YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Two-time FIDE World Cup winner Levon Aronian says he dedicates his victory to those people who have supported him and stood by him during difficult times.

“I participated in world cups many times. The tension wasn’t as great as it was during the first and second time. This time I knew that I wouldn’t have another chance to qualify for the Candidates Tournament. In that case you lose one-two years. Opportunities decrease for a chess player in that case. This was a tense tournament for me. I am proud for the victory. The game with Lagrave was difficult. I got anxious when I didn’t do my best in the rapid chess with Lagrave”, Aronian said.

Aronian says it is a great pride to be compared with world champion Tigran Petrosyan. “I’ve always searched for ways to be like Tigran Petrosyan, but I don’t yet manage to, because he is a very genius chess player. I am more passionate than Petrosyan”.

After winning the World Cup in Tbilisi, Aronian visited Tigran Petrosyan’s neighborhood and toured the home of the world champion. “I am always interested to see where our chess players have lived”, he said.

Levon Aronian also appreciated the role of the team which accompanied him in Tbilisi.

“I wouldn’t achieve this success if not for the support of my team, my family and Arianna [fiancée]. It is only during a bad year when you understand who your close ones are. This victory was a present to those people who believed in me”, he said.

Armenian chess grandmaster Levon Aronian won the FIDE World Cup.

Aronian was competing against Ding Liren in the World Cup final, held in Tbilisi.

With 4 points, Aronian became World Champion again after 12 years. The tie-break rounds were the decisive part in the final as both chess players had 2 points after 4 classic rounds. Aronian won both rounds of the tie-break. 

Aronian is the first chess player in the world to win the World Cup for the second time.

Aronian has qualified for the 2018 March 10-28 Candidates tournament in Berlin.