Press conference
by Eric van Reem
Entertainment and creativity guaranteed
The 10th edition
of the Chess Classic Mainz has begun! The tournament that started
in 1994 and had its highlight in 2000, when the top ten of the
world list came together in Frankfurt, has become one of the most
important chess events in the world. For the third time the tournamant
is taking place in Mainz, the city that lies on the banks of the
river Rhine. Organiser Hans-Walter Schmitt not only moved the
tournament from Frankfurt to Mainz in 2001, the 51-year old chess
lover changed the formula of the event as well. In 2001 Vishy
Anand won a tight match against Vladimir Kramnik and last year
he won against FIDE World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov. Says Schmitt:
“Amateurs can play chess in the Chess 960 or Ordix Open
in the afternoon, and in the evening we present the superstars
of chess in a high-profile match. Entertainment guaranteed!”
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Rapid Chess Match: Anand-Polgar
Quelle: Chess-International.de
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This year Schmitt found another attractive
opponent for the Indian favourite: Judit Polgar, the best female
player ever, number 11 of the FIDE rating list for men and No.1
in the women list for more than 12 years running. Defending Champion
Anand was all at caution, in the press conference the genial Indian
quipped: “ This is a match between two top players. I don´t
feel additional pressure, just because Judit is a woman. I don´t
like to think in categories like man against woman or man against
machine.”
Judit Polgar, who just arrived from Budapest
this afternoon said that she studied Anand´s games from
Dortmund. “Vishy had a bad start, but he played some impressive
games in Dortmund. I particularly liked his game against Bologan.
I had some time to prepare for the match and I worked very hard.
Vishy is the favourite though, because his rating is higher, but
look out for me also tomorrow, as I have been preparing.”
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Chess 960 Rapid Match: Leko-Svidler
Another important match to be played in Mainz tomorrow
is the match between Peter Leko and Peter Svidler, who will play for
the world title under Chess 960 version.
They will play 8 rapid games under Chess 960, a chess variant
in which the pieces on the back rank are randomly drawn. 960
diferent starting position are possible in this version, where
theory and preparation takes the back seat and it is pure and
original chess.
Hans-Walter Schmitt, one of the Chess 960 pioneers said at
the press conference: “ Why do so many avid chess players
leave the community of chess after finishing their education
and studies or when setting up a family? Why does the interest
in their own game or in public worldwide events vanish abruptly
in this period of life? Don´t people responsible for chess
have enough to offer for people with little spare time? Chess960
is a very good alternative because the chess lovers don´t
have to spend time learning opening novelties in the Sveshnikov
on move 25! They just play chess again.”
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With the contest between Leko and Adams and the celebrity
tournament in 2001 as well as with the first significant Chess960 Open
in Mainz with 34 grandmasters and altogether 131 participants in 2002,
it was proven that Fischer´s idea can be realised and that even
great joy and enthusiasm can be brought up among players.
Peter Leko is happy to play Chess960 again and the
Hungarian Super Grandmaster added, “I don´t have to prepare
some openings for this match. In normal tournament games 90% is preparation
and here I have to be concentrated and creative from move one on. I
like that! Some starting positions are tricky, in some positions white
has an advantage. It is important to equalize the position with the
black pieces, and then bounce back.
His rival, Russian Grandmaster Peter Svidler said,
“I agree, it is not always easy to play with black. But what I
like is that I don´t have to prepare openings and since I like
to be lazy, Chess 960 is a perfect chess variant for me.” Vishy
Anand added: “Judit and I will try to play some creative and attractive
chess in our match as well. We will play not just our prepared moves,
but something more.”
Spectators, journalists, sponsors and sports enthusiasts
can enjoy the presentation of these world class contests in the banks
of Rhine at Rhinegoldhalle at Hotel Hilton Mainz.
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