World Chess Championship Kramnik vs Leko Press Release,
September 17, 2004
September 25 – October 18, 2004
Brissago, September 17, 2004.
The Classical World Chess Championship at Centro Dannemann (Brissago/Switzerland)
between titleholder Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) and Peter Leko (Hungary) is
starting in one week. The
chess
coaches
of the two participants in this Championship are all well-known and successful
International Grandmasters:
for World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik
(Moscow/Russia, born 25 June 1975):
Grandmaster Evgeny Bareev (Russia) born 21 November 1966
Grandmaster Miguel Illescas
(Spain) born 13 December 1965
Grandmaster Peter Svidler (Russia) born 17 June 1976
for Challenger for the World Chess Championship Peter Leko (Szeged/Hungary,
born 8 September 1979):
Grandmaster Vladimir Akopian (Armenia) born 17 December 1971
Grandmaster Arshak Petrosyan (Armenia) born 16 December 1953
Grandmaster Vladislav Tkachiev (Russia) born 9 November 1973
Interviews with Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Leko:
Vladimir Kramnik
How are you organizing your preparation for the match, and is it
different from the 2000 preparation?
Kramnik:
Rather similar in comparison with my match against Kasparov. Of course you are
always ready to optimise and to adjust a bit.
How important are the computer chess programs in the preparation
and during a match?
Kramnik:
On the one hand it is very important to use the computer in your team for
getting a certain basic level in your preparation. On the other hand it is not
good to use it all the time. In a way you have to become independent from it so
as not to affect your own play. Let me put it like this: my trainers are
working with the computer permanently – I do not.
In 2000, you told me that your victory against Garry Kasparov
was psychological; how do you prepare psychologically for this new opponent?
Kramnik:
I do not think I defeated Kasparov just because of psychological resilience.
The psyche is of course an important part as in every sport especially in a
World Chess Championship match. But your general understanding of chess, your
preparation, your physical fitness, your mental energy, your strategic and
tactical abilities are very important as well. It is complex: You have to be
strong in every field to become World Champion.
Can you define your style and point out the differences between
your style and Peter Leko's?
Kramnik:
Our styles are a bit different because we are different personalities. But at
the same time we are both universal players. In modern chess you need to adjust
your play to the situation even if this is not in accordance with your style or
your preferences. There is a famous saying: “It is not important whether one
plays a strategic or tactical style. Nowadays it is just important to play a
winning style.”
This match is supposed to be the first step towards a
unification match; do you think this reunification match will occur some day
and do you include this prospect in your preparation?
Kramnik:
This match in the Centro Dannemann is not a step, this match is for the World
Chess Championship title in accordance with the classical bloodline starting in
1886 with Wilhelm Steinitz. It is the main chess event of the year. Meanwhile
the chess community is more and more aware that a possible unification will not
depend on the Classical World Chess Champion alone. But please let me stop
here. I have to defend my title first of all. If I am successful I will start
to analyse the entire situation.
Peter Leko
This is your first classical match for the world championship
title; so how are you organizing your preparation?
Leko: I
have still not finished my preparation but I am almost there. I hope I will
achieve the optimum. This event is the highlight of my career irrespective of
all my achievements in the past. I have been preparing specifically for about
six months. For more or less two months we have been working intensively and I
have done all I could. I will be ready in Brissago.
How important are the computer chess programs in the preparation
and during a match?
Leko: You
can analyse certain positions with the computer and you are able to develop
them. In addition the machine is increasingly useful for simplifying your
training. Nowadays you need this because your opponent is using the same
technique. But all this should not be over-estimated. A computer is just an
instrument - nothing more. You have to control the technique and not the other
way round. On the highest level you still need to develop your own ideas and
you should never forget to be creative. Human decisions, by creating moments of
surprise, are still the most important factor in a World Chess Championship
fight.
How do you prepare physically and psychologically?
Leko: I
am mentally and physically strong anyway. These are important traits of my
character and my nature and I do not need any special preparation in these
fields. It is part of my philosophy that body and soul should be in a certain
balance. I do not think that I will lose this balance during the match. Of
course, at the moment I am exercising physically just to get relaxed and as a
compensation for the very demanding chess training.
Could you define your style and point out the differences
between your style and Vladimir Kramnik’s?
Leko:
There are certainly some similarities between Kramnik and me because we are
universal chess players. I think we both have a classical, positional
understanding of chess and we are always looking for creativity. In my opinion
Kramnik is the player with the deepest understanding of the game in the world,
but like every human being: he has weaknesses as well. It is clear that he is a
strong, a very strong champion but I think I will get my chances because of my
own strong points.
This match is supposed to be the first step towards a
unification match; do you think this unification match will occur some day and
do you include this prospect in your preparation?
Leko: You
know, I am challenging Kramnik, the man who defeated Kasparov convincingly and
one of the strongest players ever. I need to concentrate fully on this.
Anything else would not be very professional. Fortunately I have not been
really involved in chess politics up to now. In general I am positive
concerning a unification but I am only ready to think about that after the
World Championship.
These interviews were originally done for Mr Barthélémy (Le
Monde, Paris). We would like to thank Mr Barthélémy to put the interviews to
our disposal.
www.worldchesschampionship.com
World Chess Championship Kramnik vs Leko
Press Release, September 10, 2004
September 25 –
October 18, 2004
Brissago,
September 10, 2004.
The Classical
World Chess Championship at Centro Dannemann between titleholder Vladimir
Kramnik (Russia) and his challenger Peter Leko (Hungary) is starting in two
weeks. Various activities will accompany this event.
The
official website
www.worldchesschampionship.com offers a lot of entertainment, information
and attractive prizes. All games will be broadcasted and analysed live.
The audio
commentary, presented by Grandmasters Dr. Helmut Pfleger and Artur Jussupov,
will be transmitted. Chessfriends all over the world will find great
entertainment at the site: a chat forum, auctions, online chess, sms votings
and a daily chess quiz with attractive prizes, for example chess boards signed
by Kramnik and Leko. The website will include latest news and background
information about the matches and the Championship. In a shop various products
are available, for example the official book of the Championship, written by
International Master Martin Breutigam and Grandmasters Artur Jussupow and
Christopher Lutz.
The programme
at Centro Dannemann includes chess tournaments for spectators and
journalists, organized by Swiss Chess Federation. The dates are:
-September, 28:
Press tournament (blitz), 10 a.m.
-October, 3: Spectators’ tournament (blitz), 10.a.m.
-October 10: Simultaneous games vs Grandmasters Yannick Pelletier and Joe
Gallagher
-October 16: Spectators’ tournament (blitz), 10.a.m.
The live
commentaries of the Championship matches by Grandmasters Dr. Helmut Pfleger and
Artur Jussupov can be followed in the playing hall by headphones. Interesting
guests will be expected, for example Joel Lautier, President of the Association
of Chess Professionals (ACP). Literature about chess and live analysis of the
matches will be constantly offered to the spectators.
The opening of
Dali exhibition on October 18 is the high spot in the various programme at
Centro Dannemann. Detailed information will be given in the next weeks.
Special offers
for visitors:
In a part of Switzerland which has always been a magnet for visitors on account
of its warmth and Mediterranean light, Lake Maggiore has been attracting
visitors for over 100 years. Chessfriends and visitors who would like to watch
the World Chess Championships live and spend a few days in Ticino, can take
advantage of special offers. More information at the official website
www.worldchesschampionship.com.
(World Chess
Championship Centro Dannemann. Official Press Release, Sept. 10, 2004.)