Michał Krasenkow

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Michał Krasenkow bigraphy, stories - Polish chess player

Michał Krasenkow : biography

14 November 1963 –

Michał Krasenkow (born 14 November 1963) is one of Poland’s strongest chess players since World War II, a chess trainer and writer. He plays with an aggressive and spectacular style and has won many "best game" awards.

Krasenkow has written several books on chess theory: The Open Spanish. London, Cadogan Books, 1995 The Sveshnikov Sicilian. London, Cadogan Books, 1996

Life and career

He was born in Moscow (formerly Mikhail Krasenkov – Михаил Красенков). Master of applied mathematics (1985). His first notable successes date back to the 80s: he became a national master of the USSR in 1982, an International Master in 1988 and an International Grandmaster in 1989. He became Champion of Georgia in 1987 and team champion of the USSR (with "Tigran Petrosian Chess Club", Moscow) in 1990.

In 1992 Krasenkow emigrated to Poland. Since 1996 he represents that country at international competitions. Two-times champion of Poland (2000, 2002). Krasenkow holds an unofficial record of winning Polish team championships, which he has done 14 times: 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, and 1998 with "Stilon" Gorzów Wielkopolski, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009 with "Polonia" Warsaw. European Cup winner (1997, with the Russian team "Ladia" Azov) and silver medalist (2001, 2003, 2005 with "Polonia Plus GSM" Warsaw, 2008 with OSC Baden-Baden). Representant of Poland at European team championships and Chess Olympiads since 1996 (European team championships: Pula 1997 – 3rd place on Board 1, Batumi 1999 – 2nd place on Board 1). Also German team champion (2006, 2007) and German Cup winner (2003, 2005, 2007, 2008) with Ooser Schachclub Baden-Baden, French team champion (2010) with L’Echiquier Chalonnais.

Theoretical contributions

Krasenkow has made major contributions to several areas of opening theory, most notably in the Classical King’s Indian Defense. His consistent use of the relative sideline 6.h3 in that opening helped to establish it as a viable manner of combating the King’s Indian. Other members of the elite now use the system from time to time, including on occasion Magnus Carlsen. It is typically called the Makogonov system, though some authors now refer to it as the Krasenkow System; he himself calls it the Bagirov system. Krasenkow’s other important contribution is the so-called Groningen Attack in the English Opening (discovered simultaneously with Vadim Zviagintsev): 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g4!?

Notable performances

He participated in all FIDE k.o. World Championships since 1997. Best results: Groningen/Lausanne (1997/98) – 5th round qualifier (last 9); Las Vegas (1999) – 3rd round qualifier (last 32); Tripoli (2004) – 4th round qualifier (last 16).

Major tournament victories: Moscow 1992 (Mikhail Tal Memorial) – I-III places (tied), New York 1997 – I-II, Vilnius 1997 (Vladas Mikėnas Memorial) – I, Shanghai 2001 (Tan Chin Nam Cup – category 16) – I-III, Ostrava 2007 (category 16) – I.

Important tournament victories: Budapest 1989 – I-II places (tied), Vienna 1990 – I-VI, Gausdal 1991 – I-II, Katowice 1992 – I-II, Metz 1993 – I-III, Pardubice 1993 – I-V, Las Palmas 1993 – I-II, Pardubice 1994 – I-II, Stockholm 1994/95 – I, Stockholm 1995/96 – I, Asti 1996 – I, Reggio Emilia 1996/97 – I, Buenos Aires 1998 – I-V, Cutro 1999 – I, Shanghai 2000 – I-II, Barlinek 2001 – I-III, Kavala 2001 – I-II, Bad Wiessee 2001 – I-IV, Wijk aan Zee 2002, tournament "B" – I, Budapest 2004 – I, Vlissingen 2006 – I, Wijk aan Zee 2007, tournament "C" – I, Elsinore 2007 – I-V, Mumbai 2008 – I-VI, Hilversum 2009 – I-IV, Vlissingen 2009 – I, Stockholm 2012/13 – I. Runner-up in major tournaments in Hastings 1993/94 (behind John Nunn), Polanica Zdroj 1995 (behind Veselin Topalov), Pamplona 1998/99 (behind Alexander Morozevich), Lviv 2000, (FIDE Category 17) behind Vassily Ivanchuk. Polanica Zdroj 1998 (Category 17) – III-VI places.

In 2000 Krasenkow crossed the extra-class threshold of 2700 rating points, obtaining 2702 in July and October rating lists. He was ranked number ten in the world at that time.

Krasenkow achieved notable successes in rapid chess: USSR Cup (Tallinn 1988) – I-II places (tied), European Championships (Gijon 1988) – IV-VII, GMA tournament (Murcia, 1990, with more than 100 Grandmasters participating) – V-VI, USSR Cup (Lviv, 1990) – I, CIS Cup (Moscow, 1991) – I, Russian Open Cup (Moscow, 1997) – I, León 2010 – I-II.

Blitz: champion of Poland (1999, 2001).

Coaching work

Krasenkow has coached national teams, young prodigies, including many future GMs, and occasionally top players including Viswanathan Anand. National coach of Poland since 2010. FIDE Senior Trainer since 2012.