The youngest participant of the World Cup Jaroslav Zherebukh (the Ukraine) defeated the Azeri chess player Shakhriyar Mamedjarov and qualified to the next round.

At the press conference his coach Baadur Jobava joined when answering the questions from the journalists.

— Jaroslav, you are the youngest participant of the tournament. Please tell us how did you manage to defeat such titans as Mamedjarov and Eljanov?

Zherebukh: Truly speaking, it is a surprise for me as well. Before coming here I was joking with my parents: of course I can pass three rounds, but how shall I outplay Eljanov? That is why it is clear I am amazed myself how I could manage it. Perhaps the maximum concentration during the game — this is what necessary. One mistake, one wrong move and you go home. I don’t want to go home so far.

— Jaroslav, do you enjoy chess? Did you celebrate somehow after your victory over Eljanov whom you were afraid to play against?

Zherebukh: Of course I enjoy chess. We celebrated my victory over Eljanov but I will not tell you which way.

Jobava: Yes, we celebrated, but… Well, I would say: we were preparing to the next round in a special way.

— Baadur, how did your cooperation start? What can you tell us about your trainee?

Jobava: I was not acquainted with Jarik till the time when we played for one team from Chernigovo. We had a very good team spirit which we still have among us. I was sharing with Zherebukh on my opinion how he should get prepared to the games on his own. Sometime later I received an offer to work with him. He came to me and we spent some days together. I was trying not only to give some advises in chess matters, but also to help on the psychological level, to strengthen his confidence. I wanted to make him understand that the chess components as well as the psychological mood are interconnected. To my mind the system he used to work before — spending 10−12 hours at the chess board — was not really correct. Quality matters, not quantity. I was trying to explain to him how he should properly work and what should be done to gain more confidence. In fact, Jarik is a very good fellow, very smart for his age. I consider him as my younger brother. I am absolutely sure that under the condition he continues developing, works a lot, cooperates with more experienced than me coaches, he will achieve big results. I cannot say now if he would become the World Champion, but he will fight for this title.