麻豆APP

Boris Guelfand apr猫s une partie au M茅morial Alekhine 2013. Photo by Soboky –

Top 10 Intriguing Facts about Boris Gelfand

Boris Gelfand is a Jewish Belorussian-born Israeli chess grandmaster who placed second in the 2012 World Chess Championship.

Gelfand was born on June 24, 1968, was born in the Belorussian capital of Minsk to Jewish parents who were both engineers.  At the age of four, Boris remembers that his father presented him with a book about chess which piqued his interest in the sport which would define his life.

1. Gelfand attended the Arshak Petrosian School

Boris Gelfand, chess grandmaster from Israel. Photo by Stefan64 –

From 1980 to 1983, Gelfand attended the Arshak Petrosian School, where he met the former world champion in person and received advice that impacted his life as a chess player: 鈥淚 remember Petrosian saying to me that I shouldn鈥檛 make a single move without having an idea: 鈥楨ven when you鈥檙e playing blitz, always think!鈥�”

2. Gelfand became the Junior Chess Champion of the Soviet Union in 1985

Bor铆s G茅lfand y Vishy Anand durante el Campeonato Mundial 2012. Photo by Rodrigo Fern谩ndez –

In 1985, Gelfand became the Junior Chess Champion of the Soviet Union and two years later he was the European Junior Champion. In 1988 he tied for first in the World Junior Championship, the title however went to his competitor Jo毛l Lautier.

The next year Gelfand earned the Chess Grandmaster title.

3. Gelfand immigrated to Isreal and settled in Rishon LeZion

Arkadij Naiditsch – Boris Gelfand, Dortmunder Schachtage 2007. Photo by GFHund –

In 1998, Gelfand immigrated to Isreal and settled in Rishon LeZion, where he became Israel’s top-ranking chess player.

In 2005, Gelfand finished in the top 10 of the FIDE World Cup, qualifying to participate in the 2007 World Chess Championship.

 Though he was considered a large underdog at the tournament, he surprised most observers by finishing joint second with reigning world champion Vladimir Kramnik.

4. Gelfand qualified for the 2012 World Chess Championship Candidates tournament

Boris Gelfand, chess grandmaster. Photo by Stefan64 –

After winning the 2009 Chess World Cup, Gelfand qualified for the 2012 World Chess Championship Candidates tournament which took place in May 2011 in Russia.

At this tournament, which would determine who would play for the 2012 World Championship, Gelfand beat Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the quarterfinals before taking down Gata Kamsky in the semifinals and Alexander Grischuk in the finals to earn a place against Viswanathan Anand to try and claim the world title.

The match with Anand was level at 6 points each after its conclusion, but Anand won the rapid playoff 2.5-1.5 to maintain the title. Despite Gelfand’s second-place finish, the country of Israel was extremely elated at his effort.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “You have recorded a tremendous achievement … You have by your example aroused a great deal of mass interest in the game of chess.

I congratulate you on both your achievement and national achievement.”

5. Gelfand has won about 30 tournaments in his professional career

Boris Guelfand face 脿 Michael Adams au M茅morial Alekhine 2013 (麻豆APP). Photo by Soboky –

He has won about 30 tournaments in his professional career, including tournaments at Wijk aan Zee (in 1992 and 1994) and first places in Biel (1993), Dos Hermanas (1994), Belgrade (1995), Tilburg (1996), Malm枚 (1999), and Pamplona (2004).

Boris Gelfand comes across as a genial genius. Soft-spoken and extremely warm in his ways, he is a favorite of the Indian players, young and not-so-young alike.

When not playing competitively, Gelfand loves to spend time traveling to share his vast knowledge and hone budding players. Not so long ago, he was best remembered in India for finishing second-best to Viswanathan Anand in the 2012 World Championship match in Moscow.

6. He has in recent years worked closely with the teen talent of India

Boris Guelfand face 脿 Michael Adams au M茅morial Alekhine 2013 (麻豆APP). Photo by Soboky –

 But in recent years, he has worked closely with the teen talent of India that is so delightfully threatening to rule the roost sooner than later.

Thanks to the initiative taken by Microsense, a noted network systems integration company, Gelfand, along with Vladimir Kramnik, has had a closer look at the creamy layer of India鈥檚 budding chess talent.

7. Gelfand remained among the top 30 players for 27 years

Gelfand. Photo by Jaapvanderkooij –

A former World No. 3, Gelfand remained among the top 30 players for 27 years since 1990. He played for the Soviet Union and Belarus before representing Israel in 1999.

The 54-year-old was in Chennai where the Indian teams for the Chess Olympiad were training. For over 10 days, Gelfand spent time with the players who could not have enough of him.

8. Anand joined Gelfand and the two kept the group under their spell for a long session

Boris Gelfand, chess grandmaster. Photo by Stefan64 –

For one long session, Anand joined Gelfand and the two kept the group under their spell. In Chennai on the invitation of the All India Chess Federation, Gelfand took time off to speak to Sportstar and maintained that India was a serious medal contender in both sections of the Chess Olympiad.

Boris, curious to know from you, do these players need someone to 鈥渃oach鈥� them? Somehow the term does not sound appropriate considering the level at which most of them are currently playing.

Gelfand was once asked this question during an interview, 鈥淗ow do you deal with different styles of the players in any camp of this kind?鈥�

He answered this way 鈥� 鈥淐oach is not the correct term. Call me a consultant or a mentor because they are all great players. Actually, in the past, during different projects, I helped the Indian junior players. I鈥檝e been in Chennai here for the Microsense-organised camp.鈥�

9. Gelfand is familiar with younger players and has less experience with more experienced players

Boris Gelfand, chess grandmaster. Photo by Stefan64 –

鈥淭hen online coaching for the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy through Anand. So I鈥檓 familiar with younger players and have less experience with more experienced members of the team.鈥�

He said that all chess players have their style, their strong and weak points. Gelfand鈥檚 goal is to help each member of the national team eliminate or minimize weak points and try to help channel a game in a direction where he is ahead and where his strong points are more vivid.

After Boris Gelfand won the Candidates Matches in Kazan he gave numerous interviews that shed light on a player who, despite having been at the top of world chess for 20 years, is perhaps still something of a mystery to chess fans. It鈥檚 time for that to change, as an Anand-Gelfand World Championship match awaits!

10. Gelfand is noted for his positional solidawareness

Boris Gelfand bei der 38. Schacholympiade in Dresden 2008. Photo by Frank Hoppe –

Gelfand is noted for his positional solid awareness and precise strategic play. In Gelfand’s autobiography My Most Memorable Games, Kramnik wrote in the preface, “He is not only – and this is accessible only to a few – a highly universal player, capable of playing equally well in the most varied types of positions…This inexorable consistency in the realization of his strategic conceptions is, in my view, the main trait of Boris Gelfand the chess player.

Gelfand is noted for opening as White with I.D. and a specialist in the Najdorf Sicilian, Petroff Defence, Slav Defense, and King’s Indian Defense as Black.