The winner of the main tournament of the 2016 Moscow Open RSSU Cup told about his way to success in the conversation with Eteri Kublashvili. 

- Yura, congratulations on the victory! What can you tell about your performance?

- I am very glad with the tournament, I succeeded in passing smoothly through it, without any breakdowns. It’s quite a rare event in my practical activity, unfortunately. In spite of this fact, some weak spots were discovered, in particular, a bad position I received in the game with Artyom Timofeev. It means there is much to do about the beginning with the black and a number of other aspects. Perhaps, I didn’t play blameless in the first rounds, where I succeeded in receiving perspective positions quite quickly, and then I missed several opportunities. And I plan to work on it.

- Did you continue to believe in success after the defeat to Timofeev?

- I didn’t feel too frustrated after the defeat as the game turned to be very tough and I really played well. Maybe I was not too responsible (perhaps, this word is the best to suit the situation) when playing the debut, and I received a very unpleasant position, and it was hard to save it from the practical point of view. Of course computer shows some vague ways out but still the position remained unpleasant almost up to the end. Closer to the check the game was sharpened and maybe I didn’t evaluate the dangers that were waiting for me in the position with four queens; it seemed to me I could arrange a counter game, and the odd position of the white in h8-g8-g7 will not allow them to create any serious threats. However, I was mistaken: the position of the black remained complicated, that’s why my defeat was natural, and didn’t put any demoralizing pressure on me.  

- What was your mood in the last round?

- Before the last round  I was thinking that maybe I’m a little bit more luckier than I could have been as when I had 6 of possible 6 wins, I supposed, I would receive ranking favorites in the last three rounds – Timofeev, Korobov, Inarkiev. However, in the Round 9 I received a very strong opponent Gergey Antal from Hungary, but at least we had equal chances in our struggle. If I played with black in the last round against Inarkiev, for example, I would play more calmly, would choose a quieter beginning. And in this case I managed to catch the opponent in the beginning, in spite of the awful state of health.

I am starting to have a very bad tradition of playing the last round of the Moscow Open in the pre-comatose state. Every time there are different reasons. This time I managed to avoid high temperature but I was feeling so badly in the morning, I had a stomach-ache and we were about to call the emergency.

- It’s terrible. And did you stay at home or in the hotel?

- At home, and my parents could often give me a lift to the games. In the last round I was feeling very badly in the first two hours of the game: I approached the board, made a move, and it was very hard and painful to think, that’s why I tried to avoid this process. In the mid of the game I felt that the position was becoming better and I started to feel better.

- I guess your condition prevented you from watching the games of your opponents.

- On the contrary, it helped to draw my attention away from bad state of health. I wouldn’t tell that the win of Gordievsky over Inarkiev surprised me a lot, as Dima traditionally shows high results, and I am inclined to highly evaluate his manner of play.  

Before the start of the round, I thought Anton Korobov might have good chances to win the tournament, but Moskalenko was really good in defense and as a result the game was lucky for him.

- What game do you consider to be the most interesting, successful?

- If to speak of an interesting game, then it’s no doubt the game with Timofeev, but I can’t name it creative. Perhaps, the last game was successful, I managed to play equally and to organize a beautiful combination.

In general, I should say that at the beginning of the tournament I was lucky with the draw. I received an unusual starting number, thanks to which I managed to receive opponents ranked lower up to the Round 6. Of course, it’s conditional luck, as guys are really playing greatly. For example, Vasily Korchmar was going through the distance very well. And still even friends congratulated me on my opponents during the tournament race, and probably it helped me, as after the good start my chances for the good final result increased.

- Please tell us a little bit about yourself. In one of the interviews you mentioned that you take classes in philology in the Moscow Region State University. Do you continue to study?

- No, I’ve decided to give it up. My relations with the university didn’t work.

- With your studying process or with the administration?

- Lets’ say, in general. First of all, I felt some tension in connection with some moments. I can talk about the Moscow colleges, and everything connected with the physical education is not normal there, in my opinion. For example, they made us run 5 km crosses every time when we had the corresponding class. Physically I am not very well prepared, that’s why I was almost every time taken away from these classes.  

Secondly, the study took much of my time, and I entered the university just because I was interested in the complex of historic and literary disciplines, but I didn’t want to connect my life with the philological activity. In some moment it becomes too boring to write synopses on Herculean.

- So now did you fully devote your life to chess?

- I continue to play chess professionally, at least I believe in it. Still I have decided to continue educational programs within the frames of my own projects.

- Who is your chess partner?

- In my opinion, Moscow chess players represent a very harmonious team. With some of the guys we often meet and work on chess. These are Danya Dubov and David Paravyan, and Ilia Ilyushonok, and Shamil Arslanov. Many chess players join the work from time to time.
Besides, I’m still a member of the Yunost Moskvy sports school.

- Can you imagine yourself as a coach?

- I’m sure, I could imagine myself as a coach but my current plans are more ambitious.

- Who of great chess players is an example for you, an idol, if I may say so?

- Let me think… I don’t have an idol. I am not used to examine a pure chess style of a player, but I like the manner of play shown by Svidler. But you need to understand I mean not only the chess part but the general style as well. As in my opinion, the behavior of a person at the board doesn’t fully reflect his style. There are such things as attitude towards chess. And I like these qualities of Petr Svidler.

- And what’s about the World Champion?

- Perhaps, Carlsen is still out of classification. In my opinion, there are some disadvantages in his general way of life, and you can use them in the struggle against him, but you need to be a very strong person for that.

- A little bit less philosophic question: where do you plan to play in the nearest future?

- As for the serious tournaments, I have to play in the Aeroflot Open pretty soon. Maybe, I’ll play in some blitz tournaments.

- Yura, thank you for the conversation. I hope we’ll see the results of your correction of mistakes.

- Thank you, I hope too.