4/9/2016 – On 29th of March, one day after the Candidates tournament came to an end, our editor Sagar Shah along with two other journalists met Sergey Karjakin at the Four Seasons Hotel for an interview. The Russian had hardly slept the night before, but looked fresh as a daisy! In this interview Sergey throws light on what helped him to win the Candidates and how he doesn't fear Magnus Carlsen. All this and much more in this Q&A session.
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Interview with Sergey Karjakin
I entered the majestic Four Seasons Hotel at 11 a.m. on the 29th of March 2016. On the previous day the Challenger for the upcoming World Championship Match had been decided. Sergey Karjakin had swooped his rook to d8 and Caruana stretched out his hand in resignation. It meant that the Russian had officially become the World Championship Challenger. “You will have only 45 minutes to ask questions to Sergey”, said Alexandra Ionova, who was managing the communications and public relations for Karjakin. Sergey was expected to come down to the lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel any minute. I was joined by the experienced journalists IM Leontxo Garcia (El Pais) and IM Stefan Loeffler (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung). We quickly discussed some of the questions that we were going to ask, making sure that the topics wouldn’t overlap.
Soon, a smiling, fresh, energetic 26-year-old man came walking towards our table. “I just couldn’t sleep!” were the first words that he spoke. “I tried to go to bed at 12 a.m. but I couldn’t sleep until three, and then I woke up at eight and I couldn’t sleep anymore. It’s simply unbelievable for me, probably too much excitement!” The super grandmaster took his chair and the three International Master journalists began the interview that would deal with his Candidates tournament, preparation, personal life, interests and most importantly: Magnus Carlsen!
Sergey Karjakin (SK) being interviewed by Sagar Shah (SS), Leontxo Garcia (LG) and Stefan Loeffler (SL)
Sergey Karjakin: I was sleeping well during the tournament, but I didn’t get enough rest before the last round. That night I slept for eight hours. But yesterday, after winning it was just five! It has never happened to me that I have slept so little!
SL: In spite of eight hours of sleep before your game with Caruana you feel that you didn’t sleep so well. Why would you say so?
SK: Generally when I play a normal tournament – an event not as exciting and important as this one, the moment I go to bed I fall off to sleep. But that night it wasn’t so smooth!
SS: It was a tricky situation for you in the last round. A lot depended on Anand’s result. How did you approach this final game?
SK: I thought it was important to just play chess – because if he is trying to win, he will have to do that with black. I could put pressure on him with the white pieces. If he defended well it would be a draw, but if he overstretched I would get my chances!
SL: You were the player who made use of all the opportunities you got in this tournament, while others kept missing. Why was that the case?
SK: I don’t know. I made use of all my chances, made draws from almost all the bad positions that I got and won all the better positions. I think psychology plays a major role in such tournaments. Look at Levon Aronian. Every time he plays the Candidates he starts well, and somewhere towards the end he starts to feel the pressure and it is difficult for him to continue.
LG: You have shown yourself to be psychologically very strong. Does that mean you don’t need a psychologist for your mental preparation?
SK: My seconds are my psychologists and they help me all the time.
Sergey taking a picture of his second Vladimir Potkin, who was standing outside the hotel
SS: If you had to choose your favourite game from the Candidates 2016 tournament which one would that be?
SK: I would go for the one against Anand. I had never beaten him before that game, and after winning it I felt as if I really had the chance to win this tournament.
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Prior to this game Anand and Karjakin have played against each other 26 times in different formats of the game - Blitz, Classical, Rapid. There have been eight decisive results all in the favour of Vishy Anand. Naturally the Indian ace has a psychological edge when facing the young Russian.1.Nf3Karjakin sticks to his policy of beginning the game with 1.Nf3 as he did against Svidler and Nakamura.d52.e3!?Although not completely silly, this is a highly unambitious move. In a way it takes away quite a bit of flexibility in from White's setup and makes d4 lines pretty harmless. Karjakin's natural inclination was towards avoiding Vishy Anand's home preparation.Nf63.c4e64.b3Be75.Bb20-06.Nc3c57.cxd5Nxd5The game has transposed into a well-known position and it looks like we would follow some of the classical games like the ones played by Botvinnik, Larsen, Smyslov etc. However, Sergey gives this position his own modern touch!8.Qc2!?Nc69.h4!?N The highly interesting novelty. The idea of this move is to prepare Ng5 at some point and force White to weaken his kingside with a pawn move.b610.a310.Ng5f510...f5Anand tries to be safe and shuts the b1-h7 diagonal. What he should be really careful about is the fact that he is extending his position and some of the squares might become weak due to these pawn moves.11.Bb5Bb712.Nxd5exd512...Qxd5was definitely a worthwhile alternative.13.Bc4Qd614.Ng5Bxg515.hxg5Na5should not be such a huge problem for Black.13.d4After playing the move h4, suddenly Karjakin switches to positional chess! Something has not really gone according to his plan, or has it?!!Rc814.dxc5bxc515.0-0After the game I was curious as to why Sergey, who seemed all aggressive and wanted to blow Anand off the board, had suddenly become positional and played moves like d4 and 0-0. Well the reason is as simple as Karjakin explains after the game. "I wanted to provoke him into playing f5 and that's what he did!"Bf615...f416.Bd3!±16.Rfd116.Bxf6Qxf617.Qxc5Ne516...Ne717.Bxf6Rxf618.g3 The position is around equal at this point. It is a well know fact that the side with the isolated or hanging pawns must keep more pieces on the board. Anand's next move breaks this rule and looks clearly like a positional error.Ba6?! More the pieces get exchanged, more the c5 and d5 duo start becoming weak.19.Bxa6Rxa620.Qc3Rb621.Rac1Qd6?!Another inaccuracy. The queen is not at all well placed on d6. As Sergey shows Ne5 will threaten moves like Nc4 and Nd3.22.Ne5!Rb723.Nd3!And this is what we were talking about. The hanging pawns become super weak. The c5 pawn advances and the rest is just pain for the Indian champion.c424.bxc4Rxc425.Qe5The queens have to be exchanged.Qxe525...Qc626.Rxc4dxc427.Nc5+-26.Nxe5Rxc127.Rxc1±White has a better knight, a better rook, a better pawn structure and a clear plan of improving his king. The rest as they say is a matter of technique for a strong player like Karjakin.g628.Rc5Kg729.Ra5Kf630.Nd3Rc731.Ra6+Kg732.Nf4Rd733.Kf1Ng834.Ne6+Kf735.Nd4Ne736.Nb5Nc837.a4Rb738.Rc6Ne739.Ra6Nc840.Rc6Ne741.Rd6Rb642.Rd7a643.Nc3Anand resigned in this equal material position – a resignation that was not at all premature.43.Nc3Re644.Nxd5Ke845.Rxe7+Rxe746.Nxe7Kxe7+-1–0
SL: Was this idea with Qc2 followed by h4, against Anand, home preparation or over the board inspiration?
SK: It was preparation. I wanted to play something sharp but at the same time non-theoretical, as Anand is a big expert in theory. This idea of Qc2 followed by h4 was suggested by my second Vladimir Potkin.
Sergey explains his fourth round win against Vishy Anand
SS: You played the same line of Queen’s Indian with black in four games. Was playing the same opening a conscious decision before the tournament?
SK: I had actually prepared a few lines but somehow I was quite confident with this line of the Queen’s Indian and I thought I will play it and defend my opening!
Dubai training camp and seconds
SL: You obviously did something right in the past couple of months. What did you do specifically to get in good shape for the Candidates?
SK: Before this tournament we had a training session in Dubai with my coaches. We had a lot of fun – we played volleyball on the beach. We indulged in much more physical fitness than we analyzed chess! The reason why we chose Dubai was that we wanted to find a hotel where everything was included [the possibility of working on chess and sports]. We found a few hotels in Dubai and a few in Maldives. But the latter is quite expensive and we saw no reason to spend so much. And as there was no possibility to go to Egypt, we decided to go to Dubai.
SS: Was it planned to indulge in more physical activity than to work on chess?
SK: When I sit in the room and I see the sun shining, I just cannot sit still. I have to go out – either to the streets or the beach. And then in the evening we would do some chess! [Smiles]
Sergey has always been mindful about staying physically fit [picture in 2004 by Frederic Friedel]
SS: Who were the people with you in the Dubai training camp?
SK: We had Alexander Motylev, Yuri Dokhoian, Vladimir Potkin and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. I played a lot of blitz games with Shakhriyar and that was fun. We also solved a quite a few studies. Mamedyarov is a great studies solving expert and when he is trying to get the answer faster than you, you also get a lot of motivation to improve your speed. In a way he was a perfect sparring partner for me. Also his enterprising style of chess rubbed off on me and I played quite a few bold moves in this tournament!
The friendship goes all the way back to 2004! Sergey Karjakin (centre) with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (left) and Evgeny Alekseev [photo by Jean-Michele Pechine]
SL: You had quite a big team for the Candidates. It must have been quite expensive, right?
SK: Yes, without the sponsors it wouldn’t have been possible, so my biggest thanks to them. I would not have been able to build such a team and for sure we wouldn’t have been able to go to Dubai, and probably I wouldn’t have had so much energy as I had during the tournament. It could have been a completely different story.
SL: Vladimir Kramnik is a player with great experience. Have you worked with him in the past?
SK: Yes, we have worked in the past. I helped him in Kazan in 2011. We have a good relationship. He was one of the first ones to call me after my victory and he told me yesterday that tonight you can drink but from tomorrow you have start preparing! [Laughs]
SL: So did you follow his advice?
SK: Yes, a little bit! First I had a glass of Champagne and then some white wine!
SL: It would be good to have Kramnik on the team, right?
SK: Yes, I am thinking about it, but I haven’t made any decisions yet, so I cannot comment on it.
Magnus Carlsen
LG: You got the GM title earlier than Magnus, but your further progression has been slower. Why?
SK: Well, I think this has very much to do with the sponsors and the support. I was in the famous Kramatorsk school in Ukraine from the age of nine to twelve years. At twelve years and seven months I became a grandmaster. But from then onwards until the age of nineteen I didn’t get any sponsors. I was living in Crimea, which was Ukrainian back then, and I didn’t get any sort of support. Magnus on the other hand had all the backing. So he had a big advantage. Then I moved to Russia and I not only got support in the form of sponsors but also from strong coaches like Dokhoian and Motylev, who were here with me.
LG: What are the main differences between you and Magnus Carlsen, technically and character wise?
SK: Magnus is a great player. He has a lot of strong skills. He is a brilliant technical player. Also he fights for the initiative very well. He sees tactics excellently. So he doesn’t have many weaknesses. But still, he is a human, not a computer, and he also sometimes makes mistakes and loses. So I will study his games hard and try to find any weaknesses if I can.
SL: How does Magnus’ style influence you?
SK: I don’t think so much about it. But whenever I play a strong player, be it Magnus or anyone else, I try to learn from him. Because I think I can still improve as a player. For example, Pavel Eljanov said that I played much better in the Candidates than what I played in the World Cup 2015.
SS: But he also said that it is not enough for Magnus Carlsen?
SK: Yeah, he said that. But I believe I can improve, and I don’t see why I shouldn’t get better. I will organize a few training camps with my coaches and we will study his games and work hard! [Smiles]
SL: Recently you also played a typical Magnus opening with d4 followed by Bf4. Were you following him?
SK: I played it, but mainly I am trying to broaden my repertoire. A few years ago I played only 1.e4. Now, I want to try different setups. 1.e4 is a good move but I am trying to get more knowledge, more ideas. If you want to become the best then you have to know all the opening setups and theory. That is what I think.
SS: If you had to choose your favourite classical game against Magnus which one would you select?
SK: It is definitely the one that I won against him with black in 2012 at Wijk Aan Zee. It was Queen’s Indian and a good game. But I understand that it was just one game and I need to work much harder for such results again.
Here's Sergey's favourite game with annotations by him for CBM 147:
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1.Nf3Nf62.c4b63.Nc3Bb74.d4e65.a3d56.Bg5Be77.e30-08.Rc1Magnus chooses the rare moves of the Petrosian line and already here I startedto think... Magnus wählt die seltenen Züge der Petrosian-Variante, und bereitshier begann ich zu überlegen...h6Not the most common move, which wasevaluated differently! Nicht der häufigste Zug, und er wird unterschiedlichbewertet!9.Bxf6Bxf610.cxd5exd511.Bd3c512.0-0I heard differentevaluations of this position. Aronian told me that this is a famous positionfrom the Queen's Gambit with an extra tempo for White, but Magnus said thatthe position is absolutely harmless for Black... Zu dieser Stellung hörte ichunterschiedliche Einschätzungen. Aronian sagte mir, dies sei eine berühmteStellung aus dem Damengambit mit einem Extratempo für Weiß, dagegen meinteMagnus, die Stellung sei absolut harmlos für Schwarz...Na6Preparing Nc7-e6,but later the knight went another way... Bereitet Nc7-e6 vor, doch später gingder Springer einen anderen Weg...13.Ne5Interesting try, White ispreparing f2-f4. I expected more Ne2 and then Ng3 or Nf4. Also possible wasBb1 with an unclear position. Interessanter Versuch, Weiß bereitet f2-f4 vor.Ich erwartete eher Ne2 und dann Ng3 oder Nf4. Ebenfalls möglich war Bb1 mitunklarer Stellung.cxd414.exd4Bxe5The interesting alternative Dieinteressante Alternative14...Nc5seemed quite risky to me in view ofschien mir ziemlich riskant angesichts von15.Nxf7A quieter move is Einruhigerer Zug ist15.f415...Rxf716.dxc5bxc517.Qh5and for the humanthe position looks very dangerous with such a weak diagonal b1-h7. , und fürden Menschen sieht die Stellung mit einer derart schwachen Diagonale b1-h7brandgefährlich aus.15.dxe5Nc516.Re1!The only one try to fight foran advantage! Der einzige Versuch, um Vorteil zu kämpfen!16.Nb5Nxd317.Qxd3Ba6=is fine for Black, for example: ist in Ordnung für Schwarz, zumBeispiel:18.f4Rc819.Rce1?!Trying to play for a win. Versucht, aufGewinn zu spielen.White should make a draw after Weiß sollte Remis machenmit19.Rxc8Qxc820.Qxd5Qc5+21.Qxc5bxc522.a4Bxb523.axb5Rb8=19...Qd720.a4Rc4!21.b3Bxb522.axb5Rb416...Re80–1
SS: Daniil Dubov, a strong Russian grandmaster, said that you have chances against Magnus because you are not afraid of him. Is this true?
SK: Yes, I am not afraid of him. I would like to focus on chess. Like Bobby Fischer said, “I play against the pieces and not my opponents.”
SL: Jonathon Rowson tweeted, “You are a strong and a solid player, but there is absolutely nothing you can do which Magnus cannot." Is there something that you are better at than Magnus?
SK: It is too early to think about this. I just finished the Candidates. I want to celebrate, take some rest, and then think more deeply about this.
SL: How is your relation with Magnus?
SK: I have absolutely no problems with him. After I won the World Cup, he congratulated me on Skype. We might not be the best of friends but we stay in touch with each other. We speak on Skype if we have some interesting topic, but mainly our discussions happen after the game when we are playing in the same tournament.
Magnus Carlsen, Sergey Karjakin and Peter Svidler at the end of the Qatar Masters 2015
LG: Magnus likes to play off-beat systems. Would it be a problem for you to prepare against him?
SK: If you look at my games in the Candidates it is clear that I was trying to surprise my opponents in the openings. So I think in the match we will both try to surprise each other.
SL: The World Championship Match is announced that it will take place in the New York City. But at the same time it is easier to find sponsors and higher prize money in Russia and also have much more media attention. Would you be interested for a change in venue?
SK: I am sure that it is possible to find some money Russia. But it is not just about me. It is FIDE who decides where to organize the match. If for example they would say that it is possible to search for something else in Russia then great, otherwise I am fine with New York.
LG: Would you feel the pressure of playing in Russia?
SK: As you have seen in this tournament I like such pressure because I have a lot of support and friends who came here to visit and support me. It might be a bit difficult psychologically to play in New York but I would like to concentrate on chess and not think too much about this.
General Topics
LG: In the year 2009 you had several dramatic changes in your life simultaneously: nationality, residence, getting married, new coach. Did that unbalance you psychologically?
SK: Yeah, probably. But after living for a few years in Moscow I am already feeling fine. Now I have two homes, one in Moscow and the other in Crimea.
LG: Russia is one of the biggest chess nations in the world. The interest of getting a Russian World Champion is very high. Even President Putin is personally interested in that. Does that put too much weight on your shoulders?
SK: Actually when there was no pressure, it was worse for me! It was a highly unpleasant situation when I had absolutely no support. However, with the kind of support I have at this moment, the pressure is not at all a problem! I feel some sort of an obligation but I like that feeling very much!
LG: You were in Crimea and now you are in Moscow. You are the perfect person to ask for an opinion on the political tension between Russia and Ukraine. What is your opinion?
SK: I wouldn’t like to talk about any politics at the moment, but I would say that I support my country and my President [Putin] and what he does is right.
Karjakin has always been a supporter of Vladimir Putin
LG: I remember you in Calvia Olympiad 2004, you were specifically interested in getting a badge that would allow you to go to women’s Olympiad!
SK: Of course, I was fourteen! (laughs)
Yes he can do that! Sergey's amazing acrobatic skills, at the age of 14, are enjoyed by Matthias Wullenweber and Matthias Feist at the ChessBase office in Hamburg [picture by Frederic Friedel]
LG: Why do you think there is only one woman player in top 100 players in the world?
SK: I think Hou Yifan is a great player. I got my congratulations from her yesterday. She is extremely strong and plays as well as her male competitors. When I played against her in Wijk Aan Zee this year I really didn’t feel as if I was facing a woman player. She has a very high level. But I don’t know why she is the only one in top 100. It could be due to a variety of reasons but I don’t know the exact ones.
LG: What are your other interests in life?
SK: First of all it is family, next comes friends. For example, tomorrow we go to the Russian Banya (Sauna) which is actually one of the most famous in Moscow. We will have some food over there so it will be some sort of a party.
LG: Do you follow other sports?
SK: Yes, I follow and support almost all the Russian sportsmen in different fields.
SL: Currently the Russian sports is in some sort of a crisis – the athletes are sidelined, the doping scandals. You are one of the few sportsmen who can do something positive for Russia. What’s your take on this?
SK: Of course, it was very unpleasant and I was very disappointed when all these scandals came to light. But I would stand with our sports people, Sharapova and the others. They have my full support. The doping issues came to light on the first of January this year. Before that all these substances were fine. This means that the players were badly informed. If they knew it they wouldn’t have done it.
LG: To play the World Championship Match you will have to pass through the doping test. The list of doping substances for chess players is the same as that of other sports. Do you think that that should be changed in order to get a specific list only for chess?
SK: I didn’t know that I would have to undergo a doping test. I am not a big expert on this subject but I think that the bigger danger in chess is about cheating than doping.
SL: Your schedule for the next twelve months would involve a lot of preparation. You are committed to play in Norway and after that there is the Olympiad any thoughts on this?
SK: It is better to ask our captain about the Olympiad. If he says I have to play then I have no problem with it, because I always like to play for Russia.
SS: How has life changed since marriage with Galiya and the birth of your son?
SK: It probably didn’t change too much after my marriage but after the birth of my son it changed quite a bit. Now I don’t have so much time as before and also Galiya is always busy. She would normally be with me in the tournament but now she has to take care of the little one. The last time I saw them was the rest day after round nine, when I went home.
Sergey and his mother signing the Friedels guest book at the end of a visit in Hamburg in 2004
SS: You will have to prepare hard for the Candidates tournament and at the same time you have your son with whom you would like to spend time. How will you manage the two?
SK: I have done this until now and I think I can do it in the future as well. Maybe I will have to choose some country with hot weather conditions like Dubai or something similar. I will surely find time for my family and balance the two roles.
LG: Is your life only about chess or much more than that?
SK: It is definitely much more than chess. When you have a wife and baby you always have to think where to get money for my family! (laughs)
LG: Thank you so much Sergey for your time and have a great day!
The smile on his face says it all!
ChessBase has a DVD dedicated to the prodigious Sergey Karjakin authored by Lorin D'Costa:
Chess Prodigies Uncovered: Sergey Karjakin
By IM Lorin D'Costa
Languages: English ISBN: 978-3-86681-379-3 Delivery: Download, Post Level: Beginner, advanced, tournament player Price: €27.90 or €23.45 without VAT (for Customers outside the EU) $25.33 (without VAT)
Sergey Karjakin hit the headlines in 2002 when he became the world’s youngest ever grandmaster aged just 12 years and 7 months, a record which shocked the chess world and still stands today.
In this new series with ChessBase, IM Lorin D’Costa investigates the famous prodigy focusing mainly on Sergey’s early career from aspiring nine-year-old up to grandmaster at twelve, culminating in his current world top ten status, and on who his rivals are for the title of world champion.
Not many chess players can say they defeated a grandmaster at age 11, but Sergey did when he defeated Pavel Eljanov in the Ukrainian Team Championships in 2001, and from a level endgame at that! How did Sergey defeat one of the world’s best players, Alexei Shirov, with masterful precision at the age of just 12? How did Sergey grind down the reigning world champion Vladimir Kramnik in 2004 in an opposite coloured bishop ending in the Dortmund playoff aged just 14? Enjoy these and many other scintillating games, along with the new ChessBase interactive format of Question & Answer, to enjoy an interesting documentary about one of the strongest players in modern day chess and his road from young prodigy to grandmaster and beyond!
Sagar ShahSagar is an International Master from India with two GM norms. He loves to cover chess tournaments, as that helps him understand and improve at the game he loves so much. He is the co-founder and CEO of ChessBase India, the biggest chess news portal in the country. His YouTube channel has over a million subscribers, and to date close to a billion views. ChessBase India is the sole distributor of ChessBase products in India and seven adjoining countries, where the software is available at a 60% discount. compared to International prices.
Greetings,chessbase world, regarding the world challenge next year, I have read various statements about the chance of Karjakin's chance. I am looking back at Ficsher's chance to play against Spassky. Fischer know he was the strongest player in the world two prior to playing against the current world champion in 1972. Now, Sergey's opportunity to challenge. Sergey must believe that he is in fact the strongest player at this time if not he already lost.
keithbc6472 4/16/2016 01:03
I am just relieved that there will not bean Anand-Carlsen 3. Karjakin is solid and that is necessary. I want him to beat
Carlsen- never understand the attraction of Carlsen to be honest.
jefballard 4/15/2016 12:42
'I am not afraid of Magnus!' - Sergey Karjakin
Then immediately pulls out of the Norway event.
I like Karjakin but I think he just became Magnus Meat.
firestorm 4/14/2016 11:05
BeachBum2, regarding "chess is all about memorising these days", have a look at the "kibitz strongest game" in the blitz section. The previously played moves are given in the section below the game moves, together with number of games in database and results of the games played as a percentage. When a move not played in the database is played it states "fresh position". New positions as early as move 6 arise, and they are not random or junk. So the originality can still be found, if you look for it.
Queenamisha 4/13/2016 05:13
hi,good day
BeachBum2 4/12/2016 02:09
Prediction: Calrsen wins a couple of games (likely due to near perfect end game techniques and making use of tiny inaccuracies). Karjakin... could win a game (or more), likely if he manages to use some of the preparations (and convert it). This is my main reason chess (especially WC level, when there are teams of other top GM behind each of the players) is just IMHO less fun... It is so much about memorizing preparations now... I wish they were starting with some kind of "random positions" and people at the board were competing, not teams "behind the scenes".
firestorm 4/11/2016 01:45
Karjakin in 6 months' time will be a different player now, just as Fischer was when he played Spassky in 72 from the Fischer who came through the candidates series (and that's saying something)- Fischer's off-board shenanigans masked this, somewhat. Fischer dropped his Sozin attack the moment it was clear that Spassky had a bust prepared for it, played a range of defences, even playing the Pirc and Kan-Taimanov Sicilian in the final game of the match, and dropped 1. e4. The reports of Spassky's preparation were that it was inadequate, because of his 4-0 record against Fischer prior to the match- the bust of the Sozin showed he was preparing for known openings but losses in the Benoni and Hubner Nimzo, and particularly the Tartakower QGD showed he wasn't looking elsewhere (Fischer's improvement over what Spassky had played against before in the Tartakowever was already known to Furman, Spassky's second, but he didn't bother showing it to Spassky on the grounds that Fischer only ever played 1.e4- the assumption that Fischer wouldn't be capable of changing to suit being quite incredible). So it would be somewhat foolhardy to write Karjakin off, particularly with the match so far off anyway. But I suspect however much he prepares, he won't be facing the same MC either- MC has a challenge to face again, and in turn his preparation will also show this. Winning isn't a given, but whoever wins, the only way this match could fail to be entertaining would be if they halve out because of the importance of not losing over 12 games (particularly early on), but that's not really either player's style.
fightingchess 4/11/2016 12:03
interesting how some people always like to talk about non chess related subjects. i wish these guys would have fulfilled their potential in chess so they wouldn't become experts on everything other than chess.
bachma1 4/11/2016 05:34
Poor "Sergey Karjakin"!
Now more people will dislike him due to he "likes" what many hate: "Putin"! One of the interviewer just might have him destroyed by his question!
too late for SK, just like a chess moves, you simply can not take back your move! What a pity! It is even worse if SK have his true feeling hidden in this disaster question.
BeachBum2 4/11/2016 12:40
@bondsergey
I don't care much about changing federations/countries. A person should live where he likes it most. We do not choose where we are born but we can correct it later. I think it is not very probable to be 2700+ player and not understand "who is mister Putin".
I do not blame people too much for doing whatever is necessary to achieve their goals. Getting into argument with Russian government would hurt Sergey's chances, so I can understand. It is hard to judge people w/o knowing them personally, but let's say such remarks about Putin do not add to my respect for Sergey.
In 1930th, after humiliation of post WWI, some even non stupid people in Germany supported Hitler. They wanted that "national pride" etc to be restored. We know how tragically it ended. This is what is going on in Russia now.
Isledoc 4/10/2016 08:50
They have just announced that his second is to be Sergei Roldugin!
Aighearach 4/10/2016 08:13
Of course chess players have idiotic politics, they probably have silly opinions of art and science also.
A lot of people don't really understand how much of their lives they have to devote to chess to be at this level. If he lived a balanced life, he would only be a strong master or maybe even an IM.
It has nothing to do with general intelligence, which is of marginal benefit to chess in the first place.
basler88 4/10/2016 08:02
Now I’m very disappointed and I lost respect for Karjakin, can’t believe he is supporting a dictator named Putin!! I agree with Adi2010!!!
firestorm 4/10/2016 04:00
Sergey Karjakin: "I am not afraid of Magnus Carlsen."
Magnus Carlsen: "Sergey who?"
(just a joke, not a real quote :)
regondi 4/10/2016 03:14
@bondsergey - Caruana did not choose to become a U.S. citizen; he was born a U.S. citizen and an Italian citizen. The only thing he ever changed was federations.
lajosarpad 4/10/2016 02:41
It is an excellent idea to show English and German comments in the same game! This way I will effortlessly learn to speak German. Chessbase, I thank you for teaching me English a decade ago, when you were the quickest to report chess news. If you teach me German as well, I will be very greatful!
PlayerX 4/10/2016 02:20
@bondsergey
"he plays chess better than both of us and it is a good idea to listen to the opinion of such people. Some might argue that beeing the challenger to Magnus does not equal to beeing smart. I do not agree with them, beeing the challenger to Magnus equals beeing very very very smart"
Bobby Fisher comes to mind.
Extremely good at chess but I wouldn't suggest following his social or political views.
x_ileon@yahoo.co.uk 4/10/2016 01:41
On the quoted games:
1) I'm surprised that everyone seems to have missed something about the win against Anand: Qc2 has been played before, and was followed by h4! The "Fishpole" setup getting a N on g5, with a R on h1 so that on h6? white goes for mate! This very idea was played by Loek Van Wely v Van der Werf in 2001 and the only difference in those 1st nine moves what that Van der Werf continued 8...Bf6 (instead of Nc6). White won in that game in much simpler terms: there was no switch to positional but a straight out Kingside attack. So Karjakin's game v the great Anand is definitely richer, but credit should be given where credit is due!!!!
2) Great commentary by Karjakin on his Magnus game.
fons 4/10/2016 12:58
His comments on politics and doping scandals: either he is very naïve or very opportunistic.
(To be fair: if you do sports for a living -especially chess- it's hard not to be opportunistic.)
bondsergey 4/10/2016 10:38
BeachBum2, you might think that Karyakin is a bad guy since he supports Putin for money reasons? Karyakin actually adopted Russian citizenship by automatically denying Ukrainian one (since the law in Ukraine prohibits dual citizenship with any country). Same step was done by the best Ukrainian woman grandmaster – Ekaterina Lagno. Maybe you think they both like money so much that they betrayed their own country, Ukraine? Try agree that it is possible that this might not be the case; maybe they adopted Russian citizenship by listening to their hearts. USA for sure would provide them even more support if they chose to become USA citizens, like Caruana did. As for your political statements against Putin – I do not think this is a place where I will talk about politics and Putin for only one reason - I think in this case this website will be shut down since there is an information war between USA and Russia who both fight for their interests. BeachBum2, at least , please, agree that this is possible that Karyakin is not a bad guy. One thing for sure – he plays chess better than both of us and it is a good idea to listen to the opinion of such people. Some might argue that beeing the challenger to Magnus does not equal to beeing smart. I do not agree with them, beeing the challenger to Magnus equals beeing very very very smart. PS, hopefully, both Kramnik and Mamedyarov will help Sergey in NY.
chessbibliophile 4/10/2016 09:59
There are chess players in Russia and Ukraine both. Their lives are also affected by politics and war. Karjakin could have said, there should be peace between Russia and Ukraine. He didn’t.
Support for one’s country should not be mixed up with support for the government. Today the families of soldiers are paying a heavy price for a war that no one wanted. As for the misery of civilians, it goes on.
Let not Karjakin be pilloried on account of this one unfortunate comment. The rest of the interview offers food for thought.
BeachBum2 4/10/2016 05:25
ah, Sergey. Sergey… I understand that you might not be able to critisize Putin & Co (due to government support you need). But saying what he does it right? Putin throws innocent people in jail, allows thieves to run the country and shuts down any investigations against them, he attacked neighboring country causing thousands of deaths… it is a long list. I don't think Karjakin does not know how bad situation outside Moscow is, how local bandits rule smaller cities, there are no real political parties, top local officials and police is basically one family of crooks that control local press and businesses. Many talented people left Russia. While I left Russia years ago, every time I come to visit… it is a sad picture. Not only Putin is to blame, of cause - but he is one of the reasons.
firestorm 4/10/2016 02:42
@The Bear 4 hours ago
"After winning the world cup, man handling the Chinese team alone and finally pocketing the candidates I believe beyond doubt that SK has become a horrific encounter for any super Gm and Carlsen is no exception to the looming horror. I sense that Karpov is the man behind SK’s rise."
I'll bet that no matter how much work Karjakin does to prepare for the WC, he loses endgames against MC. Not exactly a secret that he gets outplayed at times in endgames.
solskytz 4/10/2016 01:02
Prediction: Carlsen wins 3:2 with seven draws.
It will be very closely fought throughout, but the last win will be Karjakin's, on round eight.
Karjakin will refuse to be demoralized and will keep on fighting, despite going down 0:2 in the first five games.
You first read it here.
TMMM 4/10/2016 12:40
It would have been a nice coincidence if any of the interviewers had asked about the upcoming Norway Chess and whether he was looking forward to e.g. playing Magnus there... I guess that would have forced Karjakin to show his cards already back then.
The Bear 4/9/2016 11:07
After winning the world cup, man handling the Chinese team alone and finally pocketing the candidates I believe beyond doubt that SK has become a horrific encounter for any super Gm and Carlsen is no exception to the looming horror. I sense that Karpov is the man behind SK’s rise.
Adi2010 4/9/2016 10:23
Hope Magnus thrashes him!
oldsalt7 4/9/2016 09:57
Anand is a great player but could not quite crack the mighty Viking. Perhaps the young and fit Karjakin will have better chances? Not taking sides, but I wish Karjakin all the best. Caruana apart, we couldn't ask for a better challenger.
vernonh 4/9/2016 08:13
Maybe they should have called his national team captain to tell him to play in Norway.
Jarman 4/9/2016 07:45
@diegoami: on the contrary it was *exactly* the question I was hoping for. And I must say I didn't like Karjakin's answer - at all - although it was pretty clear he would have been grateful to the people who have been supporting him.
firestorm 4/9/2016 07:43
Diegoami, perhaps you're unaware: Karjakin has said he supports Putin over the annexation of the Crimea by Russia. Given Karjakin's public statement of his support for Putin, its a reasonable question, and to be fair, LG didn't follow up Karjakin dodging the question. The interview was pretty much 100% chess and family.
diegoami 4/9/2016 06:13
LG: You were in Crimea and now you are in Moscow. You are the perfect person to ask for an opinion on the political tension between Russia and Ukraine. What is your opinion?
This question spoils the whole interview for me. Came here for the chess, not for the politics.
Heavygeardiver 4/9/2016 05:31
Great interview as usual on Chessbase. I read the comment about the sleep. Before my injuries in the north sea I was 200 elos higher rated. I was over 2000. Not being able to sleep over 5 hours now my play suffered allot. Sleep gives a recharge that Redbull cant touch. Pillsbury was right about sleep being a secret weapon. What I found surprising was that Sergey admitted it. Coaches and students should read this interview!
Hawkman 4/9/2016 05:07
LIFETIME RECORD:
Classical games: Magnus Carlsen beat Sergey Karjakin 3 to 1, with 15 draws.
tom_70 4/9/2016 04:40
Seems like a very likeable young man. I look forward to seeing him compete in the World Championship.
ulyssesganesh 4/9/2016 04:31
nice interview with karjakin! how human!
thlai80 4/9/2016 02:38
5 hours is a lot of sleep! I'm surprise that is considered 'hardly slept'. Also Ramirez was cut out from the photo! Was the grey pants Ramirez's? Lol.
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