International RSSU Chess Cup

Moscow Open 2013

January 31 - February 10

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Dmitry Svetushkin: So Far I have been Playing Very Badly

February 7, 2013
Dmitry Svetushkin: So Far I have been Playing Very Badly

One of the most experienced participants in the Moscow Open is a grandmaster from Moldova, Dmitry Svetushkin. The participant of five World Olympiads is a very charismatic character. Explosive and emotional, he is a permanent darling of the media. In the fifth round Svetushkin, one of the leaders, played against a Belarussian chess player, Vitaly Meribanov. The dramatic game ended in a draw.

In the press center journalists had a heated discussion about whether Svetushkin's would be able save a complex rook endgame. Not believing the computer, yours sincerely went to the room, where Dmitry was trying to squeeze a draw out of his position. Even though the tournament leaders Mamedov and Ibragimov were playing at the first table at the same time, spectators gathered gathered Svetushkin and Meribanov.

Dmitry, red in his face due to tension, still had 20 minutes left on his clock, while Vitaly was under time pressure. Svetushkin mentally spread his hands and visibly shook his head and puffed, trying to figure out how he ended in such a situation.

At the time computer showed domineering advantage for Meribanov, whose pawn could have been promoted to a queen in a couple of moves. Svetushkin was reduced to desperate measures and his opponent, as if in a dream, forgets to announce preliminary check, which would have led to an immediate capitulation for Black. However, in sport, everything that goes around, comes around. In the last round Meribanov was clearly loosing the game to Greece's Halkias, but managed to come out victorious. This time he was the one in time trouble and made a mistake. Svetushkin, with a sigh of relief, saved himself. Meribanov gasped and signed the scorecard..

- Dmitry, what has just happened?

- I have no idea. Previously I was well on track for a draw, but got into some awkward complications. A couple of moves more and the game would have been over, but then I ended up with a completely lost position.

- How didn't Vital see it?

- See it? Of course he did. After the end of the game he showed me himself how easy it would have been to force a win. However, sometimes in chess things defy logic.

- How do you feel at the Moscow Open?

- I have been playing quite poorly so far.

- Well, you have 4 out of 5 points, you are one of the leaders.

- I'll need to up things to have any hope of finishing the tournament on a positive note. Right now I need to go straight back to the hotel and forget about everything. My nerves, to be honest,  are at the breaking point.