1994 was his breakout year, winning the Russian Championship held in Elista with 8/11, winning the under-18 section of the World Youth Championship in Szeged, debuting for Russia at the Chess Olympiad in Moscow, scoring 5.5/8 on second reserve board, and gaining his three Grandmaster norms. Svidler also won the Linares Anibal Open, running alongside the invitational event and tied for first with four other players at the St Petersberg Chigorin Memorial. The short-lived Professional Chess Association in October 1994 ranked him world number 165, rated 2542.