Photo of the opening ceremony by chessdom
Ketino Kachiani is the only Georgian player that came to Nalchik. Here is an interview with her by Mr. Surov.
Surov: Ketino Kachiani is the only chess player from Georgia who came to Nalchik. But she represents Germany. I thank her for her agreement to talk after her loss that didn’t let her go on playing in the Championship.
Surov: You were among those Georgian chess players who wrote an open letter with a request to change the venue of the Championship because of the reasons of security. But in the long run you have come. Why?
Ketino: When we were writing this letter we were in Tbilisi and that was the territory of Georgia. Things like that don’t happen very often in capitals. Not only me but other chess players from the different countries backed up this letter. There were 8 Georgian chess players who were to participate in this tournament. I think the Championship would have been more interesting if they had been here.
The Georgian chess school is one of the best schools. Moreover it is not only a Georgian chess school. It was famous in the times of the Soviet Union. Maya Chiburdanidze has so many titles that I can’t even enumerate all of them. So I think we must support such people, such legends. But later the situation improved and I am happy about that. I think such problems must be solved peacefully. That’s why I have come here. We, sportsmen, understand each other perfectly. I am sure the same will be with politicians. They will negotiate and solve some problems. Important problems.
Surov: So you differentiate politics and sports?
Ketino: Yes. I do because I am a sportsman, a chess player. Politics is not my cup of tea.
Surov: Why do you think Georgian chess players haven’t come?
Ketino: I think it was difficult for them psychologically to play especially when such things happen to your town. I think nobody can imagine that. I myself can’t imagine that because I wasn’t there at that time. This psychological factor is very important in sport. I believe they wouldn’t be able to play comfortably. They had to solve a lot of problems within the last two days: visas, flights, problems of security, etc. These things are of utmost importance.
I think that it was psychologically difficult for the Georgian sportsmen to play. I perfectly understand them. I think the tournament like this Championship is planned beforehand. We must train, we need silence. I grew up in the Soviet Union. All my titles I got being a citizen of the Soviet Union. Now I play for Germany.
Source: Chessdom.com
I still can’t believe they didn’t delay this tournament.
When we were writing this letter we were in Tbilisi and that was the territory of Georgia. Things like that don’t happen very often in capitals.
Things like what – writing letters? Is it a bad translation?