19.07.2005 INTERVIEW WITH NADEZHDA KOSINTSEVA

  

 

Photo from chessbase.com

Nadja, my congratulation, you’ve won a silver medal! Are you satisfied with your result?

Yes, the result is quite good. It’s a pity I didn’t take the first place, though…

How did you prepare for the tie-breaks?

 

Tanya prepared me. We looked through the openings, and then I went to bed early to have my sleep out and rest… Unfortunately we didn’t guess right with the opening. We expected Lahno will play the Petroff defense. I do not usually play this opening while she knows it well and is good at playing it. That’s why we decided to avoid the Petroff. However, we should have chosen something more solid than Glek opening.

 

It seems that a perfect opening knowledge is a distinctive feature of almost all young Ukrainian chessplayers.  It looks as though Katya does not have troubles with this, right?

 

Yes, they have a very good opening preparation. It seems we can take them for a model... The Ukrainians did the right things organizing a strong chess school.

 

What about you previous games with Lahno?

 

They were different. At the Olympiad I did not manage to get out of the opening. And this time everything was all right (a draw - Ed.) in spite of playing Black I did not have any troubles, it was even more pleasant.

 

Was it possible to avoid the tie-break? Lahno agreed a draw rather quickly in the last round…

 

I set teeth for a win in the last game. During the game I pushed to hard and overextended. However, both of us were tired by the end and it ended a draw in position that was better for my opponent.

 

How were you preparing for this tournament?

 

(laughs) I was preparing a whole year! I even took an academic break at the university to devote myself to chess. I will continue my studies in autumn… Tanya had an intense academic year. She has a hard time of it, she's a sophomore… We also have a tight chess schedule, we even had to decline the Biel.

 

Kosintseva sisters

 

Does the university board understand her position as a professional chess player? Do they help her in any way?

 

She was allowed to postpone exams, but apart from that we have a lot of work as we take our education seriously.

 

And how did you feel playing after a year of preparation?

 

It was a good tournament for me. Somehow I was playing very efficient as White – I lost only half a point in a game I had a winning position. I guessed the openings right, and I simply enjoyed playing.

 

Which of your games do you consider to be the best ones?

 

The one with Kachiani-Gerschinska. And with Chelushkina – I did not win, but showed an interesting new idea.

 

How do you feel about the organization of the tournament?

 

I liked it! For the first time the participants could choose themselves where to stay. Many girls were hiring private apartments and they told it was very convenient for them. With the hotel everything was all right as well.

 

Were you lucky with weather? Did you manage to feel a hot Moldavian summer?..

 

I can’t say I could – it was raining for a few days. Once it was a real shower.

 

Could you remember any funny episodes?

 

Yes, there was an amusing incident… In a playing hall there was a very creaky floor, which produced a 'light' noise when one wore heeled shoes. So, before my game with Lahno a journalist had published my photo, on which I was wearing heels, in “Komsomolskaya Pravda – Moldova” – he said I violated the rules despite organizers’ prohibitions! There were no prohibitions, of course. This story amused me a little.

 

Did you have time to analyze your championship games yet?

 

It was in a usual way – I played a game and looked though it briefly it in the evening…

 

And what about the Soviet chess school precepts? According to Mikhail Moiseevich, one should not turn to his games during the tournament but should thoroughly analyze them at home…

 

We always do this. We annotate and analyze all the games thoroughly, without a computer, of course. We have to go to Krasnoturinsk and do not have enough time for everything. We will analyze all the games seriously as soon as we are back…

 

Thank you for your interview! Good luck in Krasnoturinsk! 

 

Questions were asked by Misha Savinov.