Interview for the World Cup official website
The Russian chess player Sergey Rublevsky who was knocked out in Round two against Alexander Areshchenko (2.5-3.5) shared his impressions from the World Chess Cup with the journalists:
- It is an enormous tension, – recollects Sergey about his decisive match. – The most terrible for me was the first tie break game. At one point it seemed to me that I am in a time trouble. Then I made a wrong move. In the fourth game I could not properly press the clock – it never happened with me before. In general I did not like the new tie breaks system. It is not right to play 4 rapid games in a row. It is the same as if you would make the football players have additional match after 90 minutes of the main game. And we have to play the next day! As a conclusion I must confess that we both did not show an impressive game. I feel ashamed of myself as well as of my opponent – our game did not look like chess…
Q: Your estimation of the tournament organization?
Sergey Rublevsky: It is better and better with every Cup. The weather, to say the truth, left much to be desired. But it is not that important. It is a pity that I have to leave such a nice city so early. Anyway I am sure that the World Chess Olympiad 2010 in Khanty Mansiysk will be organized on a very high level.
Q: Lately you don’t play much… What is the reason?
Sergey Rublevsky: I have two children, I have something to do (laughing)
Q: Did you decide to spend more time with your family?
Sergey Rublevsky: No, I just don’t want to play trifling tournaments having 2700. In principle there are no tournaments for me. Opens are not considered by me. I think I should play rare but better.
Q: What is your opinion on the FIDE Grand Prix tournaments?
Sergey Rublevsky: I have no opinion, for I was not invited. I was a reserve player, though my rating was higher than two other participants. What was the system of invitation, I don’t understand by now…
Q: Perhaps per rating average?
Sergey Rublevsky: I don’t think so. I was the first in the reserve list. Two participants refused participation in the Grand Prix series, but other players were included: Rustam Kasimjanov (Uzbekistan), Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine), Evgeny Alexeev (Russia). Only one of them had a higher rating. In general, my opinion is that they should make a clear system for the Grand Prix in order to exclude situations like mine.
Q: Would you like to take part in the FIDE Grand Prix tournaments?
Sergey Rublevsky: Of course.
Q: Are you planning to take part in the Super finals of the Russian Chess Championship?
Sergey Rublevsky: I doubt it….
Q: Perhaps you’d better hire a professional manager who would take care of your business?
Sergey Rublevsky: I don’t think it would help. The calendar has such strong super tournaments like Tal Memorial, for instance. Or “unremarkable” tournaments of which I don’t care. For the players like me, there is only one worthy tournament: in Poikovsky. I can consider “Aeroflot Open” as well . Actually this is all.
Q: Do you work a lot on chess?
Sergey Rublevsky: For the number of the tournaments I take part – it is enough. I try to be aware of all chess news.
Q: You were in a team of Vladimir Kramnik when he played the World Chess Championship. Did it influence your career somehow?
Sergey Rublevsky: I did not improve much, but anyway I did not regret to have had such an experience. It is a rare opportunity to work with great chess players like Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko. And I was even paid for getting such experience!
Courtesy of the official website