Sergey Karjakin (1990) will be the challenger of World Champion Magnus Carlsen in November 2016.

Karjakin won the Candidates Tournament in Moscow in March 2016, the biggest success of his career so far, and earned the right to fight for the World Title in a match.

Karjakin's early talent and background

Karjakin's chess talent became apparent very early on. Born in the Ukraine, he became the world's youngest grandmaster at the age of 12 years and 7 months - a record that still stands.

Move to Moscow and career development

In 2009 he moved to Moscow, adopted Russian citizenship, and switched from the Ukraine chess federation to the Russian, to be able to get better coaching. It was a key moment in his life, says Karjakin in New In Chess magazine. 'From 2003 till 2009 I didn't have any support. When I moved to Moscow I got the possibility to work with strong coaches.'

Major tournament victories

Karjakin won numerous tournaments: the 2012 World Rapid Chess Championship and the Chess World Cup in 2015. He also won the Norway Chess Tournament twice (2013, 2014) and the Corus Chess Tournament in 2009. Karjakin is a top-10 player in classical chess, as well as in rapid and blitz. His career high rating was 2788 (in July 2011).

Commentary on Karjakin's playing style

'A serious fighter with hardly any weak points', says commentator Sergey Shipov about Karjakin in New In Chess magazine. 'He is able to compose himself at critical moments, and he is able to motivate himself for the most important games and tournaments. And also he has matured.'

Training book offer

Try this training book and play the same winning moves as Sergey Karjakin. This book offers you one hundred training exercises, in positions where Karjakin turned the game in his favour. The puzzles, first with Karjakin playing White and then with him playing Black, start at a moderate level and gradually get more difficult. Don't give up!