English translation of the interview with Vladimir Kramnik in

Sport Express by Yuri Vassiliev. 26th May 2005. Original in

Russian: Source of translation: Ravi Abhyankar

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