Meet the 20 Avengers of Indian chess | Samarkand Airport | World Rapid and Blitz 2023

hi everyone I am currently in the tashk airport going to no no no no I'm in summeran airport going to Tash right now and look at what we have here we have all the chess players here and I'm going to do a video on them let's first go to withit Hello V what's up sag how are you good good how was World rapid and Blitz for you World rapid was good it ended on a better note but overall I played uh good chess so I was happy with that uh Blitz always it's like um roller coaster first day was good second day kind of ruined the tournament um but yeah that's about it uh did you enjoy playing the first like the rapid event you are very close to actually winning it almost like you till the penultimate round you would bejin compared to the previous Edition this Edition I enjoyed more playing U just because I felt like uh my game has changed a bit and it was fun to see how I would fair at the world stage and Rapid went really well Blitz I think there's lot to think about what I can improve okay and with it uh candidates lineup is now finalized eight players still not first yeah on tomorrow it will be finalized in few hours yes so there is uh now alir and who have been added to the six players who were there what are your feelings about the the players um I mean it's of course among the expected group so there are not like big surprises it was either Wesley or Anish and or these two so I think the field is very interesting the player Styles all of them have um very fighting style so it'll be a very exposive candidates yes and uh you will be now now very much focused on that right for the new year yeah yeah of course next uh few months uh completely uh thinking about that do you have um any New Year resolution to win candidates easy easy one awesome thank you with it thank you okay next we go to Angela here hello hello H hello Angela how was World rapid and Blitz for you oh w nice experience means I never play World rapid than b was my first time so I enjoy a lot so many games I lost winning so so many blers also that mostly I don't do in this rapid chest but it's okay I enjoy a lot you enjoyed it yes and uh how was overall summer for you the place where you were staying the Silk Road City super beautiful I I now love this city and I think that when it was really well organized in the tournament so I'm really happy to come here soon to loal O will come so my new year will be in airport with just player so I'm happy missing my baby and nichlas but I'm happy yes you have traveled uh now you're traveling to tournaments without your son Pony sh do you miss him and how do you manage to sort of keep your focus yes is difficult when you become mother you are all the time worried for your baby so but I think the support of nles is is super important and also anel is so attached with him the Niki I call him nikui is a super good Papa so I'm quite in that but video calls also help so much wonderful wonderful and what's your New Year resolution M first first genan 2024 tomorrow I think love more love more and think more in my myself love more and think more in myself in myself wow that's wonderful thank you Angela okay happy New Year happy New Year here we have uh six players very difficult right now to interview them because they all are playing a game but we will start with the best Avalon player on the table Surya ganguli hello Surya hi when I said best Avalon player you didn't look at me does that mean that you don't no I when I heard best I thought it would be chess player so I kept know I was like best chess player I'm looking here but then when I heard Avalon okay maybe test player is very difficult to determine on this yes yes so Aon I think we can be sure that you I I guess all of them agree except with it yes I disagree yeah Surya how was World rapid and Blitz for you thank you for this question what's your next [Laughter] question can you tell us that joke which you had said some point yeah like I think it was World Blitz uh when the blitz was taking place uh First first day after like seventh round or something I was already bleeding heavily and after a couple of losses I think frug or Nial one of them tells me don't worry you can come back and I'm like yeah that's what my family is also saying you can come back it's all the same but yeah a tough tournament I have to ask you uh that mate which happened on F2 how how is the feel how is the feeling how do you feel after such a game I mean the thing is it is quite tough like for anyone but you've taken it very well I feel like how did you manage to do that I mean okay I was not crying or anything but of course it hurts uh okay the chess explanation uh the explanation was that uh ah now I have to put a board in this also yes no but you already I already told you like I was thinking about Queen C2 basically in my mind I had played Queen C2 but uh mind was completely blocked I played Bishop D3 even when he played Knight E5 actually even paused for a couple of seconds it was not even like immediately Blitz out but in my mind Queen was always on C2 so you know I was taking and then uh some F4 is coming and so on and then I take and okay the guy is like laughing and blink que if I'm like what yeah so that's New Year resolution maybe for me which was supposed to be your next question yes that you don't want to get checkm in at least at least avoid but I think I also created a benchmark for any GS I cannot recall a single no game Vish Anand had resigned in six moves I had a talk with him the next day morning walk and he said he resigned he did not get mated yeah that's a difference I got actually mated um the only mate that comes to mind I mean we have some m in one specialist here but let's not go there uh but still it's not scholar at least after Su we didn't go there but the camera did zoom in there see I am taking all his bad lucks all the M wants now it will happen to me so that you know nice we don't want any such things in candidates but the only other meting one comes to my mind is uh this uh de FRS versus but again nothing beats this uh Queen F6 Queen F2 yeah oh this was disaster well that happens yeah it happens it happens and it doesn't really happen [Laughter] actually well you know what but I improve we we we are going one by one so there is a game you'll be able to find this white plays Rook H3 in a normal position and suddenly Queen F1 happens from B5 so if Queen F1 can happen in a class I think Robert Hanan is in s l s we'll get there but if that can happen in a classical game after you know a prolonged thought I think as a trainer we have to can be excused not a good excuse though but on a serious note what is your New Year resolution keep learning from my kids Aran they they're my best teacher that you've been doing for 3 years now yeah yeah so that I enjoy a lot that continue so one thing is is for sure like U there can be pain but suffering we can eliminate like you don't have to suffer for anything unnecessarily that's purely mental amazing this we can thank you Surya now it goes to I will go to Hello Arjun hi can you hold this Arjun how was World rapid and Blitz for you uh both good I'm sorry if your game is getting delayed is it okay getting it was good it could have been better but nothing too much to complain you finished sixth in Blitz I think it was the highest finish for an Indian there uh yes and I was actually winning with Leon in the last B Round And if I won that I I would have had some medal chances so yeah that's something to but uh did you enjoy playing in summer oh yes it it was very fun and yeah I think this is the first time I did well both rapid and Blitz last two years one went well and other how they you played so well in many games you fought like so hard and you beat that Neo you beat many strong players in this tournament right uh maybe not too many but yeah I think I was the only one to beat nepo in blitz so that's something to be proud of right and uh what is your New Year resolution going to be still driving driving oh you're going to learn driving yes do you have a car actually I learned all the day but it's been so long and I never actually D so I I so if I come to warangal next will you take me around in a car yeah when you come after 6 months yes for sure do you have a car not yet you will you buy one at some point do you I'll see I'm not a big car fan but we'll see you are a card fan Arjun uh thank you for uh this and thank you for some great games that you played it was enjoyable to follow your games it was fun thanks happy New Year happy New Year okay sure start the game yes no actually what I can do is uh nihal we can go a little bit away so that can start then one okay Nial how was B rapid and B for it was uh it was good it started really well but uh in the end the last day of both trapped down Blitz and so on yeah you were you also Drew with Magnus and your first encounter with him over the board he came down to 1 second I almost thought he'll win on time yeah it was very stressful yes why are you laughing he said he came down to once again which is which is right yeah he came down to us usual stuff in it used to be one word answer now it's just one syllabus but but uh I think at some like you enjoyed playing with him yeah yeah for sure it was my as you said my first encounter and I was really looking forward to this and also uh there was some tweets that you [Laughter] made I mean if you can tell something about it because a lot of people wanted to know and you said after the tournament you will talk about wash well okay I think I think the tweets have said enough but but uh like you felt very like it was a lot of time waste for you yeah almost 3 hours yeah that's what I I felt it's uh I feel it's quite I feel it's quite unnecessary because the quality was not good right this the first time I'm seeing Nial angry what's your New Year resolution maybe yeah that was the uh to learn driving as well driving you also you cannot copy me I was telling you anyway I did wait what what you say maybe PR will also say that only learn driving maybe do some sports blood grp CH which one do you like any sport I think you like Bon yeah like badminton I want to try like tennis amazing thank you Nial good luck and uh all the best for Aon as well no but his blood book changed this became [Music] positive okay is going to show everything in no next next okay hello PR yes how are you how was World rapid and Blitz for you first time you played your debut no one could believe you know whenever I was telling someone PR's first rapid and Blitz they were like what he's never played you said something yes yeah it was okay rapid I didn't start well but then I finished well like I finished in top 10 and Blitz I started well and then it didn't finish well so it's like that did you feel in Rapid that last round Magnus maybe you could win and you know win that not win I think you would finish in top three right yeah I had a good chance um but no I thought uh Magnus would try if fosu was also playing but at the exact moment where uh uh where fedos made a draw Magnus had the option to take Bishop C6 and make a draw so yeah that's what happened and then there was it was a very dull game yeah and uh overall like did you enjoy in Sumer uh yeah it was it was nice and also how what's your New Year resolution I said it in the queue already what did I say improve I can tell you that should be the resolution ah no I don't wait till New Year to do something wow so if let's say today you decided that you want to do something and New Year came then would you ion for it to pass up anyways I don't do that that is the point but you have any there's no aim for the year or like vidit mentioned he wants to win the candidates yeah okay you also yeah it's possible last question I wanted to ask you is what are your thoughts on candidates uh now that they players are confirmed yeah it's very strong and yeah like uh I think with gkes coming in we have more probability of winning uh one of us winning so it's good uh you're you're holding that ah wrong yeah yes not a pro okay good luck PR thank you and I'll let you play the card game now bye bye PR is generally the most excited to do the interview but when it starts he does not his excitement goes down yeah I'm excited for a okay we'll quickly do it then you guys can play no I'm not playing so yeah how was the world rapid in lit it was okay decent performance compared to the previous time I think I improved my skills a bit so you actually beat some very good players right yeah in BS I beat hike also some others I bit I cannot remember also I played against Guk rajabu um Abdu sat against Abdu sat won in the rapid rapid yes so I think yeah I got this I don't know what to say like I think I improved over my performance of the previous are which was like was like even here in the blitz First first day I scored it and half there I think in aan I played so bad and totally I I could score only 10 and a half like first day it was 4 and a half or something so so I think yeah my BL skills have improv yeah also like 40 points I gained in completes here and also in Yow Bri at around 30 points or 70 points would it be right to say that you are in the best chess phase of your life right now maybe I'm yeah I'm playing well right now all the tournaments I'm playing quite consistently well so yeah I'm happy with it like the year didn't start so well for me but towards the end I picked up the pace and I'm playing well so I'm satisfied and what's your New Year resolution for 2024 for sure one of them is to learn this game avone rest I'll that will happen with before 2024 yes today it will happen so other than that uh I don't know I'll just keep playing many tournaments in general nothing changes for me just okay one year I'll get older other than that I'll I'll just do whatever I'm doing right now maybe improve myself as a person yeah that's all rest I'll I'll see how it comes and as you had said that keeping an aim like 2700 is not helpful for you so that's why you don't want to keep such aims right yeah yeah I'll just try to give my best and see where it goes yeah yeah fantastic thank you guys thanks guys now the Avalon game begins here and Adie can I ask you before you sit here yes Edie how was World rapid and Blitz for you oh it was horrible by my usual standards but uh which one did you enjoy more rapid or Blitz uh yeah I think Blitz I finally had a good start I even played uh B3 on one against Hanish again so oh you play B no I have the video You the video I saw you should make like a short short I didn't know it was B3 first move because I went to the end and saw you won yeah of course then you should know yeah wow that's amazing uh so the no I was happy that your video was there I was like okay now we have because otherwise Anish will say I never did it yeah and there will be no proof yeah now it's already there on online game you had beaten him one B3 right yeah yeah online W it yeah so this is nice yeah and uh for you personally you also were at the top board right and the Blitz at some point yes exactly I think I was uh with 10 points and I was in the top and but then I lost four in a row which was horrible and then uh yeah after that yeah there was no chance I think yeah so and uh ad what is your New Year resolution for 2024 New Year resolution yeah uh many things but basically to become the Beast yeah again the Beast returns yeah something like that wow amazing thank you ad and good luck yeah thanks all the best yeah thanks that is adiban and now we'll come this side and we have Vali hello Wali how are you you can hold it in your hand also yeah I'm good sorry so Wali this was your first tournament after you became a GM yes how I didn't realize that yeah is the first time that you played as a GM yes although my title is not yet out but yeah did you enjoy World rapid and BL yeah I generally enjoy shorter format yeah yeah I generally enjoy shorter format but uh okay results didn't go well this time but yeah I really enjoyed playing in Rapid and Blitz which one did you fair with better than or you didn't play well in uh no no rapid I think I did well to some point and uh in second half I think I scored like one bar five or 1 bar four something like this so uh second half could have been better but yeah one thing which really impressed me is during the uh tie break of humpy he were standing there with so much of worry and tension and you were watching it so carefully can you tell me what was going through within you yeah I got to know like she's playing tie breaks I mean I thought okay I can go back to room and sit but okay I thought I'll just watch here okay AA is playing and also at the same time PR was playing Magnus so I had more reasons to wait there like both were playing on first board so I was looking there year I was moving around and it was nice to follow like especially aa's match like she had played like four games and every game was very intense and her composure after winning or losing she came back the death match I mean the sudden death uh it was really nice to follow it live like very closely right and here you both were alone right your parents had not come to this event yeah like usually our mother ACC companies and this time we thought we'll give her some break so we both came and yeah it was fun to man manage things on our own did you cook in the room yes it was supposed to be secret but everyone now that you're leaving you can say it what did you cook mean nothing much we just kept Fri and ate with some pickles and amazing andali what is your New Year resolution okay I have some things in my head but uh let me keep it secret aha yeah but candidates are you excited yes yes very much uh something I'm really looking forward to the next year I have like lot of things next year to look forward to like I'm very excited to step into 2024 wow that's so nice generally people are scared not New Year and all but you are no no no of course like I'm very excited I mean this year I think I'm even more excited like the previous time can I can I give you one resolution what is it to do more interviews I know you're going for it but I didn't say no for this one even a of man you when you asked it was like and also won that event so in a yeah I had no choice but to give interviews after winning every game yes yes and um candidates uh you know now know the players there's also going to be humpe to tonight it will be she will be the number two in the world so by the rating spot she will get the spot how how is the field according to you oh yeah it's very strong like everyone are like experience they have played candidates also like the previous times and so on and uh what can I say I'm very excited to be playing being there to be one among them it will be good experience for me also and I'm hoping to win yeah and you also played J and junor yes that is the one game I think I'm very uh I mean I got to play for the first time over the board I played once in pro league but this was the first time I played over the board and it was very exciting game you drew with her yeah I was worse at some point and I was winning and yeah it was up TOS but I really enjoyed playing uh yeah it was nice I think one good game I think I mean one game which I enjoyed a lot amazing amazing all the best for 2024 and maybe if you achieve some of your resolutions you can tell us sure okay yeah thank you thank you and next up we have Arin by hello AR how are you hold this yeah yes you can hold it closer to your how how is uh it going for you how was World rapid and Blitz great I mean rapid did not go as planned but Blitz I did pretty well Blitz you finished right at the top right yeah finished 14th that's amazing even I I could not believe at this you you beat some good players yeah a few good yes yes could you tell us who against jordano wow wow few more like I could not remember but you have played it so many times amazing amazing uh did you enjoy playing this tournament in summeran yeah of course like it's a risk free tour know I mean why why would you call risk free I mean in classical you will be worrying of rating all those stuff this this one I don't really care about it so so you can play free chairs and you won some prize money as well I think 14 players has a good price I think it's around some $5,000 nice and what's uh next for you what this 2024 hold for you do you have any resolutions that you made um I haven't thought of one now we have asked it probably not to watch just basing their videos hey why And subscribe India why not to watch no just kidding I thought you spent lot of time in 2023 watching so you want to save time yeah probably yeah every time I go to YouTube I go for Chase Bas in the Arts maybe you can you can make a resolution that you only will watch it when you do the interview for your interview also like I yeah I got one more day so I will think about it but do you make resolutions everyone makes resolution but only few follow them so mostly I mean I will try to follow them if I make is it a good time for you to reveal your uh Fitness uh thing because I I'm not fit at all I mean like someone has lied to you you are right no I'm not fit to be honest someone told me that you have six packs but having six packs is not fit I mean but do you have it yes yes some yeah was it easy to get it yeah I mean I don't have like six packs fully I mean I'm not the right right person to ask but yeah but everything you need to work hard to get something so you mainly focus on exercise or food uh focusing on only on exercise that's not good thing I need to focus on food as well cuz my diet plan is so bad so yeah awesome Arin thank you for your time and also for doing this and we are going to follow you in 2024 because you played so well in 2023 uh I think you had some great performances so keep up great thank you great performance thank you next up we have sandipan hello s forab yes we have to tell sandipan actually uh did make us eat wasabi uh when we were young and uh had no clue what it it was so the the uh punishment for that is that this interview Sagar is trying to say that they were young I was still old even then no you very experienced you had eaten a lot of Wasabi in your life experienced is a most sophisticated ter yeah sandipan how was World rappid and blits for you yeah it was uh an interesting challenge it was um a very tough event but I did not expect it otherwise and um the rapid was uh more interesting in terms of res the blitz became too fast for me so but you played so well in Rapid yeah you are in I think tough positions but you are saving so many of them like very resourceful you are uh yeah uh probably I mean still I uh did not really think too much about my games because uh just after the tournament the emotions are still quite high at some point I will try to are are you looking at the games right now yeah we're looking at some some other game oh not from this event and sandipan um you know I've never seen you teaching as such but from all the performances that are happening around it feels like you are doing an amazing job at training you know uh you training at Waka uh even you were working with Wali uh even vishi when I have spoken to him has been speaking very highly about your training uh can you tell us a bit about that are you very much into it uh and giving all your attention and time to it yeah it uh just uh training just uh started taking over a lot of time uh so I was not really a trainer before this covid uh days and uh I honestly I do not really know how much it is about uh the concrete uh stuffs that we discuss but it is probably a lot uh more abstract and um basically I think no one exactly knows uh what is uh like uh some best way to improve or something like that because then Champions could be produced in factories but I think it is just about spending some good time without uh really aiming for uh always aiming for something concrete and then uh the results often come when we are not expecting it at all so that's that's what Wali also mentioned in her interview there in is of man she said that she had stopped enjoying playing chess and I think you had told her that just play for the fun of it and that game she played that Bishop e and all that amazing sacrificial game so it's it's it's very nice that what you are actually saying the students are able to apply it yeah it is um I wish I could remind myself as well this from from time to time and it is uh uh it is probably why we started playing chess we we need to enjoy it but there are this this uh practical aspects their life and uh the pressure always uh not always but quite often takes over but uh it is good to remind ourselves why we pleases and if uh we are enjoying and also when we are at home if the training process itself is uh enjoyable that makes a lot of sense because what happens for professional players thanks to this opening uh opening work that we have to do it becomes more like a work and less of uh less of why we got attracted to the game in the first place right so yeah so let's let's see it is easy to say this and it is easy to implement even when we are just have playing normal tournaments but when uh some very important events come up then I think uh we always start worrying what to play against him or her and all these things take over but this is really this is uh a very detailed area of Chess but the very Basics the very Basics should be more enjoyable and I wanted to ask you as you are sandipan for the Waka students who was who has been the sandipan in your life like you know who was the person who taught you these things uh well my training uh thing uh of course I spent a lot of time with Anand and his team so that um that's uh the more professional work like the professional approach and everything this uh so the process of working uh in a professional manner that thanks to Anand and his team when whenever I work I learned a lot but uh the enjoyment of the game I think this we everyone uh like all of us we knew it all along we just from time to time we forget about it and then sometimes we again remember and and come back like uh I do not know any single player who uh did not get attracted to the game by the beauty of it yes so for all of us and that's the that lies at the base but we do forget it and again we have to come that so I think it is not really no one teaches these things but we already know it we just sometimes we have to remember fantastic well zip and I asked you a few more questions than others because it's always difficult to get get hold of you so thank you for answering them and lastly I want to ask you what is your New Year resolution for 2024 oh I did not even think about it I uh I I really do not think in this uh numbers like uh new here and all these things but uh yeah but saying that it can be interesting to uh think of some resolution and I try to stick to it for some time this is uh yeah that will be interesting I've been telling everyone uh you can make a resolution of doing more interviews with me with more interviews oh yeah yeah I mean to everyone but could could be with you no okay it was just a joke thanks for clarifying thank you s next up we have gukesh hello guki hello sag how are you I'm good GES how was World rapid and Blitz for you uh it was an interesting experience like At first I wasn't sure if I was going to be here but okay at the last moment I decided to come and there was some very good games some bad games but I enjoyed it and also uh the candidates uh got finalized here so now you a candidate congratulations how is that feeling uh it's quite nice um already after Chennai I knew it was quite likely but yeah it's finally nice to get it done with uh lot of people said that in Chennai it was maybe not easy uh as um you know you are playing in Hometown and such pressure do you now feel that what you achieved there was actually special um you also tweeted saying that finally a good result you know after a long wait no I I did feel that I was so longing to play a good event and some good games actually but uh so I was really happy um I guess it's a special achievement considering the stakes and like the the backstory and everything but okay I played a couple of good games and it was not very high level uh performance I would say but considering the stakes it was quite a clutch performance so but you were looking also quite relaxed you weren that tensed know there kind of I I mean before uh before Chennai I was spending some couple of days in London and there I was like um my uncle had come and we were having like we went for some sight sing and we were having fun so that that kind of helped me and I was more in a relaxed state of mind and also in Chennai I knew exactly what to play for what I'm doing and I was fully focused so I knew that was the last chance so yeah it's like fully focused and yeah amazing and uh what do you feel about the candidates field alira has made it through the rating spot it's now you prag withit um Magnus has is not going to play so niat uh there's Fabby Hikaru nepo Neo what do you think of the field uh surely very strong field um so there's a mix of uh this new new players in the elite and the well established players like with BR myself naat we're all new uh at this level relatively new but fabbi nepo Hikaru they've all been established so uh it'll be quite interesting uh lot of exciting players so a lot of exciting games also yes it will be a fighting tournament that's what I feel I don't think there's anyone who is very solid here everyone takes risks I guess yeah yeah surely there'll be a lot of fighting games and uh yeah really really looking forward to playing there yeah and what's your New Year resolution 2024 like actually when you were asking others I was thinking of I was trying to think of something I I haven't given much thought to it but um probably now because of sandip and like sandip's advice I'll try to enjoy chess more I mean last few months it's it has not been uh okay I I did enjoy when I played good chess but when you play so horribly start to feel so horrible so yeah next year probably I'll try to enjoy just more M and also become better at tennis that I'm just playing as a hobby I'm just uh enjoying uh enjoying tennis but okay it'll be nice to get better there also thank you bukes and all the best for the new year thank you and next up should we go this side let's finish here we have Aditya here hello adita adita how was World rapid and Blitz for you you can hold it in your hand how was it it was a very good experience uh first time for you and no it was the second time second I I was also there in 2021 and it's like a great great tournament uh it was not uh the result was not that good for me but it was uh also not bad I think uh in both the tournaments I had some streaks in between of a few wins so so overall it was decent I think I got uh 50% in Rapid and plus two in blits wow so yeah it was okay and uh yeah it was a tough event very uh very long very G gring and normally I don't say this but I'm tired now now but you have a long way ahead yeah here you go to taskan taskan to Delhi Delhi to Mumbai traveling is not a problem yeah not not a problem but but you won't play much uh in the next month or so or you have already something planned no next month I don't have anything planned uh for next year it's nothing is clear yet but yeah I'll try to find tournaments whenever there's a chance do you have any New Year resolutions for yourself um well I've never been someone who keeps resolutions but this time I was thinking of making one but uh okay I won't say it right now ah when would you say it maybe once I start seeing that I'm implementing it okay okay that would take an entire year or you think well no it would be clear in the first few months I guess oh really okay so then we'll ask you at some point okay thank you and good luck for your uh next year that you will play and also uh breaking into 2600 and Beyond going closer to 2700 I think that could be not a resolution but one of the a a for sure yeah thank you so much fantastic okay so there we have Aditya and now we move on to this side and we have Atara hello Atara hello Atara you were the only Arbiter from India at the world rapid and Blitz yes how did that feel well I was not an Arbiter actually you are a fair play officer yes I was a fair play expert for the tournament it felt good good but obviously not having anyone else from India was actually a bit boring at sometimes I mean not the player not the players not the players because my hotel didn't have many players so it was only for f officials so it was kind of boring after the round and dinner yeah but you know I've got to know that India I mean gopa Kumar is well known for his fair play things but there are not many who have learned all these things uh you might be one of the very few who's learning it uh yes I attended the seminar in Baku at the World Cup and then this is my first appointment by F so let's see how it goes are you also one of the youngest IAS of India uh no not the youngest there are many I think swapnil was youngest and maybe then many more later but actually I've passed the fa seminar when I was 17 but I didn't pursue it later so I just became what makes you sort of get into this arbit because you're also a strong player your uh your rating is about 2200 right yes I'm I'm still playing it's not like I've left but uh it's like you know once I was sitting at home and it was like nothing to do so many age group tournaments which I cannot I mean participate so I was like why not be an Arbiter yeah so I discovered that when I was young but later now it's catching interest like somehow you have to get involved in chess here and obviously player I'm uh playing and still want to become like these guys but so I think like just uh being around them maybe helps so I don't know let's see but also what you are doing in the field of Arbiters ship is very very important I think for Indian chess I yes thank you and do you have a New Year resolution well to get fit maybe to get fit yes that until going to the gym maybe going to the gym I mean do something yeah maybe eat healthy eat healthy okay or eat less eat less very difficult to do that in Pune yes because all good anywhere anywhere is difficult Pune is mostly difficult but yes thank you ATA and good luck and also yes one of the highlights of your uh this event was interacting with Magnus and sort of taking him to the fair play room yeah yeah yeah I mean well it's part of my job and uh well interacting with him that was my first time because I missed the Chennai Olympiad I went to play in Vietnam but uh so this was nice uh interacting with him and uh when I asked him to you know please could you follow me for the fair play check he said maybe I maybe my game was too good yeah so I so maybe then he was in a very good mood yeah obviously I mean when you win it it's obviously good mod fantastic thank you at yeah thank you okay next up we have Rak hello Rak hello how are you I'm good how are you Rak you uh how was World rapid and Blitz for you I think Blitz was better than the rapid is it right yes for sure Blitz I was plus five and six rounds to go I had this tough game against sindara where I could repeat on like several moves then I tried to over push and just Blended a rook on B2 but it's fine part of the game happens and then after that loss it was not easy to recover yeah I tilted I lost four in a row and then after that already I was not fighting for something serious and how was rapid rapid I was it didn't go well maybe I don't know I was tired a bit after playing in Moscow but it's fine yeah these things happen this was like my first bat tournament in 6 months so it's fine new year new start you've been playing really well no uh last few months have been excellent for you winning tournaments gaining rating you cross 2650 yeah yeah it has been absolutely perfect the second half of the Year first half was fine but second half was really good and it's fine one bad tournament here and there can happen with anyone right and what's your new your resolution uh enjoy life play chess and just enjoy yeah I don't yes enjoy life that's amazing it's amazing thank you Rak thank you so much for your time and next up we have somia hello somia hello hi SI this was your first world rapid and Blitz how was it for you uh so I was super excited to be here I met you on day it was so happy I was very happy so I think overall it was very it was a very good Vision to come and play but I wouldn't I think my game quality needs to improve drastically to be able to compete for something over here but it was a very good decision to at least come and play and I'll definitely play next you got to know now what you can work on definitely and also you feel good when you play against good players and you just feel like you're giving yourself that opportunity to perform and if you don't perform it's fine but at least you should give yourself that opportunity so I'm really happy about that and my Blitz was uh actually really bad my rapid was okay my Blitz was very bad so that's why the last day of the tournament I was feeling very bad but it's okay like it's part of the game and you need to take the losses in order to enjoy the wins so it's okay it's part Al classical chess is something that you excel in right yeah but I'm trying to change uh like like I nowadays I'm happy to play any kind of Chess I'm not partial to one so I've changed my mindset because I think rapid and Blitz is here to stay and I realized that quite late but I'm really like have started enjoying all formats of Chess rather than just one so I'm really happy about that fantastic and somia what would be your New Year resolution for 2024 yeah I was thinking about it because I knew you asking this question to everyone so I was thinking about it in the meanwhile my newer resolution is to trust myself wow yeah that's my new resolution yes yes I mean lot of people give many different answers like want to enjoy the year some have said that you know we want to learn driving and so on young youngsters who young I think s's New Year resolution would be buying new chess board Oh by yes can it's beautiful it's right behind you I'll just ask my friend AA to yeah we have spent 2 hour No 1 Hour 1 hour and half an hour was spent get thank you for it's very beautiful yes it looks really good in fact this the pieces isn't this uh very it's like a caravan sort of theme Caravan theme Andi centr as glossy it's like Aladin Arabian KN right right okay let's see the pieces now and this is how yeah one second I'll just I'll open it yeah but anyway you have to open it oh so these are the pieces this is it can either be white or black yeah this is a pawn okay uh this is the king obviously not so obvious not so obvious probably no this is also a pawn was wrong hey I want to show you the night it's very cute I want to show you the night it's very cute see it has a tail also it's so cute I found a cleen W it's so cute this chest but you know Saia this chest set is a little bit not kid friendly yes it has too many points H it's you be care for adults only I don't I don't have any kids in my house no no I was saying that it looks risky yeah it's very nice I'm so excited about it and I think I I really like the part of this uh this tail this Tail cute I love the colors it's very colorful H this is the king W yeah yeah this is and uh queen queen you yeah this is the queen it's like a Minar oh nice uh somia if you like collecting chess sets not I mean I I love chess so anything to do with chess I like collecting but I don't have too many chess sets my f I told you the story know about my first Marvel my first fancy chest set so I think I I was wrong about the figure it must not be 10,000 which I mentioned earlier it must but it was very expensive but you know you told me but all those who are listening this do not know oh this is live is it okay no no no it's not live okay it is recorded So when I was a kid we went when I started playing CH we went to udur and uh then I got a really uh I saw a really fancy marble chest set and I threw a big tantrum to my mom like I refused to leave the shop and it was very expensive it was about 2,000 or 3,000 rupes it's a big deal 98 May huge fored my mom to buy it and I still have it it's very beautiful I'm going to come to your place and see it someday thank you so that's my first fancy CH wow wow and now we bought it another one after nearly 22 23 years Lots [Laughter] Dada amazing amazing cool thank you sa by and next up we have Savita hello Savita hi Savita how was the tournament for you you are playing at many of the games on the top boards right uh well the rapper in the first half it was like a I I scored one and a half out of four so it was a very poor start but in the second and third day like I managed to win some of the games so yeah like last round I drew wait I was winning but I wasn't able to convert it so like I think it was a decent yeah it was a decent but the blitz I think it was terrible yeah like I I in the first day like I scored four out of nine like I lost many games where I was completely winning uh but okay it's Blitz but in the second year like I lost four consecutive rounds it's like it was like yeah like so the blitz was really terrible didn't you beat Hara in what was rapid yeah it was in the rapid I think it was in the 10th round yeah so did did winning the medal last year put some pressure on you like uh yes yeah I had some expectation uh especially in the rap area like uh okay like I thought I or at least 10 or something yeah so yeah I did had some expectation but of course it didn't go on that way but it's a good learning experience yes definitely uh yeah I think like a good start is very important like for you because it will give you a lot of motivation like if you play well in the first few rounds so yeah but of course I learned a lot of less lessons what is your New Year resolution for 2024 I don't have any actually like uh yeah I just wanted to improve my chest and also like I will try to focus on my f flexibility also like uh trying to go for the gym yeah and also like going for gym also like yeah like I have to do that yeah like somehow so nice I think that's a bit difficult for me because yeah it's it's not that easy yeah so you so do you go to the gym yeah I think I have to no till now I'm not so ah but you want to go yeah I do want to go oh amazing amazing all the best thank you so much okay okay rakita hello hi rakita you played really well yes you gained lot of rating points in Blitz yeah in Blitz I played well like the first day was really good the second day I lost four games continuously and it was really bad first day I bet many good players can you tell us those players you beat um I bet Vali I bet uh Maria Muk enina crash and uh Daniel Elina and I drew with humpy and it was like this is like you're playing some gropery or something yeah this opponents yeah but I just spoiled it in the second day I lost four games and it was uh bad but okay it's my first time the world rappid and Blitz so it's okay and you will uh also the rapid how was that one for you it was decent like it was not good not bad either it was okay right and now actually you both are going to Hungary isn't it yeah we're going for the J Camp how how excited are you guys I'm so excited because she's one of my yes really yeah yeah she's my favorite she one of the strongest players right right yeah so but you know when you started playing she had already retired no by then still you know the stories yeah I she is my inspiration all time it's a very good pleasure for us to like train with her and also it's for two weeks yeah it's going to be huge yes so really excited to see how it goes fantastic raak and your New Year resolution uh it's a secret secret huh yeah will you reveal it at some point maybe I don't know okay I'm not sure if I'll okay I'll tell it later when if I do what I am thinking I'll tell when would you be able to finish it like I don't know okay we'll we'll let you reveal it when you finish it yeah okay thank you so much welcome did you heard what guys this is raak Savita Som Atara raak adiban oh pranesh is left only person who left here hello pranesh you cannot escape the camera yeah okay no no just now pranes was telling I managed to say I was doing a final review and I was like oh he's left so pranesh how was World rapid and Blitz for you um it was I played like decent yeah not like great but not like bad it's the first time for you yeah yeah so how how was the experience you know in the same Hall all the top players were playing yeah it was really good I get to meet other players and it was really good did you beat some good players uh some 26 and 27 I think I bet but not like 27 also you beat yeah but I played with wait I have to think about it I don't know you don't remember 27 okay okay probably aseno I think I beat yeah you beat aseno wow and some I play like so many and 30 in Rapid to check so so it was it was a good for learning for you first time and um can you tell us what is your New Year resolution that you have anything that you want to do no no no it's like it's like normal only not like new something something it's just another day for tomorrow yeah it'll be and uh you have all your friends here uh are you enjoying yeah of course it's like the flight is full of chest yeah yeah yeah it was really nice fantastic well ranesh all the best and thank you thank you okay so there we have it gkes sandipan adiya arind adiban oh bat is left thank God we noticed bat we almost missed you how are you you are you are one of the finds of this tournament how could we miss you how was it for you the world rapid uh yeah it was a great experience especially since it was my first time playing I didn't have uh much expectations coming into this tournament I just wanted to like enjoy and play the game but yeah it turned out uh very well and I'm happy yeah in the rapid you were playing on the top boards right yeah you were like almost on like uh the lead after how many rounds uh I don't think I was in the lead but I was like in top 10 to 15 cons recently yes up till some point and you also played Magnus yeah I played Magnus uh in Blitz ah in Blitz yes and Magnus actually told you after the game that you played well and he also spoke to nrk and said that he gave a very good fight yeah yeah I saw that and I was actually looking at the game very closely he was putting pressure and you were finding some great moves like ruk 2 and all that like were you happy with the way you played yeah I was uh happy with the way I played I played um against him in Qatar before uh that game I felt I didn't play very uh that very well I felt the win was quite easy for white uh for Magnus but uh this time I think I um played very well I think I had like a slightly better position uh for some point and but I made a blunder at the end with i just touch the pawn and if I move the pawn I lose everything F6 yeah Rook C8 was the first mistake actually I lose the E5 Pawn but that position also was like nearly plus one for right but it's like not immediately losing but uh yeah I miss this bishop D2 Bishop B4 idea of his which was uh um quite brilliant I didn't uh see that like he spotted it like within 2 seconds I think which was uh uh Bishop D2 I played Queen B3 to stop Bishop B4 but Bishop B4 was coming anyway because Fon was hanging so yeah I I was actually uh I was hoping for more but yeah I'm actually kind of happy with the way I played especially getting a compliment from uh Magnus is very special yeah who are some of the players you beat in this tournament uh I think many yeah I think I beat kimer Vincent in the rapid first round and then I um and then third round I beat a strong Chinese GM and then third round and then after that sixth round I beat sander and then after that um after that I beat I think uh M off in the and before that I beat sabrino bralo and like I made a couple of draws in between and I think I lost three games so yeah last round um last round I was 8 on 12 I think so um if I had won I think I would have been in like top five because of the I had like very good book hols but I lost and then I got like 27th or something but yeah I was uh very happy to be there itself so yeah is there something You' have done recently that has helped you play so well because I think this is a very breakthrough event for you um I didn't do anything like special for this tournament like I've been playing shorter form mats for uh consistently like uh not like in preparation for this tournament but in general I've been playing uh shorter formats so maybe I think that helped quite a bit because um if I had just played the rapid out of the blue I think I would have gone into time foress almost every round so what you practiced at home uh no I was just uh I think I played a lot of this chess.com rapid events and also like some over theboard rapid events I mean local events so I think that helped very much fantastic that's wonderful uh and bat do you have a New Year resolution uh no as of now I don't have any nothing nothing related to chess as well uh in chess maybe I uh I want to cross 2600 next year yeah well I I'm sure you will do it the way you played here was just phenomenal huge congratulations to you thank you okay that was bat and I believe we've covered all the Indian players here now they are all very tired not because of the interview but in general it has been a gruelling event for each one of them and thank you all for listening so hi Sagar the most awaited I'm I'm like a hostage here to most waited interview is here so Sagar it is your fifth time at the world rapid fourth time fourth how was your experience this time it was different because am wasn't there and very happy I shouldn't laugh but uh you know I I I'm actually I don't usually say this but I missed her really because um [Laughter] no not that she makes food and all but not that she makes good not that she can cook but yeah let's go you are all are trapping him the thing is we both had this unspoken sink between US during World rapid so we would look at each other's eyes and we were like oh there's a critical game there let's run and so you know we had this nice coordination but the good thing was this time we had a team there were three more people Shahid abuda and adya and we worked as a team together we were working late in the night they would wake up early in the morning so it was a nice learning for them as well first time they attended rapid and bits what was the highlight of the tournament I think for me world rapid and Blitz is like getting a master class from Magnus because what I do is I generally set up the camera and I stand at the board looking at everything that he does right from making the moves to his Expressions to the time he thinks not in Rapid because rapid sometimes it's too long but Blitz every game I'm looking and the moment it ends I go and upload it because I know exactly what has happened so I write like Magnus thought for 90 seconds on one move or you know Magnus played an amazing move or something like this so for me a world rapid and Blitz really is one of the attractions were you tempted to play no no actually actually the thing is uh I I see that uh it's so becoming so tough here uh and so many young kids like this 8-year-old boy had beat two beaten two GMS and two IMS my mind is blown at 8 how can you do this so uh yeah I enjoy do what doing what I'm doing awesome so what is your New Year resolution you asked this question to everyone your turn um to tell you the truth uh I've stopped making them because I really am enjoying each each and every day of what I'm doing like it's uh not at all uh uh resolution oriented that this is what I earlier I used to make and of course it as like with many of the people it used to fall off in the first month itself but now I'm really enjoying what I'm doing so today is like what tomorrow will be in a similar way I'll enjoy uh I'm very keen on uploading this uh video but anything which you are aiming for like m in 2024 yeah I want to sort of um be like whatever happens I want to be very very um happy and so not happy but in the moment and to find the best solution in that moment so I I don't want to be um thinking about the past or something like that you know I want to focus on so you're in the perfect mindset for rapid and I'm actually in the perfect mindset to play but I don't know if I I will do well I can play will you be back on playing chess again uh not doesn't look likely especially with all of you playing so well but you can become a GM you know same goes to you and and actually yes and I I enjoy documenting this journey a lot more um right now if ever I plan to become a GM it would be only to sort of break my uh certain uh preconceived notions about what it means to play chess because I had certain ways of playing chess certain ways of preparation which are now no longer um that good so if I want to become a GM then I should take it as a personal Challenge and not as something like oh GM title would be great that way oh wonderful wonderful to he answer very philosophical anwers thank you Mr chess B India thank you thank you for interviewing [Music] me

Channel: ChessBase India

Views: 65,821

Keywords: chessbaseindia, interviews, chesstraining, improvechess, chess, how to play chess

Id: yFI0my2mymk

Length: 67min 24sec (4044 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 02 2024