Dmitry Andreikin

Overview

Dmitry Vladimirovich Andreikin is a Russian-born grandmaster (FIDE ID: 4158814) who represents the FIDE flag (FID). Born on February 5, 1990, in Ryazan, Soviet Union, Andreikin was awarded the Grandmaster (GM) title in 2007. He reached a career-high classical FIDE rating of 2743 in June 2016. His main competitive identity is that of an elite tournament professional, a highly technical team competitor, and a formidable rapid and blitz specialist. He is a two-time Russian Chess Champion (2012 and 2018) and won the World Junior Chess Championship in 2010.

Biography & Major Career Milestones

Andreikin learned chess in early childhood and was trained by the experienced mentor Viktor Pozharsky. He first achieved international prominence by winning the Under-10 division of the World Youth Chess Championship and the Russian Under-10 Championship in 1999, notably defeating future GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave during the World event. He earned the FIDE Master (FM) title in 2001 and achieved the International Master (IM) title in 2003.

Andreikin earned his first GM norm at the European Individual Championship in 2005, scoring 6/10. His second norm came at the Aeroflot Open in 2006, where he scored 5.5/9. He finalized his GM title requirements at the 2007 Moscow Open. Continuing his progression through the junior ranks, Andreikin won the Russian Junior (U20) Championship in consecutive years (2009 and 2010). He capped his junior career by winning the 2010 World Junior Chess Championship in Chotowa, Poland, finishing with an undefeated score of 10/13.

In 2012, Andreikin achieved a significant breakthrough in elite chess. After winning the Russian Higher League with 7.5/11, he captured his first Russian Championship Superfinal in Moscow. The tournament ended in a six-way tie, and Andreikin secured the national title by winning the rapid tiebreaks. This milestone pushed his classical rating past the 2700 threshold.

In the FIDE World Cup 2013 in Tromsø, Norway, Andreikin advanced to the final, losing to Vladimir Kramnik. This performance qualified him for the 2014 Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk, where he scored 7/14 to finish tied for 3rd–5th places (5th on tiebreaks). In November 2014, he won the Tashkent leg of the FIDE Grand Prix 2014–15, finishing ahead of several top-10 players. He reached his peak classical rating of 2743 in June 2016 and won the strong Abu Dhabi Masters outright in August 2016 with a score of 7.5/9.

Andreikin secured his second Russian Championship Superfinal title in 2018 in Satka, defeating Dmitry Jakovenko in a rapid playoff. In the FIDE Grand Prix 2022, he finished runner-up in the Belgrade leg, losing the final match to Richard Rapport. Following administrative changes in 2022, Andreikin competes internationally under the FIDE flag (FID).

Elite Team & Event Performance

• FIDE World Team Championship 2019 (Astana): Represented Russia on Board 4, scoring 4.5/7 (+2 =5 -0) to help his federation secure the gold medal.
• European Team Chess Championship 2019 (Batumi): Represented Russia on Board 1, scoring 5.5/8 (+3 =5 -0) with a 2800+ performance rating. He secured Russia's gold medal by defeating Vassily Ivanchuk on the top board in the critical match against Ukraine.
• 41st Chess Olympiad 2014 (Tromsø): Represented Russia on Board 5, scoring 5/7 (+3 =4 -0).
• European Team Chess Championship 2013 (Warsaw): Represented Russia, earning a team bronze medal.
• European Chess Club Cup 2024 (Vrnjacka Banja): Played Board 1 for Turkish Airlines, scoring a notable victory over World Championship Challenger Gukesh D (rated 2794 at the time).
• European Chess Club Cup (2009, 2010): Played for Ekonomist-SGSEU Saratov, winning consecutive team gold medals.
• FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships 2024 (Astana): Represented Al-Ain ACMG UAE, scoring 9/10 to help the team win the rapid world team title.

Playing Style, Material Tendencies & Endgame Profiling

Dmitry Andreikin is a pragmatic and universal player who relies on deep, concrete computer-era calculation. Uninterested in adhering dogmatically to specific theoretical mainlines, he often uses non-standard, psychological opening choices to steer his opponents into unfamiliar middlegame positions where his calculation can prove decisive.

Andreikin is highly regarded as one of the most resilient defenders in contemporary chess. He excels in coordinating passive pieces, constructing defensive fortresses, and maintaining material balance under pressure. In terms of pawn structures, he is exceptionally comfortable handling isolated queen's pawn (IQP) structures, Carlsbad pawn formations, and Hedgehog setups.

His technical endgame conversion is a primary strength. He is highly proficient in minor-piece endgames, especially knight-versus-bishop and rook-and-minor-piece endings. This deep endgame competence, combined with rapid tactical calculation, underpins his stellar results in rapid, blitz, and online speed chess.

Opening Repertoire & Theoretical Move Orders

1. As White

Andreikin's White repertoire is highly diverse. He splits his first moves between 1.e4 and 1.d4, alongside occasional English Opening (1.c4) or flank systems.

Against the Sicilian Defense, Andreikin is comfortable playing the Open Sicilian, often utilizing the classical English Attack structures or the Zagreb Variation against the Najdorf:

He also frequently adopts the Alapin Sicilian (2.c3) or Closed Sicilian systems to minimize theoretical preparation and create slow, maneuvering middlegames.

When opening with 1.d4, Andreikin has frequently utilized the Trompowsky Attack as a primary, direct weapon to bypass heavily analyzed theoretical lines:

In more classical queenside structures, Andreikin relies on the standard lines of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD):

2. As Black

Against 1.e4, Andreikin’s defenses are designed to create unbalanced, counter-attacking structures. He frequently plays the French Defense, opting for the double-edged Winawer Variation:

He also employs the Sicilian Kan as a highly flexible system to establish asymmetrical, Hedgehog-like pawn formations:

Against 1.d4, Andreikin relies heavily on the Nimzo-Indian Defense to fight for early central control with pieces rather than pawns:

If White avoids the Nimzo-Indian with 3.Nf3, Andreikin transposes into the solid structures of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD) Orthodox Defense:

Links

• FIDE: https://ratings.fide.com/profile/4158814
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Andreikin