Grandmaster Robert Hovhannisyan had significant games in individual and team tournaments. Owing to different victories he was able to score the necessary points, which helped him to eventually win this or that title.

We talked to Robert this time for our Unforgettable victory series, who told us about one of his victorious games in European Championship. 
 
I had a game with Russian Nikita Vitiugov in European Individual Chess Championship 2016. I was playing with white pieces, and the game was extremely important; chances to participate in Chess World Cup would increase in case of victory. 

My competitor was strong, though I got the advantage in the opening and decided to do everything possible not to miss it.

Then it happened so that my competitor kept on repeating his steps, and I did not see any certain plan for the further fight. Eventually I believed in my strengths and did not accept the draw, suggested by my competitor; I continued the fight.

When the final scores showed that my competitor could only drag out the game, I was already convinced that I would certainly win. It was a difficult game, but I was able to get the advantage, which made me happy. I simply tried to restrain my emotions, as I had other, not less important games to play. 

You do not have any emotion during the game; you are completely “in the game”. And when it is finished, you start to concentrate on the coming games.

Now, when I look back, I feel that it is necessary to work hard to make such positions more precise in the future and achieve victory. 

Gohar Nalbandyan talked to Robert Hovhannisyan