUS 9
3 GM Kryvoruchko, Yuriy 2581 UKR 9
4 GM Pantsulaia, Levan 2596 GEO 9
5 IM Frolyanov, Dmitry 2498 RUS 8.5
6 GM Wang, Yue 2644 CHN 8.5
7 GM Stellwagen, Daniel 2576 NED 8.5
8 Wen, Yang 2416 CHN 8.5
9 GM Wang, Hao 2622 CHN 8.5
10 IM Khairullin, Ildar 2543 RUS 8.5
11 IM Meier, Georg 2484 GER 8.5
12 IM Rodshtein, Maxim 2517 ISR 8.5
13 GM Zhou, Jianchao 2522 CHN 8
14 GM Zhao, Jun 2539 CHN 8
15 IM Howell, David WL 2471 ENG 8
16 FM Brunello, Sabino 2460 ITA 8

I do not think he has played much outside the Russias, but the Petersburg
'school' must be the toughest in the world, and a substantial basis for
further development, and of world champions.

Phil Innes