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  3. /Ponomariov, Ruslan

Ponomariov, Ruslan

World Champion

modern era

Ruslan Ponomariov became the youngest FIDE World Champion in history at age 18 in 2002, defeating Vassily Ivanchuk in the final to claim the title. The Ukrainian grandmaster was a child prodigy who earned his grandmaster title at 14 and went on to be a consistent presence in the world top 20 for over a decade.

Total Games

2653

Wins

937

Draws

1217

Losses

498

35.3% wins45.9% draws18.8% losses

Most Played Openings

B90 - Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation102C67 - Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Berlin Wall54D37 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack45C65 - Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense44B12 - Caro-Kann Defense42C42 - Petrov's Defense41A07 - King's Indian Attack37D27 - Queen's Gambit Accepted: Furman Variation37A45 - Canard Opening35C50 - Italian Game34

Most Faced Opponents

Gelfand,B53 gamesIvanchuk,V49 gamesGrischuk,A43 gamesMamedyarov,S39 gamesSvidler,P36 gamesAnand,V35 gamesLeko,P31 gamesKramnik,V30 gamesAronian,L30 gamesEljanov,P29 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov, Ruslan vs Ermekov, Almas

Wch U12

1994

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Georgiev,Ki

FIDE WCh KO

2001

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FCGFCG
0-1

Ponomariov,R vs Karjakin,Sergey

Tal Memorial Blitz

2008

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Svidler,P

19th Amber Rapid

2010

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Ivanchuk,V

FIDE WCh KO Final

2002

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Morozevich,A

FIDE WCh KO

2001

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Aronian,L

19th Amber Blindfold

2010

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Anand,V

Dual of the WCh

2002

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FCGFCG
0-1

Kunte, Abhijit vs Ponomariov, Ruslan

Wch U20

1997

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FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov, Ruslan vs Grischuk, Alexander

Wch U12

1994

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Games (2653)

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Ponomariov,R vs Tkachiev,V
1/2-1/2
XXIV Rapid 2009 D20
Ubilava,E vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
XXIV Rapid 2009 D38
Ponomariov,R vs Vallejo Pons,F
1-0
City of Culture GM 2009 D41
Ponomariov,R vs Vachier Lagrave,M
1-0
City of Culture GM 2009 D86
Movsesian,S vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
City of Culture GM 2009 B90
Ponomariov,R vs Granda Zuniga,J
1-0
City of Culture GM 2009 D43
San Segundo Carrillo,P vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
City of Culture GM 2009 D85
Ponomariov,R vs Andreikin,D
1/2-1/2
TCh-UKR Teams 2009 B45
Moiseenko,A1 vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
TCh-UKR Teams 2009 D39
Ajrapetjan,Y vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
TCh-UKR Teams 2009 A84
Ponomariov,R vs Eljanov,P
1-0
11th Rector Cup Match of Champions 2009 C65
Eljanov,P vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
11th Rector Cup Match of Champions 2009 D31
Ponomariov,R vs Eljanov,P
1-0
11th Rector Cup Match of Champions 2009 E46
Eljanov,P vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
11th Rector Cup Match of Champions 2009 A40
Motylev,A vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
TCh-ESP CECLUB Final 2008 C67
Ponomariov,R vs Motylev,A
1/2-1/2
TCh-ESP CECLUB Final 2008 B19
Ponomariov,R vs Eljanov,P
1-0
TCh-ESP CECLUB Final 2008 C67
Ponomariov,R vs Postny,E
1/2-1/2
24th ECC 2008 B19
Ponomariov,R vs Fercec,N
1-0
24th ECC 2008 B96
Vitiugov,N vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
24th ECC 2008 E50
Alekseev,Evgeny vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
24th ECC 2008 B12
Ponomariov,R vs Nyback,T
1-0
24th ECC 2008 C90
Dambacher,M vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
24th ECC 2008 E99
Ponomariov,R vs Thorfinnsson,Br
1-0
24th ECC 2008 A16
Granda Zuniga,J vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
TCh-ESP Hon Gp1 2008 E61
Ponomariov,R vs Moiseenko,A1
0-1
TCh-ESP Hon Gp1 2008 E35
Ponomariov,R vs Fernandez Romero,Ern
1-0
TCh-ESP Hon Gp1 2008 B67
Van Wely,L vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
TCh-ESP Hon Gp1 2008 B08
Ponomariov,R vs Gustafsson,J
1/2-1/2
TCh-ESP Hon Gp1 2008 C89
Kolev,At1 vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 B85
Ponomariov,R vs Herraiz Hidalgo,H
1-0
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 C11
Ponomariov,R vs Palac,M
1/2-1/2
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 B81
Ponomariov,R vs Guliyev,N
1/2-1/2
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 C42
Lafuente,P vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 D15
Paunovic,D vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 B14
Bendayan Claros,A vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 A45
Ponomariov,R vs Velcheva,M
1-0
XXIII Rapid Open 2008 B85
Ponomariov,R vs Golubev,M
1-0
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 B70
Tregubov,P vs Ponomariov,R
1-0
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 D38
Drozdovskij,Y vs Ponomariov,R
1-0
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 E32
Beim,V vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 E61
Ponomariov,R vs Drozdovskij,Y
1/2-1/2
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 E10
Golubev,M vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 B12
Ponomariov,R vs Beim,V
1-0
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 A80
Ponomariov,R vs Tregubov,P
1/2-1/2
4th Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup 2008 A57
Alekseev,Evgeny vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
TCh-RUS 2008 B85
Ponomariov,R vs Efimenko,Z
1/2-1/2
TCh-RUS 2008 E67
Onischuk,Al vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
TCh-RUS 2008 D15
Ponomariov,R vs Riazantsev,A
1-0
TCh-RUS 2008 D12
Gashimov,V vs Ponomariov,R
1-0
TCh-RUS 2008 C88
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