Gurevich Mikhail (22.02.1959)

Belgian Grandmaster (1986) born in Ukraine who immigrated to Belgium in 1991 when he was the 6th best world rated player. Soviet Champion in 1985, Belgian champion in 2002, Turkish champion in 2006 and 2008. Gurevich was a member of the Soviet team which won the Gold at the World Team Championship in 1989, a member of the Belgian national team at the 1992 Olympiad and of the Turkish team at the same competition in 2006. FIDE Senior Trainer and writer.

Misha started to learn chess at the age of  7. He was for the first time invited to play the USSR Junior when he was 15 years old,  a tournament which was won by Garry Weinstein or later Kasparov (11). He became Champion of Ukraine in 1984 and qualified for USSR semi-finals in Lvov where he finished 2-5th behind Vassily Ivanchuk. This result qualified him for the first League in Sverdlosk  which he won. In 1985 as a simple Soviet Master, he participated at the USSR Championship in Riga and shared the first place with Alexander Chernin and Viktor Gavrikov ahead of 16 strong Grandmasters. The result gave him the title of Soviet Champion and Grandmaster of USSR. Unfortunately due to his “ Jewish nationality”   and having relatives in Israel, Mishal was not allowed to travel abroad and missed numerous tournaments including the Interzonal of Tasco (Mexico). Forced to stay at “home” he played six international tournaments in USSR and won five of them! Finally, during the Perestroika, Michael got some rights to travel to “Socialist countries”  like Cuba, Hungary, and Yugoslavia and easily got International Grandmaster title in 1986. Recognized finally as a strong players he was invited by World Champion Garry Kasparov to join his team from 1986 in Leningrad  and stay till Lyon 1990. Misha was also a member of the Soviet team which won the Gold medal at European  team 1989 and World Team Championship in Luzern 1989. Qualified for the Manila Interzonal 1990 he faced a tragic situation when needing 0,5 point out last two rounds, he became sick and lost both games to Vishy Anand and Nigel Short who will finally manage to become a challenger. Reaching the 5th in the World ranking it was the right time to look for freedom. Misha decided to immigrate to the West and thanks to the support of Willy Iclicki and Bernard Lacrosse he finally established with his family in Belgium in 1991 and later in 1998 got the Belgian citizenship.
Talented Misha is also well known for his kindness and well appreciated by all including  “Belote” players.

Best results: Winner of at least 50 International tournaments, his main victories include: Jurmala 1895, Tbilisi-1985, Baku, Habana-1986, Moscow 1987, Tallinn 1987, Saltsjobaden -1987, Reggio Emilia 1988, Bern 1988, Tel Aviv ( 10,5 out of 11) 1988, Philadelphia World op 1989, Moscow GMA 1990, Munich 1992, Antwerpen open 1997, Belfort 1998 and 2003, European Champion with his club “Panfox” Breda in 1999 and 2000, Amsterdam “Lost Boys” 2000, Cap d’ Agde 2000, Esbjerg 2000, Pardubice Open 2000, qualified to the 3rd round of the World Championship 2000 in New Delhi where he was stopped by Alexey Shirov, Wijk aan Zee B 2001, Belgian Championship 2002 (with 100%), Metz Open 2002, 2003, 2004  and 2005, Reykjavik Rapid 2003, Istanbul festival in 2006 and 2007, Leon Rapid 2009 (shared). A participant in the World Cup 2000, 2005 and 2007. In 2007 he lost the 1/8 final world championship match to Peter Leko 3½-½.

Co-editor of FIDECHESS he wrote also: Queen’s Indian Defence: Kasparov System (1992).