Interview with young grandmaster Yaroslav Zherebukh

Recently Yaroslav won the prestigious international French open Cappelle-la-Grande with an excellent result of 7.5 points of 9.

grandmaster Yaroslav Zherebukh

Please tell us about the tournament. Were there any memorable or unexpected moments?

I was 50th on the starting list. Before the tournament I thought that +4 might be a good result. I won the first two games without any problems, but lost in the third round to a rival from Lvov, Yuri Vovk, the previous winner of Cappelle-la-Grande. I lost in 25 moves, which means my opening play must be corrected. Then, with some adventures, I beat two Dutchmen who, in general, played stronger than expected.

In the penultimate round I had to play White against Mikhail Gurevich. It was almost obvious the French Defense would appear. I had to spend a lot of time preparing and watching all the variations my opponent had played over his long career. During the game I somehow confused my opponent, first in a simple tactic, and then I realized the advantage of a queen against a rook and bishop. It was nice to win, but of course there are boundless oceans of deficiencies that must be eliminated.

How do you manage to combine participation in tournaments with your studies?

The better I play chess, the worse I study at school, and vice versa. Most of the courses I can catch up on afterward, but with mathematics, for example, that’s quite tight.

Is there any preference for your future specialty?

No, haven’t decided yet. Although in Ukraine it’s better to be a chess professional than to go to work.

Were there people who supported you during the tournament?

My father supported me — he was with me at the tournament — and my mother called every day.

How were you preparing for the tournament in France, and how did you manage to reach such good form?

I worked on the opening stage, solved various exercises — in general, nothing special. I was in good physical shape, which was required for 3-4 hours of play.

What are your favourite chess books?

“My Great Predecessors” by Garry Kasparov is out of competition. I also like the very good books of Mark Dvoretsky, always read with pleasure. My favorite fiction books are Karcaterra’s “Gangster”, Perez-Reverte’s “The Flanders Panel”, Hasek’s “The Good Soldier Svejk”, Wells’ “The Time Machine” and “The Island of Doctor Moreau”, and London’s “Martin Eden”, among others.

Is there a person who had the biggest impact on you?

Yes, of course. A very big influence on me was my coach, Vladimir Grabinsky, who brought me from my first class to international grandmaster. He taught me to play creatively, sharply, with imagination, for which I am very grateful to him.

What are your future plans in general?

Finish school, go to university, and improve at chess.

Which countries have you visited? What do you remember about them?

Montenegro and Croatia are lovely resorts on the Adriatic Sea. France is memorable for the sights of Paris — I recently lived for a week with a French family in Toulouse, which was also an unforgettable introduction to French culture. Germany is remembered for the beauty and rebirth of Dresden, Dusseldorf, and its factories and beer with canned sausages. Canada is remembered for the long flight across the ocean, the lack of old architecture, and the feeling of being on another planet — the cultural differences were so large. Nevertheless, I really liked Canada and its people. Belgium meant a guided tour of Brussels and a lot of chocolate shops.

How do you predict the result of the Anand-Topalov match?

I think Anand will defend his title.

What is your favorite sport?

Sometimes I play football, but I’m not a fan of any specific team. I love to play pool and watch basketball, boxing and tennis. I keep in physical shape by running at the stadium (unfortunately not always regularly) and doing morning exercises.

When did you start playing chess? Who were your first coaches?

I started at seven — Vladimir Grabinsky and Adrian Mihalchyshyn were my first coaches.

How do you prefer to spend free time during tournaments?

Relax, read books, walk.

Please tell us about the town of Cappelle.

The organisers were very good — they arranged a transfer by bus from Paris to Cappelle and back. There were no failures; everything was at a high level. Cappelle is a rather small town; I liked the daily walks to the sea and the “Masquerade”, when people painted themselves and dressed in very bright and original costumes.

Thank you for your detailed answers. We wish you further sporting heights.

9.03.2010