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| English translation of the interview with Vladimir Kramnik in Sport Express by Yuri Vassiliev. 26th May 2005. Original in Russian: http://www.sport-express.ru/art.shtml?104032 - Source of translation: Ravi Abhyankar Sport Express Chess: http://news.sport-express.ru/online/rubr/rubr0081.shtml Vladimir Kramnik: ‘‘My qualification cycle is already over’’ Interview by Yuri Vasiliev in Sport Express. May 26, 2005 The day after the end of the tournament in Sofia; Vladimir Kramnik, the Classical Chess World Champion – to my great surprise – looked neither slaughtered nor stressed. He did not even look like a disappointed man. ‘’ What a psyche!’’ I envied him. With a good natured smile Vladimir shook my hands and easily agreed to an interview. His calm, unhurried speech suggested optimism and confidence. It was impossible to imagine that a day before, Vladimir had committed another, incredible for a player of his class, blunder in the last game and had taken a shared last place... About blunders, courage and motivation - Vladimir, even at Wijk aan Zee – your first tournament after the match against Leko – you did not commit such improbable blunders as you did here, in Sofia... - Apparently, I have not yet completely recovered from that match. 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 need to find out. I plan to rest well and try to put a stop to them. Maybe, it will sound fairly strange, but I think even in Bulgaria, I was no worse than anyone else as far as the level of play was concerned. But when you blunder pieces in every alternate game, it is very difficult to expect a result which is acceptable. - You say that the source of the blunders is not in chess. But, they started after your match with Leko. And even during that match, you did not always look your own self... - No. In that match I played not badly. It is just that Leko is particularly strong in matches. I would have loved to see how others looked after a match against him. On top, his preparation was clearly much better than mine. Also, the 8th game, in which I donated him a point without play. In the end, I saved the match. At what cost, you can see now... - So, recovering after a battle with Leko requires a much longer time, than you had thought? - Yes, now I know that I should have taken a longer time out. I overestimated my capabilities. - There is a feeling that after your winning the title from Garry Kasparov, you have lost the desire to give your best... - Of course, the level of motivation is not the same. I remember that until that match, the Linares tournament for me used to be an event of exceptional importance. Tournament of the year. Just like the Sofia tournament was, I think, for many players who played here. - I had thought the tournament was of exceptional importance to you as well. To re-establish the champion’s credentials... -Maybe, my approach is not right. But 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. - Yes, sometimes the courage even going beyond common sense. Enough to remember the absolutely unnecessary piece sacrifice in the opening against Ruslan Ponomariev. - It is difficult not to agree with that. Class of all the players was almost equal. Other factors were important for the final success. First – physical form. Then motivation, energy level... Adams and I apparently found ourselves in a similar situation. Both of us played the first round fairly well, and then began to tire and collapse. - And Veselin Topalov, on the other hand, had a great second half. By the way, what do you think about the tournament winner? - Veselin played his usual fighting chess. Both our games were hard fought and tense. In the first, he succeeded in defending a difficult position. In the second game, a sharp fight, Topalov left a piece hanging. I could have captured it and won. Instead of that, I committed a single-move blunder and lost. I wouldn’t say Topalov showed extraordinary level of play; but his energy and will to fight, ability to play very sharp, of course, paid off. It was a situation in where desire to do well in his native place motivated him. In my view, Topalov absolutely deserved his success in Sofia. I am happy for him. The New Rules - How do you feel about the new rules which were tried in Sofia? - In principle, I am not against them. I am not going to complain that for me, in particular, playing with these rules is tough. But I want to look at the rules from the viewpoint of what is acceptable in sport. In which other sport is a human being subjected to a non-stop stress for five to seven hours continuously? - Maybe, there is no such sport. - 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. And this is considered normal. Chess professionals play under enormous tension! To introduce the new rules, I believe, it is necessary to have more rest days. To avoid the kind of situation we saw in the last round at Sofia. It 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. Ok, one can say, it was typical of me to blunder in this tournament. But Topalov, as you rightly said, had a great finish. But he committed a blunder as well, a serious one at that. This is not chess. This is a competition to determine whose head gets turned off last. I want you to understand me correctly: I am not against the new rules. I am prepared to play under them. But I want Chess to retain its worthy level, not to become a competition of stamina. -What about the mandatory press conferences? You looked uncomfortable at some of them... - This is fine. I don’t see any problem. Here we are talking about elementary self-love. You can come to terms with it. Yes, after losing a game – particularly a loss resulting from a colossal, stupid blunder – there is no desire to attend a press conference. But I am willing to tolerate it. The same thing happens in other sports as well. Nothing terrible about it. Logic of the world championship - Vladimir, now a few questions about the world championship. Fide management, in particular its vice-president Georgios Makropoulos, has given to understand that your suggestion to have a match between the Argentina tournament winner and yourself for the world champion title is unacceptable. Moreover, the players taking part in the world championship tournament in Saint-Louise were asked to sign some papers – and they signed them – in which they undertake not to play in any ‘‘alternative championships’’, that is those outside Fide. Are you not afraid you will be isolated as a result? - I think that my match against the winner of the Fide world championship in Argentina is absolutely logical. Considering the processes which began after 2002, it would be a good solution to the problems. I think that the probability of such a match taking place is fairly high. - Makropoulos told me very clearly: The world championship in Argentina will not become, under any circumstances, as he expressed ‘‘a qualifying tournament to play against Kramnik.’’ - Here, on the face of it, we have a distortion of facts. If this is a qualifying tournament, my match against Leko was also a qualifying match. Only the part of my qualifying happened earlier. That was not my fault. It was also not my fault that the Kasparov-Ponomariev match was cancelled, or the Kasparov-Kasimdzanov match did not take place. I went through my qualification. And it was not any easier than the tournament in Argentina. I think I am speaking objectively. Nobody should feel offended by the current situation. I don’t see a single person who will feel disturbed over my match against the winner of the tournament in Argentina. If, of course, this tournament happens... Such match will be interesting for the entire chess world, because it will be a true unification match. Fide should also benefit by it. I don’t understand why the winner of the Argentinean tournament should be against. In all probability sponsors for such a match will be found. In my view, this should not upset anyone, on the contrary it will benefit all. I will say more: I am certain that if the tournament in Argentina happens, then my match with its winner will also happen. After the publication of my press-release, I have already received offers from very big sponsors in the West, because the match is interesting for all. - Objections to such a match by Fide management also have logic. Fide is working on a stable system for world championship, and as I understood from my talk with Makropoulos, your match with the world champion has no place in it. - Our match is in no way an obstacle to the new cycle. It can be started at the same time as planned by Fide. There is no doubt about the legitimacy of my match with the Argentina winner. My title of classical chess champion is legitimate. The winner of the Argentinean tournament, if it happens, will also be legitimate. And a match between us – will also be absolutely legitimate! And it will happen, even if some functionaries of some organisations are against it. - Are you saying the undertaking the eight players signed do not have legal force? The undertaking is part of the documents offered to the players by Fide. - It is another issue what the players have signed. Only I think the Fide management will change its view, because I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t. Of course, I can’t answer on their behalf. But I certainly know that such a match is interesting for all, and there are already interesting offers from big sponsors. - Anyway, if Fide does not change its stance, and the winner of the Argentinean tournament happens to be ‘‘Fide-obedient’’? - I would not run ahead of the events. I think things are progressing well. Let the tournament in Argentina take place first. I hope it will happen, but based on the past experience it is better to wait and see. Then we will talk, we will discuss. I believe we will find a common language. On Kasparov and Fischer - What do you think, will Kasparov return? - 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. - What is your view on Iceland granting asylum to Fischer? - I am glad this legendary chess player has got a stable place and is free to do what he wants. Roots and work - Vladimir, you are rarely at home. Maybe, being away from your roots is making your play unstable? - Most of the tournaments happen in Europe. So my residence is a matter of convenience. The boxers, Vitali and Vladimir Klichko, who are my friends, live mainly in America. Not because they don’t want to live in Ukraine. In the USA, they have their professional life. They live there, prepare for the tournaments. For the chess players, the tournament life is concentrated in Europe. The tournaments are tough, preparation for them must be many-sided. Constant traveling does not help. You see, for work many things need to be sacrificed. I love to go home, my connection to roots is not broken. Saint-Louise predictions - Vladimir, though you are not one hundred percent certain about the tournament in Argentina, it seems that everything there is on track. In Sofia, you saw four out of the eight players who will play in Argentina. Peter Svidler and Alexander Morozevich were in Wijk-aan-zee. I presume you are familiar with the games of the Fide world champion, Rustam Kasimdzhanov. And Peter Leko... you know him better than anybody else. In your view, what are the chances of each of them? - I think that the chances of three grandmasters are higher than those of the rest; though it is not proper to throw out any name. Currently, I think, the key favorites to win in Saint-Louise are: Leko, Topalov and Anand. Precisely in that order, though such prediction may sound strange to you. -Why strange? Topalov also thinks Leko will be the most dangerous opponent. -These three have similar chances as far as their individual encounters are concerned. Everything will depend on their form, some other factors, and of course, luck. - Had you not refused to participate in that tournament, how would you evaluate your own chances? - If you leave aside the insinuations about my being afraid of someone or some things, I consider my chances would not be any worse than those of the mentioned three players. Believe me, I would go to a tournament called ‘the world championship’ in a very different condition. - After these words, I feel sad you are not playing in Argentina... - (smiles) You journalists are masters at setting traps! I will give a serious answer to your question. If I were to decide to play in Argentina, why did I play the match against Leko in Brissago? All that hard work was for nothing? When the others relaxed on Canary islands, I was working and training day in, day out; mainly working on the physical and psychological side – was all that for nothing? As if this match never happened? -The match happened. I can confirm it. I wrote the reports for our newspapers myself. - Yes. The match happened under rules for the world championship that exist for more than hundred years. For me, the match turned out to be extremely tough. If I had decided to play in Argentina, above all else, 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. If, I repeat, it takes place. - Which means you may play another match with Leko, if everyone agrees to it? - Very much possible... Believe me, I know Leko well. The tension in Saint-Louise will be different than one in Sofia. When the title is at stake, Leko’s nerves would be an advantage for him. Remember how well he played in the qualifying tournament in Dortmund. And the match against me he played extremely well. Leko, in my view, is the real favorite to win in Argentina. Tournaments, championships, Olympiads - A few questions about your plans. Will you take part in the Russian Championship? - Yes, of course. - And at the Olympiad in Turin? - Yes, there as well. - Will you play again next year at Wijk-aan-Zee, Linares and Sofia? - Naturally. I am a professional chess player. I aim to play at all important professional events. -In one and a half months, you will play in Dortmund. Usually you play there well, you have won five times. This year there will be Topalov, Leko and other super grandmasters like Peter Svidler. What are your expectations? - Of course I would like to win the tournament. Particularly after Sofia. - Do you think you will be able to avoid one-move blunders? - I will be discussing that with specialists. I want to find out why they happened – is it exhaustion, insufficient energy or lack of concentration? I will try to fight this illness. As soon as it happens, I will start winning tournaments again. Will this happen before Dortmund? I hope so. - You said once you plan to give up chess at some time in future. Do you still think you will do it? - The next few years, I plan to give my best to chess. At some point, I may leave it. It is not necessary to play chess the whole of your life. There are lots of other interesting things. Moreover, after 40, playing becomes physically very tough. For the time being, I am confident in my strength. I am certain I will get back my form and climb to the top of the ratings. I am confident I will keep my championship title for long. Currently I have some problems, but soon I will overcome them. Translated by Ravi Abhyankar |
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