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Russian Anastasia Bodnaruk won the World Rapid Championship at the end of December. In an interview with Sport, the chess player spoke about violation of the dress code, the hooligan courage of Ian Nepomniachtchi and the Ukrainians with whom there is no communication.
The Ukrainian showed an incredible attitude
– After winning the tie -break over Humpy Koneru from India, you said that she played better, but you were faster.
– Yes, my opponent played quite slowly, thought about her moves, and managed to exploit this weakness of hers.
– In the last tour, you recorded a draw in your game against Chinese Lei Tingjie, without even playing the opening properly. As a result, three chess players scored an equal number of points, but you and Koneru played the tiebreaker. When you agreed to a draw, were you sure that based on additional indicators you would be among the contenders for the championship title?
– In the final round, Koneru played with Russian Ekaterina Lagno and achieved victory, overtaking me and Lei Tingjie in points. I was surprised by the decision of the Chinese player, who played with white. Considering our ratings before the start of the tournament in Samarkand, she was considered a favorite. In my opinion, Lei Tingjie acted very strangely. Considering that I evenly covered the entire tournament distance, it was obvious that I would be among the participants in the tiebreaker, regardless of whether two chess players scored an equal number of points or three.
– You concluded a peace agreement with Lei Tingjie after several moves, and in the second round with the Ukrainian Anna Muzychuk you played down to bare kings.
– Muzychuk demonstrated an incredible attitude and tried to make the most of it with White. She also had a higher rating and was considered the favorite. In addition, Anna gained an advantage in the opening, I had to hold the defense.
– The Ukrainian chess player shook your hand before the start and after the end of the game?
– No. We do not communicate with Ukrainian chess players, but this does not affect me, an experienced fighter.
– Does the absence of the Russian flag next to the chess table affect it?
– We are already accustomed to this. When you play rapid and blitz, you generally focus as much as possible on the game and don’t notice anything around you.
– The Russian Chess Federation has moved to Asiatic Confederation. How has this affected your life and career?
– There is no clarity yet on the key point – qualifying for the World Cup. When the selection system for Russian chess players is changed, then it will be possible to draw the first conclusions.
– Your game with Lei Tingjie, when a draw agreement was signed after the third move, the judges did not consider it a negotiated game, and for chess hooliganism performed by Daniil Dubov and Ian Nepomniachtchi both were deprived of 0.5 points, and in the end it cost Dubov a place in the tie- break with Magnus Carlsen. Do you understand why Russian chess players needed this?
– Only Daniil and Yan themselves can explain this. As far as I understand, they wanted to protest to the tournament organizers. There really were a lot of questions for them. The intervals between games were very long, and at some point I lost concentration.
– Would you dare to do something like this? protest action?
– I wouldn’t have the courage for such a protest.
“I had to change my shoes into shoes”
– Anna-Maja Kazaryan, representing the Netherlands, was fined for coming to the gaming hall wearing “too athletic shoes.” Was such a strict dress code really established for female chess players?
– And the organizers gave me a warning when I came to the first round in black classic sneakers. They are very similar to boots, but, as it turns out, you can’t play in such shoes. After the yellow card, I had to change my shoes, otherwise I would face a fine and even removal from the tournament. Yes, the organizers paid a lot of attention to the dress code, but for some reason some top male grandmasters wore sneakers that did not comply with the established rules.
– What, in your opinion, should be a dress code for female chess players at tournaments of this level?
– In principle, the dress code that was established in Samarkand is not bad. Although I don’t understand why the organizers weren’t happy with my beautiful shoes, which were very comfortable to wear at the table. As a result, I had to change my shoes. Now they will become my talisman. In general, you need to be more gentle with participants for whom comfort is very important. Especially when you play blitz.
– What fate awaits the talisman shoes?
– I will take them with me to all competitions!
– At the blitz tournament in Samarkand on the first day you were in the leading group, but in the ninth round you lost to the future champion Valentina Gunina, being only 0.5 points behind her before the head-to-head match. This defeat had such an impact that on the second day they were unable to remain among the contenders for prizes?
– After the first day of play in blitz, I was taken to a doping control, where I had to spend three hours. It was not possible to rest before the second day. I was very serious about the blitz tournament; I thought that I needed to stay in the leading group for the first day, rest and play with full dedication. Alas, my plans did not coincide with the plans of the doping officers. On the second day you simply didn’t have enough strength.
– You started playing chess at the insistence of your father. What arguments did he give in determining your sports path?
– It’s hard to remember, because I wasn’t even three years old then . My father taught me to play chess very early, and my first successes came early. This, perhaps, became the main factor.
– At the university. Lesgaft, where there was no chess department, you studied at the checkers department. Why didn’t we go to Moscow, where there was a chess specialization?
– I didn’t want to leave my hometown. So I had to study in the checkers specialization as the closest to chess.
– Did studying in a related specialty bring any benefit?
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– There were not so many courses devoted directly to checkers. Of course, I didn’t learn how to play checkers at a master level. Although I can solve problems.
– As a child, you combined chess and rhythmic gymnastics. Are you following the performances of Russian “artists” now?
– For some reason, journalists are very fond of reminding me of the failed career of a gymnast. I remember with pleasure practicing this wonderful sport and sometimes watching competitions. I really like the Averina sisters, and even earlier I admired Evgenia Kanaeva. Moreover, they all studied at the same university as me.
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