#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. Russian grandmaster and vice world chess champion Yan Nepomniachtchy will perform at the Candidates Tournament in Toronto. The opening ceremony will take place today, April 3, and the fight for the chess crown will take place from April 4 to April 21 in case of a tiebreaker. The Russian has won the competition twice already – in 2021 and 2022. Let us remind you that in 2021 Yan Nepomniachtchy became the Nornickel company’s ambassador.
Nornickel president Vladimir Potanin wished the chess player good luck in the competition.
“Yan Nepomniachtchy is an outstanding player, with his successes he makes people fall in love with chess, reviving the traditions of the Soviet years, when this sport was one of the most popular in Russia and was followed by millions of people. Yan has his own unique style and play pattern, boldly goes on the attack and actively builds defensive strategies. Only two chess players in the history of chess have won the Candidates Tournament twice in a row, one of them is Nepomniachtchy. Very soon he will have a chance to write his name in the history of victories once again. We will root for our grandmaster, and I hope that even in distant Toronto, Yan will feel the support of his fans. I wish him good luck!” said Vladimir Potanin.
Let us remind you that since 2021, Nornickel has been actively supporting chess at the international professional level, children’s and youth sports. For several years, the company has been successfully cooperating with the strongest Russian grandmaster Yan Nepomniachtchy and has been implementing a program for the development of chess among children in the Krasnoyarsk and Murmansk regions.
In the summer of 2023, Yan Nepomniachtchy visited Norilsk and played a game at the minus 700 horizon at the Octyabrsky mine, setting a world record, and also held a session of simultaneous blind play. The champion noted that his preparations for the Candidates Tournament began in the northern city.
The support of Nornickel and personally the company president Vladimir Potanin helps the grandmaster reveal his limitless potential and contributes to the implementation of new chess projects.
Chess develops strategic thinking, memory, concentration, the ability to make quick and responsible decisions, and develops imagination and creativity. All these skills are necessary both in business and in any field of activity. That is why Nornickel supports various projects to develop chess in Russia.
Earlier, the Norilsk team surprised Yan Nepomniachtchy with their skill. We also reported that the champion was trained at the Nornickel mine and played with Nornickel president Vladimir Potanin.
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Text: Angelika Stepanova, Photo: Nornickel press service
