Evgeny Sveshnikov (1950-2021)

[Victor Plotkin]

Very sad news... RIP.

[Wayne Komer]

Evgeny Sveshnikov (1950-2021)

August 18, 2021

Yevgeny Sveshnikov has passed away at 72.

The future grandmaster was born and raised in Chelyabinsk, his chess mentor was the famous coach Leonid Aronovich Gratvol, who also trained Anatoly Karpov, Gennady Timoshchenko, Alexander Panchenko. In his youth, Sveshnikov studied at the All-Russian Chess School under the leadership of Grandmaster Igor Bondarevsky and Master Viktor Golenishchev. At the age of 17, he became a master.

In 1973, Yevgeny Sveshnikov won the USSR championship among young masters and won the right to perform in the championship of the Soviet Union (this tournament was one of the strongest in history). In 1975, Sveshnikov won the All-Union tournament dedicated to the 30th anniversary of his victory in the Great Patriotic War, in 1976 he once again became the champion of the USSR among young masters, and in 1977 he was awarded the title of grandmaster. Participated in 9 championships of the Soviet Union, was the champion of Moscow in 1983. The USSR national team includes the winner of the World Youth Championship (1976) and the European Championship (1977). Winner and prize-winner of more than a hundred international tournaments.

For 10 years he was one of the heads of the All-Russian Chess School, later headed many regional schools; in particular, in the city of Satka, Chelyabinsk region. As a second coach, he helped Anatoly Karpov, Lev Polagaevsky, Alexey Shirov, Alexandra Kostenyuk, coached the national teams of several countries. He performed at the World Chess Olympiads as part of the Latvian national team.

He made a huge contribution to the theory of openings; in his younger years he developed and introduced into practice the so-called Chelyabinsk version of the Sicilian defense, which in the West is called The Sveshnikov Sicilian. Author of several opening monographs, which are very popular with professionals and chess fans, and many articles. Active fighter for chess rights, in particular, for the right to intellectual property.

He achieved great success in the veterans' competitions: he repeatedly became the champion of Russia in the individual and team competition, the champion of Europe and the world as part of the national team, and in 2017 he won the individual World Championship among men over 65 years of age.

(Biography from the FSF website)

Yevgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov was one of the few who was not afraid to openly say everything he thought. That's why he was a welcome guest of our broadcasts for ten years, and now we can only regret that he did not have access to the site whenever he wanted it for himself.

In 1984, the grandmaster coped with a serious illness, and was lying in the same hospital as Tigran Petrosyan, who never left it.

"After I had cancer at the age of thirty-three and buried myself, then fell in love, then married again, I changed by one hundred and eighty degrees! I started a completely different life! Values that I had before the age of thirty-three no longer existed. They were replaced by others," he said.

A couple of months ago, Sveshnikov's mother passed away, she was 97 years old.

Yevgeny Ellinovich did not accept COVID at all, was against any measures that restricted his rights and freedoms. About two weeks ago, he was hospitalized in Moscow, contracting coronavirus (he was not vaccinated). He was discharged, he was optimistic, he was going to go to Riga. But soon complications began in the body, it became sharply worse and worse...

Our condolences to family and friends.

http://www.chess-news.ru/node/28214

[Michael Yip]

This is a great loss-a truly independent thinker.

[Ian Findlay]

Very sad news... RIP.

He always played in the World Senior events and was always one of the favourites in the over 65 category. So sad. RIP.

[Hans Jung]

Shocking and sad news. Another legend gone.

[Frank Dixon]

Rest In Peace, GM Sveshnikov.

No doubt about it, he was one of the great openings innovators of all time. He was known primarily his support and researching of the Pelican / Lasker variation of the Sicilian, now named for him as well (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5), as well as supporting and advancing the 2.c3 Alapin line AGAINST the Sicilian. His play and researches definitely impacted the course of modern chess.

[David Ottosen]

I cannot imagine we'll ever see another GM of reasonable strength with an opening that is played 100% of the time, with no fear of anyone's home preparation. Definitely has a place in chess history.