10/29/2008 – During the main tournament the St Petersburger GM was trailing by half a point, but got into the playoffs by winning his last-round game. In the playoffs it was the same story: he trailed Dmitry Jakovenko by half a point but defeated him in the last game to take the title. Svidler has won the Soviet or Russian Championships five time, the first time when he was eighteen. Congratulations Pjotr!