Karjakin interview

Sergey KARJAKIN: “I KNOW IT IS NOT EASY FOR SHAKHRIYAR NOW”

At the press conference after the game, the Russian Grandmaster Sergey Karjakin compared the situation of his opponent Shakhriyar Mamedyarov with the situation he had after he was defeated by the Czech player David Navara in the first game of Round 2.

• You have such an unpleasant feeling, – says Sergey. – You feel like you are on the verge of disaster. You should not make mistakes. One wrong step and everything is over.

• Tell us about your impressions on your game of today.

• It was tough enough. There was a winning position for me at one point. But I blundered and allowed my opponent to get counter chances. However I did not see a clear way for black to win.

• Your coach Yuri Dokhoyan was making deprecative comments on the way you chose to realize the advantage.

• I agree with him. I played not well in the endgame.

• You are the first player who could choose a key for your opponent.

• Yes, Shakhriyar’s performance at this tournament is very impressive. Somewhere he was lucky with pairings. (His opponent Laznicka was exhausted after his matches against Morozevich and Bologan and was not himself in the match of Round 4). But in general he played with dignity. To my mind my opponent from Azerbaijan will not have as easy life as with other opponents. I think I don’t fit him, due to my different style of play.

• What is your personal score in your mutual matches?

http://ugra-chess.ru/eng/interv_27.htm