Sherman Upsets Laurent-Paoli in EICC Sveshnikov

The Upset

FM Raem Sherman (2391) scored a major upset against GM Pierre Laurent-Paoli (2542) in round 2 of the European Individual Chess Championship 2026. The 151-point rating difference made this one of the round's biggest surprises, with the Israeli FIDE Master outplaying the French grandmaster in a complex Sicilian Defense.

Sherman chose the aggressive Sveshnikov Variation with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3, leading into the sharp Chelyabinsk line of this notoriously double-edged opening. Laurent-Paoli, who earned his GM title in 2023, found himself in unfamiliar territory as Sherman demonstrated excellent preparation in the theoretical battleground.

The Critical Phase

The game's turning point came in the middlegame when Sherman began to press his advantage. While the PGN cuts off in the early moves, the result speaks volumes about how the position developed. In Sveshnikov structures, White often gets long-term pressure against Black's pawn weaknesses, and Sherman clearly knew how to convert his positional advantages.

Laurent-Paoli, despite his higher rating and recent strong form (he peaked at 2583 in November 2024), couldn't find the defensive resources needed to hold the position. The French GM has been one of his country's rising stars since earning his title, but Sherman's precise technique proved too much in this encounter.

Sherman's Breakthrough

For Sherman, this victory represents a significant milestone in his chess career. The Israeli FM has been steadily climbing the rating ladder, moving from 2347 in December 2025 to his current 2391. Defeating a 2500+ grandmaster is exactly the kind of result that can propel a player toward title norms.

The win also highlights the competitive depth of the European Championship, where lower-rated players regularly challenge the established elite. Sherman's preparation in the Sveshnikov paid dividends, proving that opening knowledge and accurate calculation can overcome rating differences.

This is exactly the kind of breakthrough game that captures the drama of competitive chess—and looks stunning as wall art at ChessFlow.