17 June 2016

Peter Svidler Turns 40

Our congratulations!

June 17 is a birthday of Peter Svidler – World Cup winner and runner-up, five-time Chess Olympiad champion, two-time World Team Champion, three-time European Team Champion, and seven-time Russian champion!

Peter Svidler won born in 1976 in Leningrad, and still lives in the same city, which is now called St. Petersburg. He started playing chess in 1983. In 1991 he tied for first place in the USSR junior championship and shared 1st-3rd places in World U16 Championship. In 1994 Svidler became the World U18 Champion and met all requirements for the grandmaster title. That year he also won his first national championship. Other six (!) wins came in 1995, 1997, 2003, 2008, 2011 and 2013. The only other 7-time national champion of our country is Mikhail Botvinnik.

In 1997 Peter tied for first place in Tilburg supertournament, where he defeated Garry Kasparov in their first encounter. His other tournament victories include Dortmund 1998 and Biel 2000. Playing for Russian national team, he won five Chess Olympiads and received two silver medals. 

Peter Svidler competed for the chess crown in various formats. In FIDE KO championship 2001 he advanced to the semifinals. In 2005 he finished second in the World Championship in San Louis. Following his win in 2011 World Cup, Svidler took part in the candidates tournament in London, 2013, and finished third, behind Carlsen and Kramnik. In 2016 he once again qualified for the candidates tournament and took 4th place. 

Recently Peter started to combine competitive chess with live commentary of high level events in English. The 7-time Russian champion is widely recognized as one of three best chess commentators in the world.

Many experts think that Peter can achieve even greater heights in chess, to match his truly great potential. Svidler is a great tactician with a number of remarkable victories over the world's strongest players. 

Russian Chess Federation congratulates Peter Svidler on his birthday, wishes him health, success, and new victories!