Twelve against one - an interesting game!

As part of the XIV Eurasian Economic Youth Forum, a simultaneous display on ten chessboards took place. Each participant or visitor to the forum could compete on a black and white field with Rafael Vaganyan, Soviet and Armenian grandmaster, USSR chess champion (1989), two-time winner of the World Olympiads, two World Championships and three European Championships.

A variety of forum participants tried to beat the outstanding chess player: USUE students, members of the delegations from Kyrgyzstan and Mexico, and the youngest visitors to the forum - schoolchildren. There were 12 chess players in total. New participants took the places of those who dropped out. The display was opened by USUE rector Yakov Silin.

 “By tradition, we offer the bravest to take on grandmaster. When Rafael Artemovich and I play, usually on the third move I offer a draw as anyway I’ll lose on the fourth one – because he is a brilliant chess player. Please take this opportunity to connect with his skill and art, at least for a short time. And I thank Rafael Artemovich for our warm, long-standing relationship,” Yakov Silin said.

The master addressed the forum participants with his best wishes: “To all participants of the Eurasian Economic Youth Forum - fruitful work and good rest in the beautiful city of Yekaterinburg. And to participants of the simultaneous display - success in sports!”

The display was held according to the rules of rapid chess. The grandmaster cruised along the tables lined up in a circle, making moves one by one on ten boards. Rafael Vaganyan gave each opponent only an hour. He “defeated” the first of them in 20 minutes. Dramatic positional battles broke out on the remaining boards. But gradually the Whites of the grandmaster ousted the Blacks from all tables. Defeated rivals shook the master’s hand and gave way to others who wished to do so.

Grandmaster Vaganyan noted the high level of the participants in the display. USUE student Matvey Prytkov held out the longest - the great chess player had to compete with him for even over sixty minutes. And the only one who managed to get a tie with the master was one of the youngest participants - Kirill Druzhinin.

After the simultaneous display, the participants received chessboards autographed by Rafael Vaganyan as a gift. The audience received photographs signed by the outstanding chess player.