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Alex Yermolinsky
Yermolinsky 
Photo courtesy of United States Chess League.  

Number of games in database: 1,410
Years covered: 1973 to 2024
Last FIDE rating: 2402 (2520 rapid, 2508 blitz)
Highest rating achieved in database: 2699
Overall record: +540 -207 =627 (62.1%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 36 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 King's Indian (88) 
    E94 E71 E97 E99 E92
 English (62) 
    A15 A17 A13 A10 A14
 Queen's Gambit Declined (57) 
    D37 D30 D31 D35 D39
 Reti System (46) 
    A04 A06
 Queen's Pawn Game (41) 
    A46 D02 A40 E10 A45
 Slav (35) 
    D15 D11 D18 D17 D10
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (217) 
    B67 B62 B22 B57 B32
 King's Indian (72) 
    E94 E60 E73 E92 E81
 Grunfeld (71) 
    D85 D76 D86 D97 D91
 Sicilian Richter-Rauser (59) 
    B67 B62 B66 B65 B63
 Queen's Pawn Game (48) 
    A50 A45 A46 E00 D05
 English, 1 c4 c5 (37) 
    A30 A31 A37 A36 A34
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Yermolinsky vs E Tate, 2001 1-0
   Yermolinsky vs L Christiansen, 1999 1-0
   A Anastasian vs Yermolinsky, 1987 0-1
   Kasparov vs Yermolinsky, 1975 0-1
   Yermolinsky vs P Hummel, 1999 1-0
   H Wachtel vs Yermolinsky, 1993 0-1
   Yermolinsky vs Taimanov, 1982 1-0
   A Ivanov vs Yermolinsky, 1993 0-1
   V Zhuravliov vs Yermolinsky, 1988 0-1
   M Morgan vs Yermolinsky, 1990 0-1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
   FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (1999)
   FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2000)

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Forli Open (1989)
   Azmiddin Khodzhaev Memorial (1985)
   National Open (1991)
   Caorle Open (1989)
   Groningen Open (1996)
   United States Championship (1996)
   URS-ch48 sf Krasnodar (1980)
   National Open (1993)
   United States Championship (1993)
   23rd World Open (1995)
   18th Lloyds Bank Masters Open (1994)
   Canadian Open (2007)
   Yerevan Olympiad (1996)
   28th World Open (2000)
   New York Open (1993)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Wijk aan Zee Hoogovens 1997 by suenteus po 147
   US Open 1994, Chicago by Phony Benoni
   Sicilian Alapins by mneuwirth

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 Mersin Open
   R Aliyev vs Yermolinsky (Nov-16-24) 1-0
   Yermolinsky vs H Atis (Nov-15-24) 1/2-1/2
   V Bernadskiy vs Yermolinsky (Nov-14-24) 1-0
   G Mammadova vs Yermolinsky (Nov-13-24) 1/2-1/2
   Yermolinsky vs M M Abbasi Abeluie (Nov-13-24) 1-0

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Alex Yermolinsky
Search Google for Alex Yermolinsky
FIDE player card for Alex Yermolinsky

ALEX YERMOLINSKY
(born Apr-11-1958, 67 years old) Russia (federation/nationality United States of America)

[what is this?]

GM Alexey Vladislavovich Yermolinsky was born in the former Soviet Union. After leaving it, he spent a short time in Italy before moving to the USA.

FIDE awarded him the IM title in 1990 and the GM title in 1992. He tied for first with Vladislav Vorotnikov in the 1985 Leningrad City Chess Championship. In 1993, he won the U.S. Chess Championship (tied with Alexander Shabalov) http://graeme.50webs.com/chesschamp... and 1996 http://graeme.50webs.com/chesschamp.... He won the World Open in 1993, 1995 and 1996; in 1999 he shared first with nine other players, but Gregory Serper won the playoff. He has also played on the US Olympiad team.

In 2012 Yermolinsky was inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame.

Yermolinsky lives in South Dakota and is a regular lecturer on the Internet Chess Club, host of the series "What Every Russian Schoolboy Knows." He is the author of "Road to Chess Improvement" and "Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian" (both published by Gambit Publications).

He is married to WGM Camilla Baginskaite.

References / Sources

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast... (podcast interview with Ben Johnson (March 2017)), Wikipedia article: Alex Yermolinsky

Last updated: 2022-07-25 22:02:04

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 57; games 1-25 of 1,410  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Smyslov vs Yermolinsky ½-½401973Moscow ttA35 English, Symmetrical
2. D Losev vs Yermolinsky  1-0281973USSR Junior ChampionshipC19 French, Winawer, Advance
3. Yermolinsky vs L Zaid  0-1301974USSR Junior ChampionshipA56 Benoni Defense
4. Yermolinsky vs V Malaniuk  0-1451975URS-CupT BurevestnikD02 Queen's Pawn Game
5. Yermolinsky vs Yurtaev  0-1371975USSR Junior ChampionshipB31 Sicilian, Rossolimo Variation
6. Kasparov vs Yermolinsky 0-1481975USSR Junior ChampionshipB05 Alekhine's Defense, Modern
7. S Galakhov vs Yermolinsky  0-1431975USSR Junior ChampionshipB03 Alekhine's Defense
8. Dolmatov vs Yermolinsky  1-0341977Ch URS (team) (juniors)B53 Sicilian
9. Kasparov vs Yermolinsky ½-½201977URSB67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
10. Z Lanka vs Yermolinsky  1-0281977Ch URS (team) (juniors)B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
11. Yermolinsky vs A V Kharitonov  0-1321977Ch URS (team) (juniors)D46 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
12. A Kochyev vs Yermolinsky  1-0501977Leningrad ChampionshipA30 English, Symmetrical
13. Yermolinsky vs A Safarov  0-1281977Leningrad ChampionshipA82 Dutch, Staunton Gambit
14. Tseitlin vs Yermolinsky  1-0261977Leningrad ChampionshipB04 Alekhine's Defense, Modern
15. Yermolinsky vs V Karasev  1-0181977Leningrad ChampionshipB07 Pirc
16. V Osnos vs Yermolinsky 0-1421977Leningrad ChampionshipA52 Budapest Gambit
17. Yermolinsky vs A V Kharitonov  0-1391977Junior TournamentD35 Queen's Gambit Declined
18. Yermolinsky vs Kasparov 0-1681977Junior TournamentA07 King's Indian Attack
19. A Yusupov vs Yermolinsky  0-1411977Junior TournamentA84 Dutch
20. Kasparov vs Yermolinsky 0-1481977Junior TournamentB67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
21. Yermolinsky vs L Zaid  1-0231977Junior TournamentB84 Sicilian, Scheveningen
22. Z Lanka vs Yermolinsky 1-0191977Junior TournamentB63 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack
23. Yermolinsky vs V Loginov  1-0411979Leningrad ChampionshipC48 Four Knights
24. Tseitlin vs Yermolinsky  1-0351979Leningrad ChampionshipB67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
25. M V Novikov vs Yermolinsky  1-0421979Leningrad ChampionshipA04 Reti Opening
 page 1 of 57; games 1-25 of 1,410  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Yermolinsky wins | Yermolinsky loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-10-10  Robin01: Alex will be participating in the U.S. Amateur Team North Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this upcoming weekend. He will also be giving a simul in the Milwaukee area at a local chess club.
Feb-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: The "Yerminator", 3 times champion of the USA.
Mar-16-10  rapidcitychess: <mutawatilli> I cannot tell you his style, but I can tell you his aura. This guy seems to look at you and crumble you. He is one of those guys that even if he was rated 900, he could beat you by looking at you. Once he talks to you, you think "He is so cool...", like some kind of anime hero. (If you watch prince of tennis he is Tezuka;)) If he says you played this game well, you think you are on top of the world. When tells you "do better on this part" you feel like begging him saying "Have mercy O powerful teacher! Have mercy upon your student!" He seems to envelope in his power and cunning.
Apr-11-10  wordfunph: i forgot where i lifted this bit of information..

GM Alex Yermolinsky learned to play chess at the age of nine, at the Young Pioneer's Palace in Leningrad (Young Pioneers was an organization in the Soviet Union for kids).

"I would go there three or four times a week. It was a long ride for me. I had to take the bus or the subway and Mom would worry that something might happen to me in the city." GM Alex Yermolinsky

happy birthday GM Yermolinsky!

Nov-05-10  Xeroxx: Love his sexy russian accent.
Dec-31-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  ganso: Yermo was once asked who was the greatest chess talent who ever lived. He answered that he couldn't make up his mind between Fritz and Deep Junior.
Apr-11-12  brankat: Happy Birthday GM Yermolinsky!
Apr-11-12  wordfunph: <1995 World Open Press Conference: GM Alex Yermolinsky made a stir when he said that when he woke up one morning, when he was 7-year-old, he suddenly knew how to move chess pieces. He added that he forgot who really taught him chess.>

Happy Birthday "The Yerminator"!

Apr-20-12  zooter: Has a great show on ICC -- "Every Russian Schoolboy knows"
Jul-06-12  Kinghunt: <zooter> Agreed. His show is my favorite of all the ICC shows. It's well worth purchasing an ICC membership just to be able to watch them all.
Oct-18-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  ketchuplover: Kudos to herr "Yermo" on his upcoming induction into the US chess hall of fame!
Dec-10-12  Wyatt Gwyon: Yermo just won the Western Idaho Open, beating out a deep field of weekend-swiss patzers. Congrats.

http://www.nwchess.com/blog/2012/12...

Dec-12-12  Wyatt Gwyon: Here are the games if anyone is interested in watching a 2541 former US champion take out a sub-1700 club player.

http://www.idahochessassociation.or...

Dec-13-12  Jim Bartle: Should give him confidence to play in the All-Idaho championship.
Dec-13-12  Shams: <Wyatt> FM Raptis from Portland and NM Sinanan from Seattle are not too shabby. The latter last week won a crucial last-round game as White to secure the USCL 2012 Championship for Seattle. (Flying Varuzhan Akobian in for Board 1 didn't hurt either.)
Apr-11-13  hedgeh0g: Happy birthday to a great player, teacher and student of the game!
Jan-11-14  MarkFinan: Well to say this guy nearly hit the 2700 mark and has beaten Kasparov, this game of his is puzzling. The first 12-13 moves are all book, the next are easy enough to work out in 5 mins, the engine has him +1.50 up and he lost! In a middle game! And I find it highly unlikely having gone through the game he lost on time. Strange..

Yermolinsky vs G Zaichik, 1993

Apr-07-14  Chessinfinite: Nice job on the ICC commentary by GM Alex. Y.

Too bad Anand does not agree with him on most occasions and Yermolinksy is made to be a fool :) - like this time on Candidates 2014.

Nice try Sweere, hiding your feelings about an old legend !.. Maybe next time it would help to show some respect to Anand's chances :) *just kidding*.. enjoy watching your shows..

Apr-07-14  RedShield: < could anyone describe yermolinsky's style of playing to me?>

Grinder.

Jun-23-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: <Biographers>!!

GM Yermo moved to South Dakota a number of years ago, (3 or 4)... Guess he got tired of the nice weather in Cali.

He was inducted into US Chess Hall of Fame in 2012.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/topi...

May-23-15  TheFocus: <You can talk a lot about chess being an intellectual contest, but it's a sport with all its physical and mental demands. Otherwise, why do you think these days 20-year-old men are generally better in chess than 40-year-olds? Is this the intellect?> - Alex Yermolinsky.
Feb-21-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Known to his friends as The Yerm or The Big Yerm or El Yermo or The Yermmeister or The Big Yermowsky or The Yermovitch or The Great Yermino or Yerm the Sherm or The Lair of the White Yerm or The Yerminator or Yermorama or The Great Yermheimer or The Yermster or Arnold Yermenegger or El Grand Yermbino or The Yermatollah but never simply as Alex.
Apr-11-16  TheFocus: Happy birthday, Alex Yermolinsky.
Jun-26-17  The Boomerang: Rubbish player.
Jun-26-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <the boomerang > <rubbish player>

So what's 10 grades below rubbish? Because that's what we are, I guess.

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