Always admired Evgeny Sveshnikov's love for chess: Viswanathan Anand

NEW DELHI: Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on Thursday mourned the demise of renowned Russian GM Evgeny Sveshnikov, who passed away at the age of 71.

Sveshnikov had become a master at the age of 17. Anand said he always admired the Russian's love for the game and the willingness to share it.

"Very sad to hear about the passing away of GM. Evgeny Sveshnikov. In my career I have spent a lot of time studying the "Sveshnikov". I always admired his love for the game and his willingness to share it. I treasure the memory of my games with him. R. i.P," Anand tweeted.

Born in Chelyabinsk in 1950, Sveshnikov won the USSR Junior Master Candidate Championship and qualified for the USSR Championship in 1974. Overall he participated in nine USSR championships.

According to International Chess Federation (FIDE), Sveshnikov's impressive tournament record includes the victories at Decin 1974, Sochi 1976 (both jointly), Le Havre 1977 and Cienfuegos 1979.

He also tied for third place in Wijk aan Zee in 1981. Sveshnikov won the Latvian Chess Championship in 2003 and 2010. In 2017, he emerged as the winner of the 65+ section of the World Senior Chess Championship.

Sveshnikov represented Latvia at the Olympiads of 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010 and the European Team Championship in 2011. In 2016 he played on the top board of the gold medal-winning Russian team in the 65 plus section of the World Senior Team Championship.

FIDE said his contribution to the theory of openings is immense. At a very young age, he developed the Sveshnikov Sicilian -- one of the most popular systems nowadays. (ANI)