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29/08/2011, 18:19 |
SERGEY MOVSESIAN: I WILL WALK AROUND KHANTY MANSIYSK FOR THE FIRST TIME
Official website: http://chess.ugrasport.com
The Armenian Grandmaster Sergey Movsesian defeated the Women’s World Champion Hou Yifan in both games. At the press conference the opponents narrated about the course of the two-day battles.
— Sergey, how is it to play against a woman in a serious tournament? Or at the chess board you don’t consider her a woman but the World Champion?
Movsesian: Frankly speaking one rarely has a chance to play against the Women’s World Champions. It is obvious that it is not the most comfortable opponent for the 1st round. Despite her youth Hou Yifan has a very big experience in participating in knock out tournaments. That is why when I saw the pairing list I was a bit upset. As I expected it was a tense fight though I won two games. The fact is that In both games my opponent has had good chances not to lose.
— Yifan, what did you fail to do in the match?
Yifan: I had a chance to survive in the first game but did not manage to use it. In the second I made a rough mistake in the middle game and could not hold the position.
— After being knocked out in the previous World Cup you took part in the Ugra Governor’s Cup which started almost at the same time. Are you planning to participate this time as well?
Yifan: This time I would not be able to play the Governor’s Cup. The second stage of the Women’s FIDE Grand Prix series starts on the 6 August in Chinese Shenzhen, I am playing there.
— Sergey, who is your next opponent?
Movsesian: even if you did not look into the pairing list, you could guess that my next opponent will be Judit Polgar (laughing). I will have an opportunity to feel to a full extent how it is to play against women! Judit is a very strong chess player, she has a great experience
— Do you consider yourself the next match favorite?
Movsesian: I never consider myself a favorite. Especially as long as the tournaments in Khanty Mansiysk are concerned. This is my third World Cup and only now I managed to go further after the 1st round. So if to speak about the favorites, I am not optimistic. This is good that I have an additional rest day tomorrow. Normally I used to go home on the third day. Now the situation is different, I will walk around the city.
Nakamura and Kosteniuk can win this.
“It is obvious that it is not the most comfortable opponent for the 1st round.”
It isn’t obvious to me why a professional would care what genitals the opponent has. Does this mean he was afraid of losing to a girl? I’m struggling to infer any other meaning therefrom.
Judith has a job ahead – After all Movsesian can’t be allowed to defeat both the Women’s World Champion and the Best Woman player ever, in successive rounds, now,can he?
Movsesian is a modest man. I think he will “manage” Judit after “manhandling” Yifan.
WKC… don’t look too deep into this.
No doubt if he had lost to the woman’s champion it would be great news.
Consider this: an 8yrd old up and coming master is your next opponent. The media is all over this.
How would you feel, especially if you were to lose?
You could could just see the headlines: 8yr old master dispatched 30yr old in chess while she sat on phone books so as to reach the board.
Also, if Yifan had won, she’d be facing Judit, the formidable tactician. No question Judit would be the hot favorite. But what if it wasn’t her best day and she lost. And Yifan coming off a successful Women’s grand-prix (where she only lost to Lahno, another true prodigy), the headlines might be all over this too… and it would be the: Yifan grabbed the spotlight and Judit passed the torch. This, even though, Judit has a much better record against many of the world elite and super grandmasters!
FYI: She beat Kasparov, Anand, Shirov… beyond her beauty and intellect, Judit Polgar uses brute force tactics when necessary and will steamroll you. Also, I believe Judit is a bigger talent than Leko and is I believe, the strongest Hungarian chess player. She should be playing first board for sure in most tourneys Leko takes part.
Cheers!