 The next guest of press-center is a former European women champion, a charming lady, and a shrewd and penetrating person Almira Skripchenko.
- How do you estimate your performance at the championship?
AS: To tell the truth, I am not in my best form so I didn’t hope to perform well. Today after losing the first game I wasn’t satisfied with a draw. And it determined the game. I wish I had won back.
- Unlike other participants, you have already been to the Ural land . What connects you with this region?
I have already been to Krasnoturyinsk, which is located on the North of Sverdlovsk region taking part in the super tournament “North Urals Cup”, which is organized by the Vice-president of “SUAL Holding” Anatoliy Sysoev and the Honorary President of RCF Andrey Selivanov. Once I even managed to win the tournament . My every arrival leaves wonderful impressions of this place, people and warm reception. My personal point of view is that I have had the best welcome here and I think many people will agree with me. Promoting chess in the world, I can say that I appreciate these people’s attitude to chess.
- At the last press-conference the Governor of Sverdlovsk region Eduard Rossel said that he was ready to hold the next Championship here. What do you think?
AS: It would be nice! As I’ve already said it is very important to have people who are ready to support players, develop our chess and realize the importance of this process. Moreover no other region managed to hold second tournaments of such a level . I would be very well pleased if the Urals will be the first.
- Did you manage to watch the games of other favorites of the tournament?
AS: The first round is always not an easy one. I can single out 4 favorites: Koneru, Stefanova, Kosteniuk and Kramling. I watched the games of my friend Sasha Kosteniuk in “Aeroflot Open” tournament and marked her great progress. Hope she will be able to demonstrate it in the final.
- What do you think about Koneru?
AS: Of course Koneru is the best positional player, and I think if they reach the final with Kosteniuk, it will be the greatest match in the history of the Championships.
- Some commentators think that Koneru lacks the Soviet chess school..
AS: Imagine if she had it! I think it is wonderful that every player has his own peculiarities and style. In knock-out tournaments psychological climate is very important. And I think Alexandra and Antoaneta have advantages in this. But they are in the same net that’s why they can meet earlier – in semi-final.
- What are you going to do after the Championship? Are you going to take part in the Europian Championship and in the Olympiad?
AS: I am not going to take part in the European Championship because of the tough schedule. Besides, I don’t want to miss team training session in France. I will be a member of the national team at the Olympiad. I can say that our federation doesn’t expect much from our women team that’s why they pay more attention to our men team, which can win the medals.
- Did they offer you to play in the Russian National Championship?
AS: Yes, they did! (laughing). And I agreed. I will play for the team from Kazan. I hope that as a member of this team I will be able to achieve some goals, for instance, to take part in the European Cup.
- You have already said that Alexandra Kosteniuk is your friend. Please tell us about the relations among chess players.
AS: I’m on good terms with all players. I have no negative feelings to any of them but it’s true that sometimes players can isolate from the outer world. Fortunately, it is not so often. We usually communicate after games, joke and laugh. On the whole we are ordinary people.
- Almira, last year you spent a lot of time in China. What can you say about Chinese national team?
AS: The aim of my visit was to watch the system of children chess teaching in China. It was very interesting for me because I want to learn the experience of different countries and cultures. Morover in China they have a really good chess school with a very complicated system: they choose the best players and send them to Peking for additional checking and training. Their professional reserve deserves attention. If you watch two of their representatives - Shen Yang and especially the youngest Chinese player -12 year old Hou Yifan, we can surmise that she is a future champion. You see, I’ve tried it myself in rapid chess and lost...
- Tell us about your work in Chess Professionals Association.
- AS: The members of this organization try to democratize chess tournaments, to find more sponsors because chess as any other kind of sports demands considerable expenses. Unfortunately we don’t always manage to arouse interest and demand in these tournaments. But we don’t give up.
- Are you going to take part in the “North Urals Cup” tournament this year?
AS: As old men say: I want to but I can’t!..To be serious, I don’t know yet. But I’d like to. I like wonderful people there and we should keep such traditions.
- What are your hobbies but for chess?
AS: I have lots of them. For instance, not long ago I took part in poker competitions with our celebrities on French television. Now I am training to take part in the final of the World Championship and I really like it.
- Almira, you are a very cheerful person . But why do you mostly wear black clothes?
AS: I just didn’t have enough time to demonstrate all my clothes... In fact, I really like black for it is one of the chess colors.
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27.03.2006