Q: How do you feel about the format of the world championship?
It seems that some players have easier pairings than others.
A: Perhaps the system of pairings could be improved: maybe the top player should play the bottom player, or something like that. Some of the lower seeds seem to have easier pairings.
Q: Tell us about your 14th move in today's game. A: I thought he missed 14 Qh5. Then of course 14 ... Nd5 was not only a good move, it was also forced.
Q: What was the turning point in the game?
A: I think 24 b4 was the critical moment. But the game was not yet over. Instead of 28 ... Qh6, 28 ... a5! was a good chance for him. [Editor's note: Fritz agrees.] Later on, his move 34 ... Bb6 was very unpleasant for me to face in time-trouble. At one point in the game, I could have had rook and bishop versus his queen, but Short did not think that position was promising enough for him, and he wanted more.
Q: In the opening, after 14 Qh5 Nd5 15 Rad1 exd4 16 Rxd4 f5, couldn't you play 17 Bc4 instead of 17 Ng3?
That looked very strong.
A: I will have to look at that.
Q: How low did your clock get?
A: Fourteen seconds. But this is nothing special for me. My nervous system can stand for the clock to get as low as 2 seconds.
Q: How low did Short's clock get?
A: Three seconds toward the end.
Q: When did you feel that you were going to win the game?
A: I felt that the position was very messy after 28 Rd3. Then after 28 ... Qh6 [28 ... a5!] 29 Be2 I began to feel confident.
Q: So far you have won two matches in the tiebreak stage. Do you think you are now getting into form?
A: Of course it does not feel good to win with Black and lose with White as I have done here in Las Vegas. Maybe now I am playing better.
Q: Who do you think is playing well?
A: Anyone who is still playing!
Q: Do you feel that luck is a factor in this tournament?
A: In my own games, probably yes! Especially when the position gets very complicated and the players are short of time, because then it is more likely that a player will overlook something.
Q: How do you train?
Do you get physical exercise?
A: A little.
Q: Are you doing any gambling here?
A: So far I have not had time. I haven't had a day off yet! And I've seen a lot of sad faces among other players [who gamble].
Q: Nigel, why did you play the King's Gambit against Shirov today?
NS: What was I supposed to do?
I've never beaten him! My score against him is maybe minus-5, something like that.
Q: Nigel, during the game the grandmaster commentators [Yasser Seirawan and Larry Christiansen] thought your best chance to win the endgame was 29 Kh5 instead of 29 Kf4 as played. Why didn't you play 29 Kh5?
NS: That was another try. I didn't think it was necessarily better.
Q: Nigel, what do you think of the knockout format here?
NS: I quite like it. If you aren't playing well, you get to go home.
Q: Alexei, congratulations on qualifying for Round 5. In today's game, were you worried about 29 Kh5?
AS: Sure, I thought about it. Maybe it was the best chance for him, especially because I had little time left. I was thinking about playing 29 ... Kxf5 if he played 29 Kh5. Probably I would have captured the f-pawn and had enough play.
Q: Alexei, tomorrow for the first time you have no tiebreak matches to play. What are you going to do?
AS: Yes, this will be my first day off! This is the best thing about winning the match [with Short]. Probably I will go to the pool.
Q: Nigel, regarding yesterday's game, have you found a good defense yet to Shirov's sacrificial attack?
NS: There are many variations. Some of the positions in which Black finds himself are absolutely ridiculous. During the game, I was unable to adjust my mind to what was happening. As Yasser points out, maybe I could have sacrificed back my own queen and had reasonable play. It's easier to think about these things calmly afterward, but not so easy during the game itself, especially when your clock is low on time.
[The rest of the questions were addressed to Vladimir Akopian.]
Q: Vladimir, congratulations on qualifying for Round 5. In today's game, when did you feel that your position was winning?
VA: When I played 39 Kd4, I thought I had good chances. After 44 a6, White is winning for sure.
Q: At first the endgame looked like a draw. Did Georgiev make a mistake?
VA: Of course. Instead of ... Ra4?
, necessary was ... Ra2 immediately. Maybe with perfect play Black could still draw.
Q: Have you exceeded your expectations in this event?
VA: I do not play with expectations. In general, I just like to play as well as I can.
Q: What was your most difficult match here so far?
VA: Against [Rogelio] Antonio [of the Philippines in Round 2]. In that match I had some dubious positions.
Q: Have you had good results against Kiril Georgiev before today?
VA: No, I have never beaten him before. Maybe I scored -1=1 against him.
Q: In yesterday's game, the commentators thought you were in trouble against him, but you were able to draw. VA: That is correct. Instead of the queen trade, if he had played Qd3! Black is lost. Also I was in time pressure. In today's game, after I played 13 Bg5, he took with 13 ... Bg5 and offered me a draw. Probably I had nothing at this point, but I didn't want to make a draw so soon, just after the opening. Also, yesterday Georgiev refused my draw offer, and I didn't understand why.
Q: Why did Georgiev lose the ending today?
Didn't he understand how to play it?
VA: That is a question for Georgiev. Maybe he was tired. I think yesterday's game was harder for him than for me, because he thought he had a chance to win.
Q: Some of the younger players are passing you on the rating list. Has your chess development slowed down?
VA: Armenian players are very lazy. We don't study much; we are just players. I can't study chess for a long time-maybe 1 or 2 hours, and not every day. Some other players can spend much more time.
Q: You are now in the final eight players of the world championship. Do you think this result will lead to more tournament invitations for you?
VA: I think not. You need a 2700 rating to get invitations.
Q: What is the difference between you and the 2700-rated players?
VA: Mainly the openings, and the ability of the top players to work hard.
Q: By qualifying for Round 5, your prize will be about $80,000. Is this the biggest prize you have ever won?
VA: Yes, of course. I think this tournament is very good for players like me. I will earn more money here than I could earn in three or four years otherwise. The Armenian Chess Federation pays us a small stipend for playing in team events, but otherwise I have to play in open tournaments to win money. This is very hard. I played at the World Open and scored 7-2, a good score, but I only received $3,000 and my expenses were almost as much. In the Vermont tournament I won maybe $200.
Q: What will you do with your day off tomorrow?
VA: Probably go to the pool!
CONTACT: Timothy Hanke, Press Officer for the World Chess Championship, at 702-731-7110, extensions 5913 through 5927.