Forever Chess GamesForever Chess Games Logo
CreateGiftsProductsGamesPlayersOpeningsTop 100FAQ

Explore

  • Players
  • Openings
  • Famous Games
  • Top 100 Games
  • World Championships

Create

  • Create Visualisation
  • How It Works
  • Gift Ideas

Eras

  • 1880s – Classical
  • 1960s – Fischer Era
  • 1990s – Kasparov Era
  • 2020s – Modern

Info

  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use

© 2026 Forever Chess Games. All Rights Reserved

  1. Home
  2. /Players
  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

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Georgiev,Ki

FIDE WCh KO

2001

View Print
FCGFCG
0-1

Ponomariov,R vs Karjakin,Sergey

Tal Memorial Blitz

2008

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Svidler,P

19th Amber Rapid

2010

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Ivanchuk,V

FIDE WCh KO Final

2002

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Morozevich,A

FIDE WCh KO

2001

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Aronian,L

19th Amber Blindfold

2010

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov,R vs Anand,V

Dual of the WCh

2002

View Print
FCGFCG
0-1

Kunte, Abhijit vs Ponomariov, Ruslan

Wch U20

1997

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Ponomariov, Ruslan vs Grischuk, Alexander

Wch U12

1994

View Print

Games (2653)

Search & Filter All Games →
Ponomariov,R vs Zhu Chen
0-1
FIDE GP 2002 B90
Ponomariov,R vs Vallejo Pons,F
1-0
SuperGM 2002 B43
Vallejo Pons,F vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
SuperGM 2002 A29
Dreev,A vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
World Teams 2001 D27
Ponomariov,R vs Vaganian,R
1-0
World Teams 2001 C17
Nedev,T vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
World Teams 2001 C45
Ponomariov,R vs Safin,S
1-0
World Teams 2001 C42
Vera,R vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
World Teams 2001 D26
Ponomariov,R vs Lutz,C
1-0
World Teams 2001 D11
Ponomariov,R vs Aleksandrov,A
0-1
Governor's Cup 2001 C67
Moiseenko,A vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
Governor's Cup 2001 E70
Ponomariov,R vs Borovikov,V
1-0
Governor's Cup 2001 C17
Ehlvest,J vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
Governor's Cup 2001 D27
Ponomariov,R vs Baklan,V
1-0
Governor's Cup 2001 B90
Aleksandrov,A vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
Governor's Cup 2001 D27
Ponomariov,R vs Moiseenko,A
1-0
Governor's Cup 2001 B54
Ponomariov,R vs Ehlvest,J
1/2-1/2
Governor's Cup 2001 C78
Borovikov,V vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
Governor's Cup 2001 E63
Baklan,V vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
Governor's Cup 2001 B09
Dreev,A vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
ECC 2001 D27
Ponomariov,R vs Avrukh,B
1-0
ECC 2001 B65
Ponomariov,R vs Mitkov,N
1-0
ECC 2001 C41
Stefansson,H vs Ponomariov,R
1-0
ECC 2001 B07
Ponomariov,R vs Sutovsky,E
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC Playoff g/15 2001 B52
Sutovsky,E vs Ponomariov,R
1-0
2nd IECC Playoff g/15 2001 B06
Ponomariov,R vs Sutovsky,E
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC 2001 B90
Ponomariov,R vs Milov,V
1-0
2nd IECC 2001 B61
Aseev,K vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
2nd IECC 2001 A58
Ponomariov,R vs Greenfeld,A
1-0
2nd IECC 2001 C43
Lputian,S vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC 2001 D27
Ponomariov,R vs Motylev,A
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC 2001 C42
Macieja,B vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC 2001 B07
Ponomariov,R vs Psakhis,L
1-0
2nd IECC 2001 C11
Volkov,S vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
2nd IECC 2001 D20
Ponomariov,R vs Neverov,V
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC 2001 B43
Sulava,N vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
2nd IECC 2001 E97
Ponomariov,R vs Blehm,P
1/2-1/2
2nd IECC 2001 B67
Bu Xiangzhi vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
Young Masters 2001 E81
Ponomariov,R vs Bu Xiangzhi
1-0
Young Masters 2001 B66
Volokitin,A vs Ponomariov,R
1-0
Young Masters 2001 C87
Ponomariov,R vs Volokitin,A
1/2-1/2
Young Masters 2001 E32
Ponomariov,R vs Turov,M
1-0
3rd Rector Cup 2001 C42
Eljanov,P vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
3rd Rector Cup 2001 E97
Moiseenko,A vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
3rd Rector Cup 2001 C56
Ponomariov,R vs Zubarev,A1
1-0
3rd Rector Cup 2001 B32
Ponomariov,R vs Pelletier,Y
1-0
3rd Rector Cup 2001 B80
Turov,M vs Ponomariov,R
1/2-1/2
3rd Rector Cup 2001 B31
Ponomariov,R vs Eljanov,P
1-0
3rd Rector Cup 2001 B33
Zubarev,A1 vs Ponomariov,R
0-1
3rd Rector Cup 2001 E63
Ponomariov,R vs Moiseenko,A
1/2-1/2
3rd Rector Cup 2001 B23
PreviousPage 49 of 54Next

Explore More

All PlayersAll OpeningsFamous Games