Sport Express chess journalist Yuri Vasiliev says he was surprised how relaxed
and cheerful Vladimir Kramnik was after his fairly disastrous result (and multiple
blunders) at the Mtel tournament in Sofia. In the May 26, 2005, issue of Sport
Express he interviews the classical chess world champion. Here some highlights:
-
I have not yet completely recovered from the match against Leko. In all
three tournaments, which I played after Brissago, I made so many blunders,
like never before. Such oversights are not in my nature, so the reason
for them is evidently not in chess. I should have taken a longer time out.
I overestimated my capabilities.
-
I have already proved to myself long ago all that needed to be proved.
The tournament in Sofia was strong, interesting; it was a pleasure to play
in it, but I did not plan to prove anything to anyone. This does not mean
I played in Sofia casually. Some games I played had great pressure, and
I played with courage.
-
Soviet scientists had shown that the excessive stress on human mind and
the loss of energy which chess produces are comparable to the hardest physical
work. In football, where the players take care of their physical condition,
as a rule, one match is played in a week. Two is already hard. And what
happens here? We play ten games in eleven days – each of them going
on for between five and seven hours.Chess professionals play under enormous
tension!
-
The last round at Sofia was a war of attrition! Topalov blunders a piece,
I don’t take it, and after a couple of moves I blunder myself...frankly
speaking, I don’t remember when two players made such basic blunders
one after the other. This is not chess. This is a competition to determine
whose head gets turned off last.
-
If I were to decide to play in Argentina, why did I play the match against
Leko in Brissago? I would be giving a handicap to the other players –
they did not face any of that strain, like I had in Brissago. Fairness
and justice require that I play a match with the winner of the Argentinean
tournament. I think that the probability of such a match taking place is
fairly high. I don’t see a single person who will feel disturbed
over my match against the winner of the tournament in Argentina. Such match
will be interesting for the entire chess world, because it will be a true
unification match.
-
For me it is clear Kasparov’s decision to leave the professional
sport is not one hundred percent. Even if you were to judge by his interviews,
the possibility of his return is not excluded. A "loophole" for
returning is kept.
-
I am glad the legendary chess player Bobby Fischer has got a stable place
and is free to do what he wants.
In general on his plans Kramnik confirmed that he would be playing in the
Russian Championship, at the Olympiad in Turin, Wijk aan Zee, Linares and Sofia
in 2006. "I am a professional chess player. I aim to play at all important
professional events." The next time we see him in action will be at this
year's Sparkassen Chess Meeting in Dortmund, which will be held from July 8
to 17, 2005.
