CAMAGÜEY.- In his very short career, the Grand Master (GM) Carlos Daniel Albornoz (2581 ELO points) has proven more than once that he has the gift to reach the limits of impossible. At age 18 he already can display in his trophy case the national crown for elder and the second position in the Iberoamerican Chess Championship that ended a few days ago in the Spanish City Linares.
However, now he will face the biggest challenge in his sports career: a duel with the five time Olympic Champion, the GM Peter Svidler (2737), at the beginning of the World Chess Cup in Kanty-Mansiysk. Svidler, who surprised the chess world by winning this contest in the 2011 edition. Svidler is considered by the specialists as a supreme tactical player and an acknowledged expert in Grünfeld Defence.
About the challenge our young champion talked to Adelante through Facebook: “To reach my first World Cup was a goal and to debut against Svidler, a privilege. It will be a two set match, the one who wins will go into the next round and the one one who looses will finish there. Come what may, the important this is to play my best and learn from the experience”.
Carlos Daniel is now in Camagüey having training sessions with the professors in the Provincial Chess Academy José Raúl Capablanca and with the help of his companion the FIDE Master Jorge Elías.
“I am being strongly prepared; analyzing my last matches to eliminate weaknesses. Also, I am analyzing Peter to find his deficiencies and seize them the most. The training includes physical appearance, since the matches against him will be very demanding”.
Many take the match for granted and comfort themselves with him having the experience of his first World Cup without any higher aspiration than to come to the iconic Russian city. However, our prodigy, as he has stated several times, is always after the capture of the rival king.
“It will be difficult to move onto the next phase, but not impossible. I will put up a good fight for Svidler because it is my first test against a member of the great chess elite in the world. I will try to develop my game the most to pursue success. I have faith”.