| Player | Title | Country | Rating | Game1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | G5 | G6 | G7 | Total |
| Ivanchuk, Vassily | GM | UKR | 2717 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| Ponomariov, Ruslan | GM | UKR | 2727 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 4.5 |
In his assessment of the final, Kasparov said Ponomariov appeared to play solid chess but seemed to wait for his opponent to make mistakes rather than play creatively. Still it can hardly be denied that Ivanchuk did not play at his best and he never really recovered from the psychological blow of losing the first match.
On January 24, the new champion gave an interview to M. Gobulev
Before I managed to surprise Ruslan Ponomariov with my questions, he amazed me having told that the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma called him on his mobile phone on 24 January and congratulated on winning the world champion’s title. Ruslan could not even believe that the President of Ukraine was talking to him!
Q: Have you analysed the last game from where it ended?
A: No! Generally speaking I was quite ready for Alekhine’s Defence. We analysed it during our preparations.
Q: Did you analyse the played games in the course of the match?
A: There was just no time for that.
Q: Do you know about Kramnik’s address on Russian TV on 23 January when he congratulated you on winning the world championship?
A: No, I didn’t…
Q: Besides other things, Kramnik said how he felt in a sort of psychological pit after winning the Brain Games title and wished you, above all, to decide upon your aims… Have you thought now, after victory, about new goals or do you still have some unachieved aims of the past?
A: What could my goals be? Play, win tournaments and defend the title in two years’ time.
Q: What is your opinion: Can you and Vassily Ivanchuk reach a consensus on who is to play top board for the Ukrainian team now, after your victory?
A: It seems it depends on him more than on me. Still, the world champion is entitled to play at the first board…
Q: To my mind, the crucial moves of the match were 47…Kg7? 48 Qd2! in the fifth game. Have you already seen Qd2! when playing 47 Kg3?.
Not quite… I made the move Kg3 and Ivanchuk started to think, then I noticed that, against …Kg7, there is an answer – Qd2!. I also noticed 48 Qd2 in advance; by that moment I and Vladimir Barsky, the Chess Today correspondent, were not in the press-center but in the playing hall…
Another interview of the young Champion appreared in 64 Russia:
Q: Ruslan, two days passed, as the seventh game against Ivanchuk was finished! What feelings, perceptions? Did you feel as the world champion?
A: Perhaps, not yet. Of course, now it is paid more attention to me. And so… When you celebrate your next birthday, you don’t feel, that became on a year elder. So is the same. The main thing is in the fact, that it was happened. I will have a time to understand it!
Q: Tal, having become by the champion, exclaimed: ‘My head is full of sun!’ What did you feel that moment?
A: Well, this is a philosophical question.
Q: Do you understand, that after this victory the chess youth was finished for you and you enter the severe adult life? That you have already entered the history…
A: What should I say? If I have become by the world champion, it means, this is my destiny!
Q: When Garry Kasparov became by the world champion at the age of 22, Rona Yakovlevna Petrosian said to Klara Shagenovna Kasparova: I am pity for your son, because the brightest moment in his life is already behind! And the main difficulties – are ahead’. Aren’t you afraid of them?
A: Be honest, I had the other thoughts before the match – I’ll become by the world champion, and it will be sufficient, all the problems will be solved. Actually, the problems are arising! I can’t say, what my chess carrier will be like later, but it seems to me, it is wrong to think beforehand about possible difficulties. I’ll solve them later…
Q: From apart, your struggle was perceived as the struggle of confronting conceptions. Vasily Ivanchuk defined his chess philosophy as of the constant truth hunter, a man, not having stopped on the achieved. What was the philosophy of Ruslan Ponomariov like? I heard many times, that you – were the chess sportsman…
A: While I don’t think about any chess concepts. I simply like playing chess. It is sports for me in more degree. I like winning!
Q: Chess is step by step turning in to knowledge, sport, and philosophy is leaving?
A: Do you mean wonderful games? No, rook ending of Rubinstein, all the endings of Averbakh are actual up to now. If in the definite position it was possible to Queen a pawn, it is also possible now. Maybe, now the play became tougher, it is necessary to know more and to be able to manage with your nerves. It is impossible to play without these conditions…
Q: Please, say honestly, did you believe before the match, you would be able to defeat Ivanchuk?
A: Why not? Maybe, if you asked this question a half-year ago, I would not know answer. But before the match, after the proper preparation, when I knew strong and weak sides of the play very good, after I was prepared to this match, I certainly knew it. Our team had a good tactics, and when during the match I began noticing, that one forecast after another had been justified, it was difficult not to think about the victory.
Q: Well, let’s try to discuss the match games in short. Was not it suddenness for you to win the first game?
A: Of course, I did not expect such turn. It is possible, Ivanchuk was surprised, having known, that Topalov and Danailov were among my assistants, so he corrected his preparation and selected the French defense. When Ivanchuk plays in such way, he usually loses. Of course, the result of this game influenced the entire match. The account was equal to 1:0 and I suddenly felt, that in case I made all the draws at the rest games, I would be by the champion. But the same thoughts made my actions a little constraint during the next games…
Q: What did you feel during the second game?
A: I simply wanted to play black. It was necessary to withstand, and then to be initiative, playing white. But I got the passive position, and Ivanchuk managed to surpass me. And at finish I had to demonstrate miracles.
Q: But did you believe, that could withstand, when lost a figure?
A: I had not time to think about it. We had only per five minutes; you made a move – you got thirty seconds of time, and you should do the next move… The first two games were very important for me, inspired sure, and I believed, that Ivanchuk was not by the God and that I could play against him.
Q: The third and fourth games were held under definite pressure from Ivanchuk. How did you manage to withstand it?
A: I would not have said, that the competitor had pressed during these games. During the third game I for the first time selected the following move c 6.g3 in the Sicilian Defense of Paulsen and could not get the special overbalance in the account. But we decided with my trainers, that it would be the most unpleasant for Ivanchuk tactics, who would like to take the initiative. One moment black figures were more active, but my position was strong. Actually, my competitor played for a long time in the objectively draw position. But during the fourth game I missed good chances for a victory – I could play 28…Ne3!, that would be very unpleasant for white.
Q: Ivanchuk said during one of his interviews, that if he had won the fifth game, the match would have resulted differently.
A: If he had won this game – the account would be equal. I think, there is no special sense to speak, that he would take the initiative then. Possible, it would be break then.
Q: But after the match he said, that constantly had possessed by the initiative, and that you had not surpassed him at this match, that you were simply lucky…
A: Vassily Mikhailovich considers, that only Kasparov surpasses him in terms of chess. But… why is it necessary to discuss this theme much, it is sufficient to look at the match account.
Q: How did you treat one more phrase of Ivanchuk “Ponomarev should learn to fail?” He meant your play during the fifth game in comparison with his one during the first one.
A: To learn to fail? I consider, it is never late to fail, it is always possible! But I simply try to struggle in any position – it was one of such rules for this match: to play in any positions. If he would gueen a pawn, I would fail. And in this case… he had only one more blocked pawn. Besides, in case I had failed, the spectators would not understand, what plan for the victory achievement black were going to conduct.
Q: Does not it seem to you, Vassily felt as if he was broken after the fourth game? He agreed on a draw almost in the won position, didn’t he?
A: No, I did not feel change in his mood. But, maybe, unrealized chances at the second and fourth games disturbed him very much.
Q: That moment, when black played 47…Kg7? And admitted 48.Qd2!, having allowed to pull through, – did you have some special power flood?
A: That moment the competitor began turning by his head, he was quite renounced. I only felt, that should not lose that day.
Q: Was such thought: will it possible to win?
A: To be truth, I felt I would win already before the game… I don’t know, why, but I felt it. Maybe, that is why I played rather optimistically, even when the position was becoming aggravating with every move. In any case I believed I should win. Of course, it is easy to speak so after the game, but a feeling of the coming victory was actually present.
Q: That means, 29.bc – this is a guarantee for a victory?
A:(Laughing). I all the time thought about the checkmate Qf3, Bh6 etc.
Q: Was the match actually finished after this victory? To become by the world champion, you only should do two draws during three games.
A: Yes, but it was early to relax yet…If you lose one game, the difference would be only in one point, – and the competitor would have some hope.
Q: Did not you surprise the behavior of Ivanchuk before and during the sixth game?
A: It seems to me, he a little played on public. I tried not to pay attention to it… I think, this is his behavior style, definite image.
Q: So, he tried to raise himself, did he?
A: Possible. I tried not to look at him during the struggle.
Q: Was not it hard to give a pawn from the psychological point of view during the seventh match game, when you need a draw for a victory?
A: No, I looked at the position: I had all the developed figures – why should I lose in such situation? So, why not to give a pawn for the long initiative: I really played chess good, and did not make any mistakes yet…
Q: Did not you lose your temper, that Ivanchuk constantly changed opening in response to the move 1.e4, selected variants, – or, vice versa, you were sure in your power?
A: We forecasted it. During all his previous matches he conducted so very often.
Q: How did your team generally guess openings?
A: Well… we did not expect the appearance of the Alekhin defense, as the choice of a concrete move of the French defense during the first game. But, of course, we also prepared both to the Spanish game, and to the Paulsen system at the Sicilian game, and to the French one… The choice of the move 1.d4 also did not catch unawares.
Q: Many well-known trainers consider, that the opening – this is not the main thing…
A: Of course, first it is necessary simply to learn to play chess good, and then to pass to the openings. This is like a delivery at the big tennis: if you achieve a good position, – you may pass to the openings. You received the bad delivery – in any case you should struggle.
Q: Ivanchuk found out, that Topalov was by your assistant, only at the press-conference, which was carried out before the match. Did your ‘team’ try to calculate, who would help to the competitor?
A: No, we had not any secret information… Maybe, somebody helped to Vassily Mikhailovich, besides Gritsak, but I don’t know about it.
Q: Who decided to invite Topalov to the team?
A: My trainer, Boris Ponomariov, with whom we have been working for a long time. Topalov – is the strong chess player, knows Ivanchuk very good, and besides that, plays successfully against him. It seems, only such grand masters as Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and Topalov have a positive account playing with Ivanchuk.
Q: Was a help of the pair Topalov-Danailov effectual?
A: Yes, it seems to me, it negatively influenced Ivanchuk, he all the time thought about what we could undertake together?! At least, I think, the victory at the first game was due to it.
Q: People say, you had even the psychologist during the match. We had already forgotten about the man of a similar profession since the times of Karpov. Who is he, and how valuable was his help?
A: Yes, it is so. His name is Edward Eilazyan, he lives in Donetsk. In our close company we name him by ‘the wizard’. I can’t reasonably to explain how it occurs, but his presence at the hall gives me sureness during the game…
Q: Kramnik helped Kasparov, – but surpassed him later. Topalov – is the strong acting grand master. They together with Silvio Danailov have certainly examined themselves…
A: You usually put the concrete aim before the match – to win, to become by the champion. You rarely think about the results. This is inevitably, you have to give something.
Q: Ivanchuk considers, that if it had not been a monthly break between a semifinal and final, he would easily win a match, taking into account his preparation, which was in December.
A: We were glad to such break, because Vasily was able to surpass not only Ruslan, but, perhaps, also Kasparov. And so he was a little stopped…
Q: Ruslan, do you agree? Was it really unprofitable for Ivanchuk?
A: It is difficult to say about his feelings. The breaks also relax me. So the fifth game was not so lucky for me after a week-end. And during the preliminary tournament it was difficult to play after a week-end, – for example, at the match against Svidler.
Q: You have a very unordinary team. Which role a 12-year assistant, Sergey Karyakin, did play? Could he help you?
A: You are so curious! He is young, he has a fresh look at all the positions, Sergey was by the tactical specialist at our team. And it is simply pleasant to speak to him. I cannot name him by my friend, there is an age difference, but he was by a full member in our team.
Q: Silvio Danailov disclosed me one of rules to this match – you should not offer a draw in any match game, and shouldn’t play up to the Kings.
A: Yes. So did I. But only during the sixth game there was a draw, but it is a special case. And there was the seventh conclusive game. The point is, that during the last competitions Ivanchuk often offered a draw to his competitors already before the getting out from the opening. I was warned about it, and I tried to take the appropriate measures to prevent it.
Q: During the game you got bad positions many times and only then pulled thorough. Was such struggle sudden or not?
A: I played such position, which got. I didn’t try to think about it. At the match beginning I was not like himself. If to compare the games of the final with the games from the preliminary championship part, it would be heaven and ground…
Q: Didn’t you manage to control your natural emotions during the match?
A: As I’ve already told, the modest task was put before the knock-out championship. When I managed with it, I felt free… Then I played according to the principle: let it be so how should be. Then, during the monthly break I a little understood the past, and at the final, certainly, wanted to win. I again experienced the same state, it was during the first championship rounds, -and these were emotions, tense…
Q: As usual, after the game ending the competitors stayed to discuss it, and you had to go to the press-conference… Was it a trouble for you?
A: I didn’t have time to exchange by opinions; – I should have played another game! Who knows, maybe this position would be again, and you had already assessed it in the presence of a competitor?
Q: But it is sufficient to recollect Karpov and Kasparov, who for many times have analyzed their match games at once after their ending.
A: I together with Ivanchuk did not have a wish to stay and to analyze it.
Q: Do you like discussing the played game with the competitor?
A: It depends on the fact, what the game was like and who was a competitor. To say truth, after the game you feel fully tired, you need a rest, and you need to be a little without chess… If it had not been the match for the world championship, we together with Ivanchuk, would possible discuss something. We analyzed our game during the world Cup, which was held in Sheniyan. Thus, if the tournament was already finished for me, Vasily should have played the decisive game with Short, but he was evidently interested in the position.
Q: How do you think, if, suppose, Anand had played instead of Ivanchuk, would be your play easier or more difficult?
A: Saying truth, I did not analyze the Anand games so properly, as the Ivanchuk ones. That is why it is difficult to say for me, what strategy I would choose in this case. On my opinion, Anand would not play so many different openings, as Ivanchuk! And he would be perhaps calmer.
Q: Your constant trainer Gennady Kuzmin said to me, that you had some methods of struggle not only with Ivanchuk, but also with Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand…
A: Yes, I have. But the time will show, how effectual they will be.
Q: How do you think, would you have managed to achieve the same success at the previous control?
A: Why not? Everything is possible! The seven-hour control has been a little outdated, life is constantly accelerating, and chess is not the exclusion.
Q: Don’t you refuse of participation at the tournaments with a seven-hour control?
A: No. But it would be better to have an equal control everywhere – a half and an hour for the game plus 30 seconds for a move. It would be such necessity constantly to rearrange ourselves then…
Q: What system of the world championship is optimal for you?
A: That was in Moscow. Despite for the fact, the chess players played only per two games, only the strongest chess players entered the next round. For example, I played with that team, to which I was prepared beforehand. Only at the semifinal I thought Adams would be play against Svidler, and at final – Anand. Svidler and Ivanchuk though – are the strong competitors.
Q: But at the former many-stage system somebody would be hardly have so success.
A: Maybe, it is so. I think, time will pass, and a number of similar successes will be greater! The computers have appeared, it became easier to get information, and many games had been already played…
Q: Now you are the world champion, the figure is political. Could you give your own assessment of events, recently having occurred at the chess world?
A: I’ve already given my assessment to them for many times. If to use the chess terminology, we appeared ourselves at the stalemate. I cannot speak as the adjudicator, but nevertheless, I imagine the behavior of Kirsan Ilymzhinov more flexible, and his position – more perspective.
Q: In this case, do you consider Kramnik by the world champion?
A: He has outrun Kasparov, the strongest world chess player. But the champion should confirm his title by successes at the tournaments, and Kramnik doesn’t still manage to do it.
Q: What’s your attitide to Kasparov? You said, that have never seen him?!
A: I still consider him by the strongest world chess player, admit his power and talent…Yes, actually I have never met him either at the chess board, or in the usual life. I think this meeting will take place in future.
Q: Will you aspire to the merger at the chess world, having become by the champion?
A: Of course, I would like the merger at the chess world. I also would like the merged match be held. I am prepared to play at it. But it depends not only on me, but also on Kasparov, Kramnik, and also on FIDE, with which I am connected due to the contract commitments.
Q: Well, finally, the last question. How are you going to spend your earned money in the sum equal to a half a million?
A: It should be noted, that the sum will be much smaller after the taxes’ payment. While I am not going to spend all sum. This money will allow me to feel much free then.
The Challenger Vasily Ivanchuk was of course deeply desapointed, maybe he missed his last chance to be a world champion
Q: Vasily, how would you describe all that happened in the Metropol hotel? Was it tragedy, accident or the logical outcome?
A: Farce. A lot seems ludicrous to me right now, including the World Champion. Something strained, unreal, fantastic happened – in other words, that which should not have occurred. The sentence pronounced by someone at the closing ceremony “the new World Champion is the smartest person in the world” became the apotheosis of this farce. I wonder whether this speaker really believed in what he was saying?
Q: Why not? It was the official match for the World Champion title won by Ruslan Ponomariov.
A: I agree, but let’s look at this match from a chess professional’s standpoint. Anyone who know about chess understands that the result of virtually half of the games do not reflect a real correlation of the opponents’ forces. It looked more like roulette in which not the smartest, but the luckiest player won, rather than chess. The elements of gambling were decisive in this match too many times.