Aronian on Mainz: I wish chess could always be like this

Chess Classic Mainz 2009 The 2009 Chess Classic will take place from July 27 to August 2 in the Rheingoldhalle of the Congress Centre, Hilton Hotel in Mainz, Germany. The event includes tournaments and Opens in traditional and Random Chess, with stars like the current World Champion Vishy Anand, Levon Aronian of Armenia, strong Russian junior GM Ian Nepomniachtchi and top German GM Arkadij Naiditsch. Schedule below.

Interview: You need a good feeling for harmony

Levon Aronian is the current number four in of the world. He is also known as one of the very best rapid players. During the 2009 Chess Classic the Armenian Olympic Champion will be the main actor. He will open the Chess Classic with a traditional simul on 40 boards, he will try to defend his Chess960 title and he will fight for the crown in the GRENKELEASING Rapid World Championship against World Champion Vishy Anand. Levon is also a great fan of computer chess and you can be sure that he will be a visitor of the Livingston Chess960 Computer World Championship. Harry Schaack spoke with the regular guest in Mainz who likes fun in chess, often has a twinkle in his eye, and emanates surprising light-heartedness.

Levon Aronian: Well, I like simultaneous events. I think it is a friendly way to give amateurs the opportunity to play with a top player. The most important factor in a simul is time. Since Vishy is such a fast player, I am not sure I can keep pace with his speed. And his score record is not on my mind. I don’t look for the points. I just try to have fun and entertain my opponents.

In Chess960 you can’t really say this guy is the best. After all the World Championship is played with rapid time control - which is ok for now. Maybe in the future, other organizers besides Hans-Walter Schmitt will start making Chess960 events. Then we can play a proper Chess960 World Championship with classical time control. But for now, I think any format we choose is fine. This event is interesting entertainment.

I think people benefit from looking at four players more than from a challenge between two.

I actually don’t really care. In a round robin format there is more randomness and thus more tension. When you are playing in a match, you know what you have to do. With more players, one unlucky result can change the whole situation and decide about the qualification for the final. This makes things exciting and I think the fight is harder when you play with more players. I guess this format is more interesting for the spectators.

I don’t think so. But I would not call myself a person with a good memory (laughs). I can be mistaken.

Well, all the players are strong. Everyone can be a rival. And you also have to take into account that this is Chess960, where lower-rated players beat higher-rated players more often.

It’s already a long time ago that I played against him. So I can’t really say something substantial. I like to play with someone to get a direct impression of his chess – to establish a personal chess relation with them. I guess that’s the only way to judge a chessplayer. To comment on a player I haven’t played against would be mere guesswork.

Not so long ago I played against Movsesian. I think he has improved because he now plays with more focus. And I am happy to see his results in the last years. I think he is strong enough to pose a threat to anyone. I played quite a few times with Bologan. He is a solid and kind of all-round player. He is good at manoeuvring, and that is why Chess960 suits him.

I think you need a feeling for harmony. You have to develop your pieces properly and must know how to manoeuvre them. It is a very tricky game. Tactics play a much bigger role in Chess960 than in classical chess. Some players who play this game well survive because of their tactical strength. But if you want to play a perfect game, you need a strategic vision.

In Chess 960 unusual and tactical motifs often crop up, motifs, which you might see in problems or studies but rarely in classical games.

I don’t think I made any big mistakes in 2007…

Anand vs Aronian in Mainz

No, Vishy played better and won deservedly. But it has nothing to do with dethroning or anything. “Going for it” is fun. When people – for example me and Vishy – have played against each other for a while, they establish a connection. They try to beat each other even without any extra stimulus – just for the feeling of it. Because it is fun.

Yes, but in rapid tournaments your rating doesn’t count. Nowadays, rating is so important for a professional player. All invitations are connected with rating. That means you are more relaxed and more creative in rapid chess, I would say. And the players are in a more friendly mood.

Yes. I think most people do. You go for lines that are entertaining though not necessarily completely correct.

Surprise is always important. But in rapid tournaments you can also go for some dubious lines. Just to surprise your opponent, because he doesn’t have so much time to refute your idea.

Well, this time I want to win. That is the plan (laughing).

It is a good field. Double A (Anand, Aronian) against double N (Nepomniachtchi, Naiditsch). I have not played against them for quite a while. I don’t know, but I’ve seen their games and they are dangerous.

Yes, but you don’t get that amount of information. You sit next to the people who developed these programs. And you see how much they care and how important it is for them. They know everything about the programs. I am fascinated by the atmosphere of joking and having fun.

I am not sure if that is the best way to learn something about the programs. But just talking to people who do things which are very important for chess players make me want to go there. The whole atmosphere is nice.

Well, you know, the first time I won the tournament, my rating was around 2600 or maybe even less. Winning that tournament gave my self-confidence a boost. For me, Chess960 is a kind of pure chess. This kind of chess somehow shows whether someone knows where to put his pieces. Maybe that was the reason why I won this tournament twice, to show that my success was no coincidence (laughs). In my opinion Chess960 shows that a player has talent. And that was a good feeling.

Yes, I think in Chess960 the more creative players are in a better position than people who are more into remembering opening lines.

No, somehow I have never played it.

Yes, I read some books and watched some movies (laughed). To be relaxed is good training for your inspiration.

Aronian with his girl-friend Arianne Caoili, who will also be playing in Mainz

One thing is that a lot of people enjoy this form of chess. Everybody is there and they say: “I wish chess could always be like this.” For me it is a meeting with people I haven’t seen for a long time. I have many friends from that part of Germany. When I was playing for Wattenscheid in the Bundesliga, I used to hang around that area. So it is an opportunity to meet old friends. And the location is great: a nice city and a good tournament hall. The organisation is pleasant, everything is very relaxed. For me it is a nice holiday and a good tournament. I am playing my favourite chess variant and I am around people who love that game too. What could be better?

Probably the first time I beat Svidler and won the Chess960 World Championship 2006. You want to win because that guarantees you an invitation for next year’s tournament. I was kind of lucky that my title defence from 2008 was delayed to this year because last year I had other obligations. So I got an additional year.

Yes, I will try to grasp this opportunity.

Schedule of events

Links Official web site: in German and in English Event overview Detailled schdeule in PDF: Part one + Part two Dails schedule of events in PDF Registration: FiNet Chess960 Open ORDIX Open Mini FiNet + Mini Ordix Accommodation ChessBase reports Chess Classic 2002, 2003 Chess Classic 2004 + the Carmen Kass story Chess Classic 2005 Chess Classic 2006 Chess Classic 2007 Chess Classic 2008 Chess Classic 2009