14-year-old Alexandra Obolentseva can be easily called the “discovery” of this tournament. In spite of the loss in the Round 6 of the Women’s Cup of Russia stage, suffered from the ranking favorite Anastasia Bodnaruk, the girl kindly agreed to answer the questions of the correspondent of the Moscow Open official website Eteri Kublashvili.
- Sasha, tell us, how does this tournament turn out for you?
- The competition is running quite good. Still I haven’t played any complicated games, except the last one that I lost. I can admit, the most interesting games were against Anastasia Bodnaruk and Tatijana Vasilevich.
- What was your mistake in the sixth game, what do you think?
- I made a mistake in the opening and got a bad position.
- You are supposed to play in the children’s tournament because of your age. Why have you decided to play with adults?
- I’ve been playing in women’s competitions since I was 11, and this time is not an exclusion. I think, it’s necessary to compete against stronger opponents.
In general, I started to participate in the Moscow Open when I was 9, in the children’s competitions, and then I continued with the adult’s tournaments.
- What’s your opinion of the composition of this tournament? Have your met any of your opponents before?
- I guess, the participants are strong, and I played many of them before.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? Who is your coach? Do you study in school?
- I live in Moscow and I have trainings with a famous capital coach Vladimir Vulfson. I study in the physical and mathematical school.
- Do you study according to any special program in school?
- No, like all other kids but I have time to combine chess and study.
- In how many tournaments per year do you participate?
- Around seven, I think. Plus or minus.
- Do you want to become a professional chess player?
- I don’t think I will go to the professional chess, as I plan to enter the university and continue my study.
- It’s interesting to find out your opinion of the festival organization.
- The organization is very good. This year I even like it more than before. It’s nice to play in the assembly hall as it’s not so stuffy there as in lecture rooms.
- In what tournament do you plan to play in the nearest future?
- Maybe I’ll play in the Women’s Championship of Moscow, and then in the children’s championship of Russia.
- Are you going to play in the Aeroflot Open?
- No, I’m not going.
- Maybe the entrance fee is too big?
- I’ve got a sponsor, I just have other plans for this time.