German IM and coach Roman Vidonyak spoke about who he trains and how he manages his working time in an interview with Rochade Europa. Roman says that Sindarov, Yakubboev, and Assaubayeva undergo training with him and notes GMs who partially participated in his training camps.

Roman Vidonyak

Roman Vidonyak

Professional coach

“It’s necessary to clarify some important things. I consider as students those players who complete my training program in full. This includes at least six in-person training camps per year, each lasting from 10 to 14 days, as well as independent work at home according to an individual plan.

The training process of a professional chess player, if conducted seriously and on a scientific basis of sports preparation, must be long-term, continuous, and regular. Currently, three players meet these criteria: Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Yakubboev, and Bibisara Assaubayeva.

Anish Giri, Jorden van Foreest, and Alexander Donchenko sometimes participate in my training camps as guest students but don’t complete the full training cycle.

As for my time management, the main work is done before and after tournaments. During competitions, the players’ personal opening coaches do the primary work, and I maintain brief phone contact with the students, providing psychological support.”

German IM Roman Vidonyak is a professional coach, often described as a “hidden” coach for elite GMs. At the FIDE World Chess Cup 2025, Roman worked simultaneously with 6 tournament participants: Vladimir Fedoseev, Anish Giri, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Jorden van Foreest, Alexander Donchenko, and Javokhir Sindarov. Javokhir became the Champion of this tournament by defeating Wei Yi in the Finals with a score of 1.5-0.5.

Credit: FIDE/Michal Walusza