'I can play better than this'

Published : Jul 21, 2001 00:00 IST

ARVIND AARON

WORLD chess champion Viswanathan Anand who silenced his critics with an epoch-making victory over rival Braingames World chess champion, Vladimir Kramnik, said he himself was a very good defender, a fact that came out very strongly in their rapid match.

The 31-year-old Chennai-born Anand won the event, filled with nerves and tension, to climb the next logical step in the world's chess ladder as he defeated Kramnik in a match chess fans longed for months to watch. Winning the historic battle between world champions, Anand has crowned himself as the champion of champions.

On the evening of his historic triumph, the champion spoke in an exclusive chat with The Sportstar from his Mainz Hilton suite in Germany. Excerpts:

Question: Congratulations. How was it to play Kramnik?

Answer: I think it is a good experience for me. I haven't played a 10-game match in a long time even though it was different from the format you play in time control. Playing a 10-game with Karmnik also shows your own weaknesses. In general I was quite shaky here. I am sure I can play better than this. It was interesting to get a practice like this.

Would it have been different had you played some classical chess patterns or something?

Yes, of course. The good thing is that this is equally important. You have an introduction before the game, you have commentary and I think it is a cool event. The atmosphere is nice. It would have been different had it been a blitz match totally, it would have been different if it was a classical chess match, it would have been different if it was an Advanced Chess Match. I don't see any point in repeating the obvious. I just think this was just great.

You said, in this match some of your weaknesses were spotted. Can you elaborate on your weaknesses and strengths in this match?

I wouldn't say weakness but I think one of my strengths is that I am a very good defender. Especially when I am in danger I find the surface very easily. I think that certainly came out in the match. But on the other side, my opening preparation has to be a lot better and again I wouldn't blame myself too much since we both came here from other tournaments. I would certainly like to improve on that and I would like to make less mistakes. I had these incredible lapses in concentration. As for Karmnik, he showed that he was very well prepared. He still has a lot of material left over from his match (against Kasparov in London 2000). He seems to have problems in converting the technical position after getting into a winning position.

Do you think this was a match where nerves and tension prevailed over quality and depth?

You are making it sound pessimistic. I think this is a normal trade on. This could easily happen in a classical match. I mean, see my game in New York (match against Kasparov in 1995). They are classical games. What happened in games 11, 13 and 14? These could have happened in a blitz match too. Okay, I don't think the level can get any worse. So, I think you shouldn't blame the time control. It is normal that when you are tense and nervous your play is not as smooth as ever. But I think it is part of the game. When you play an even match, in a broad sense, games are decided by blunders. Kramnik spoke a lot about classical chess. If you take his match with Kasparov at London, both the games which Kramnik won were not high quality affairs. Unfortunately those are the games you win. You can't win a high quality game on both sides. It is not possible. This is the nature of the game.

I agree that the level here - at least in some of the games - was bad. I missed Ne5 in game seven and it was a blunder I committed. But the decisive performance I gave was in game five. So, there are some highlights as well. You know upto a point some criticism is justified. I think people are focussing too much on it. Mistakes happen, it is part of the game.

You have won four titles in five years in the Frankfurt/Mainz region. How was Mainz, the new venue? Was it different from Frankfurt?

It is the same, except that it is a new city. I think Hans-Walter Schmitt and his wife did a pretty good job. It is professionally run and you get spectators. I think it is a very nice event. In that sense I can't point out too many differences between this year and last year. It is easily the strongest event in Germany.

What was going on in your mind after game three?

I was pretty depressed. The worst thing is you have a rest day also after it - to think about it! The whole day you spend working about it. I did not know what was happening. I really had to stop it. It also showed, it was obvious, that I was not in top form - these kind of mistakes are worrying. Probably I will try and avoid them. It is time for me to do some serious work and training. I think the third game was a symptom of a greater problem. Already in game two I was shaky. Then this seventh game with white I was very shaky. I think I have to learn from it. But my defensive technique seems to be very good. Every time I was in danger I reacted very well.

Did both players come prepared better with black?

We both were quite tense and nervous here. At some level, I said we both are world champions playing here. So, we made more mistakes than we normally do. I don't want to make a big deal about it but I think we both will look at these games and learn from them.

Kramnik was jumping openings with black unlike as in London against Kasparov. Was it a mistake to repeat the obscure Sicilian again in the first tie-break game?

I think it probably was. In the seventh game had I even thought about it I would have come to Qe2 first. For some reason I played a3 first. Of course a player like Kramnik can play many openings. He obviously is a player with different ideas. I had a feeling that the Najdorf or Najdorf kind of structure is really not his thing. He is much of a Sveshnikov player. It was a surprise. I mean that he switched something like this with Nc6 and Nf6, which looked much like a Keres attack. I always felt I will have some chances here. "Was it a mistake?" Well, you can't answer that.

Which was your best game?

I am very happy about my fifth game. The one with black which I won was really good. I think, with black, I was very resourceful in this match. And I defended quite well except for the eighth game where I was in real trouble. With white I was much more shaky. Like I said this is an area I have to work on.

Does winning in blitz tie-break take some of the charm out of the match?

No, not at all. You have to come out of this narrow way of looking at a game of chess. This event was conceived for the spectators who had a lovely time. I mean, it's like the Immopar Trophy (rapid event of Paris). Maybe Botvinnik turns in his grave but I don't care. It is not a scientific competition. They are trying to make it an interesting sport that can be very emotional and exciting. I never heard anyone complain that a tennis match with unforced errors is not worth seeing.

How prestigious is it to have won this match?

The Chess Classic is one of the most important fixtures in the German chess calendar. It's great to win it. As a rapid event it is the most important one in the world.

Will this rapid match reduce the possibility of finding a sponsor for a reunification match?

I don't think it hurts or helps. I think it is isolated from that. I certainly did not come here with the reunification baggage. So, I discount this possibility completely.

There is now talk of Dortmund with the event being held in the old Linares format of six players, double round robin. Will it alter the old charm there?

I think Dortmund has found its own formula. They have a classical chess formula and they should stick to it. The formula which we have here won't fit there. And I can never imagine a classical tournament here in Mainz. The event is designed to get spectators through rapid chess. I think Dortmund is quite correct to maintain its tradition and it is a good combination. In general if you have 10 more events that's even better. They don't compete with each other but complement each other nicely.

Has Dortmund copied the formula from Linares starting this year?

It's not the formula of Linares. It's called the double round robin tournament. And it's been around for 40 years. If they have a 10-player round robin it is not that they are copying what might be in some other place. It is an accepted formula which everybody uses. It doesn't have anything to do with Linares.

More stories from this issue

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment