Only four days are left for the start of the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting 2009. Together with Vladimir Kramnik Magnus Carlsen starts as favourite at the most prestigious grandmaster tournament of Germany. Although the Norwegian is only 18 years old, he belongs to best players in the world. Thanks to his uncompromising style he is highly appreciated by all chess fans. According to a survey on the official website of the tournament more than 50% of the users believe that he will win in Dortmund. At least nobody doubts that he will have a better ranking than in 2005, where he finished the tournament at sixth position. Prior to the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting he gave detailed information about his person.
Magnus Carlsen at the Chess Classic Mainz 2008
How old are you and where do you live? I’m 18 years old and live in Lommedalen outside Oslo in Norway.
When did you start playing chess and who taught it to you? I learned the moves from my father at 5 but did not play much until I turned 8.
When did you decide to become a professional chess player? I’m finishing high school this spring and plan to become a full time chess player starting from the 2009 Dortmund tournament!
What was your biggest success so far? The feeling of success is closely linked to expectations, and I have many good memories from early tournaments. But, objectively speaking, my co-victory in Corus 2008 and sole first in Foros 2008 are probably the most prestigeous successes.
Do you have a coach and how many hours do you practice chess per day? GM Simen Agdestein is the chess teacher at the top athletes high school. I travel about 200 days per year and on average I spend many hours per day on chess one way or the other although I don’t have a fixed training regimen.
How would you describe your chess style? I think I should leave that to others. I constantly try to improve in all aspects of the game. Maybe I can respond better to this question in a few years.
Please describe your daily life apart from playing chess! It is probably not so different from other youths. I still go to school when I’m home and I like to spend time with friends, on internet, watch sports and movies on TV, play football etc.
This is your second appearance in Dortmund. What are your expectations? I look forward to returning to Dortmund and hope to be in good shape and play good chess. Having improved my chess since the first appearance in 2007 I obviously hope to do better this time.
What goal do you have as a chess player? I’m planning to spend some years as a chess professional. I will try to improve in all phases of the game to fully exploit my potential as a chess player. Having already reached close to the top at an early age I do of course hope to become number 1 at some point.
How do you estimate your chances to qualify for the next World Championship cycle? After withdrawing from the Grand Prix due to the outrageous change of regulations mid-way I’ve tried not to think about the WC cycle. In order to estimate my chances we would have to know the specifics of the next World Championship cycle. As I’m speaking, it all seems to be in a complete mess regarding format, regulations and organisation.
06-15-2009
Interview with Arkadij Naiditsch
Arkadij Naiditsch is probably the most unpredictable player, who is participating at the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting 2009. Due to his feisty playing style he is able to beat any top grandmaster but also to lose against some weaker opponent. In the year 2003 he was the first German and at the same time the youngest player ever to win sensationally this tournament. Meanwhile he has crossed the barrier of 2700 elo-points. Thanks to it, he is not only included into the group of the expanded world class but also is regarded as a serious opponent. He lives in Dortmund and so his many fans are looking forward to follow the games of their local hero. Prior to the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting he gave detailed information about his person.
Arkadij Naiditsch at the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting 2008
How old are you and where do you live? I am 23 years old and I live in Dortmund.
When did you start playing chess and who taught it to you? I´ve learned it when I was approximately five years old. I went to a normal chess school in Riga.
When did you decide to become a professional chess player? When I was about 18 years old.
Do you have a coach and how many hours do you practice chess per day? I practice a lot with Etienne Bacrot, the daily hours are different.
How would you describe your chess style? I think that I have an „open“ style. I try to play offensively.
What was your biggest success so far? Without a doubt my victory in Dortmund in the year 2005.
Since 2003 you play continuously in Dortmund. What are your expectations for this year? Indeed this is my seventh appearance in this super tournament. I never have special expectations. I just try to play always my best chess and if I succeed of course I´m very happy. I try of course to be in the first half of the table but this is not my main goal.
In April 2009 you have reached an Elo of 2700 becoming this way the first German player ever with such a high rating and you are now 31st in the world ranking. Do you hope to get more invitations to strong chess tournaments like Dortmund? I do not have a big hope. When I won in Dortmund in 2005 I didn’t get any invitations. As now I occupy the 31st position in the world ranking and I will try to improve even more. Maybe then I will receive more invitations. Prior to Dortmund I will play in Poikovsky, which takes place in the beginning of June.
Which goal do you have as a chess professional? To be in the Top Ten of the world.
How do you estimate your chances to qualify for the next World Championship cycle? As I am not participating in the FIDE Grand Prix there is the only chance through the world cup. The chances are not that good in a K.O. tournament. You have to be lucky in one or two matches to receive any real chance to qualify.
06-08-2009
Interview with Dimitry Jakovenko
Dimitry Jakovenko is after Vladimir Kramnik currently the No. 2 in russian chess. In the last years he improved continuously and established himself in the Top Ten of the world. Due to this reason he received an invitation for the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting this year. At his first appearance in Dortmund only few believe in a success for the 25-year-old Russian. This may be owing to the fact that he didn´t receive many invitations to strong tournaments in the past. Prior to the most prestigious grandmaster tournament of Germany he gave detailed informatin about his person.
Dimitry Jakovenko in action for his club SV Mülheim Nord in the Schachbundesliga
How old are you and where do you live? Not long before the start of the tournament I will be 26. Most of the times I live in Moscow.
When did you start playing chess and who taught it to you? My father taught me how to play chess. It happened when I was small, about three years old.
When did you decide to become a professional chess player? When I was 21, after graduating the University.
What was your biggest success so far? I had several important successes, it is difficult to underline one. Probably it is a fight for the first place in Grand Prix tournament in Elista.
Do you have a coach and how many hours do you practice chess per day? Basically I practice chess alone, and I wish I spend more time for that.
How would you describe your chess style? Nowadays almost all professional chess players are universal. Their style is defined by the openings they use and the availability of the new ideas in them.
This is your first appearance in Dortmund. What are your expectations? It is the strongest tournament I have ever participated in. So, I am interested myself what I could expect from it.
You are in the Top Ten of the world ranking since October 2008. Do you hope to receive more invitations to Super-Tournaments like Dortmund from now on? Of course I expect that. But together with the invitations, I hope to receive appropriate conditions, relevant to my rating. This year I already had to refuse from participating in one strong tournament due to this reason.
What goal do you have as a professional chess player? I just want to realise my abilities as much as possible.
How do you estimate your chances to qualify for the next World Championship cycle? If you mean the forthcoming Candidates tournament, I have a goal to be in. As for my chances, I would not dare to estimate them.
05-27-2009
Interview with Etienne Bacrot
After 2005 Etienne Bacrot is participating for the second time at the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting. Despite his age the 26-year-old Frenchman, who celebrated many successes in his youth, is an experienced player. Meanwhile he is one of the best West European players and alongside with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave the biggest hope in France. For the most prestigious grandmaster tournament in Germany he received a wildcard after winning the very strong Aeroflot Open this year. Although he starts in Dortmund as an underdog, he is ready to challenge his opponents and to fight for the win in this tournament. Prior to the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting he answered to some questions about his person.
Etienne Bacrot at the Corus Chess Tournament 2008
How old are you and where do you live? I am 26 and I live in Carqueiranne. It´s a small city near Toulon in the southeast of France.
When did you start playing chess and who taught it to you? I learned chess when I was four years old. My uncle taught it to me.
When did you decide to become a professional chess player? It came naturally, starting with my good results in my childhood.
What was your biggest success so far? From my latest successes it is the victory at the Aeroflot Open in Moscow, which I won in February.
Do you have a coach and how many hours do you practice chess per day? I have many chess friends, especially seconds, but no personal coach. Arkadij, who is one of my regular seconds, is playing the tournament so I will come with Sebastien Maze to Dortmund.
How would you describe your chess style? This question is too difficult to answer for me.
This is your second appearance in Dortmund. What are your expectations? The tournament is so strong that probably it will be decided with +2, so I will try to make it!
What goal do you have as a professional chess player? I try to play as good as possible and to win each tournament I play. I will see where it takes me.
How do you estimate your chances to qualify for the next World Championship cycle? There is no more chance through the FIDE Grand Prix, and very small percentage as for many players through the Worldcup.
05-18-2009
Interview with Peter Leko
Peter Leko belongs since more than ten years to the elite of the chessworld. He is the record participant at the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting in Dortmund and in this years edition he starts as the titleholder. He is connected to Dortmund not only through many successes as a player but also through private fortune. Prior to the most prestigious grandmaster tournament of Germany he gave detailed information about his person.
Peter Leko at the Sparkassen Chess-Meeting 2008
How old are you and where do you live? I am still only 29 even if it may seem that I am around for ages. I was born in Subotica, but we moved to Szeged, when I was 1 year old.
When did you start playing chess and who taught it to you? I learned the rules from my father during summer holidays a few weeks before turning 7.
When did you decide to become a professional chess player? My talent was discovered very early and then it was a natural process. Already when I was 11 it was clear that I have the goal to be a top professional player in the future. Of course it helped a lot when I became the youngest Grandmaster in 1994, at the age of 14. After that I had no choice, but to continue on my chosen path.
Do you have a coach and how many hours do you practice chess per day? I had many trainers during my carrier to whom I am all very thankful. Since this year besides my permanent coach Arshak Petrosyan with whom we have been working for 8 years, I also started a serious professional work with German Grandmaster Jan Gustafsson who is helping me a lot in refreshing my opening repertoire. I cannot assess the daily number of hours as it differs. During intensive training sessions it can well be 10 or 12 hours a day. But once you play chess at the highest level, this game is in your mind all the time, it becomes a part of yourself.
How would you describe your chess style? In general I consider every top player to be universal. On the other hand each of us has his unique style which depends probably mostly on the character of the player. I like to play in a “clean and clear” way and I am definitely not the type of guy who is taking unnecessary risks.
I believe much more in the logic of our game rather than gambling with the opponent nerves. My favourite victory is when it is not even clear where my opponent made his mistake. Unfortunately such wins are extremely hard to achieve on the highest level nowdays.
What was your biggest success so far? Winning all the super tournaments such as Wijk, Linares, Tal Memorial and 3 times Dortmund are very special. However no doubt that my most important victory was at the 2002 Dortmund Candidates tournament which gave me the right to play for the World Champion title. The World Championship Match against Vladimir Kramnik was a very tough challenge. I got extremely close of winning the title, but at the end the match ended with a 7:7 score.
Do you still have a special goal as a chess player? I am a top ten player since 10 years. Right now I have only one goal: To work very hard on my chess! I think that if I manage to make a step in the right direction than I will be able to define new goals for the future.
You are the player with the most participations in Dortmund. Do you have any special feelings playing here? Of course. You can call Dortmund my second home. I was there many times not only on the occasion of the tournaments. I met my wife Sofy during the tournament in 1999. This was a great moment. Due to this victory I entered the top ten for the first time and met my big love at the same time. And you should not forget that my manager Carsten Hensel is from there, I know him since 1991 and he was always a good friend already before we started the professional co-operation in 1998.
How do you estimate your chances to qualify for the next World Championship cycle? I think that I have decent chances just as some other players, but I am not trying to predict anything. To me right now it is more important to increase the level of my overall play. If I am able to improve, the success may come automatically including the qualification for the World Championship.
05-13-2009
Negotiations with FIDE failed
The negotiations over the organisation of the forthcoming World Championship cycle 2010-2011 (Candidates Tournament 2010 and World Chess Championship Match 2011) between Universal Event Promotion (UEP) and FIDE have failed.
Due to different agendas relating to organisational sovereignty and commercial rights, the parties failed to reach an agreement. Aggravating circumstances included FIDE´s financial expectations beyond the original tender details.
UEP - the only bidder for the tender - believes that under such circumstances a permanent and successful marketing of the World Chess Championship will be questionable.
