“I don’t strive for the front pages”: Karyakin about unusual projects, chess games in cinema and decline in popularity

- There is an opinion that chess players are self-contained people without a sense of humor. You participated in a project in which you had to comment on the fights between the robot and humans. What is your impression of this experience?

“For some reason, many people think that we are boring botanists who were all laughed at at school. But I can prove that it is not. Chess players, as well as ordinary people, love to socialize, have fun, many of them have unusual hobbies, ranging from riding a quad bike and ending with parachuting. As for the project that came up with the channel “Match TV”, it came out very interesting and fun. It was more like a show than a real competition, because the robot talked a lot and joked, but the level of his game left much to be desired.

- Does such events promote chess?

- In my opinion, they are already a self-sufficient and rather popular sport. Of course, this should not stop, it is necessary to continue to attract as many fans as possible.

- At the event, you also dismantled a magical party from the movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." What attracted you to this project?

- It so happened that a couple of months ago I decided to review a series of Harry Potter films. Then I first paid attention to this scene and thought about its plausibility. Before the show I was informed that it was recreated on the basis of a real game, and a professional chess player participated in the filming process. This is a really interesting joke, in which you had to sacrifice a piece to keep the main character alive.

• Karjakin talked about the magic party in the film "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

- How often do in the film there are chess games?

“I think so, but not everyone pays attention to them.” So, few people remember that the game is found in many parts of the modern British series about Sherlock Holmes.

- Do you evaluate such scenes from a professional point of view?

- Yes, I always try to pay attention to the details, so I immediately notice if the figures on the board are incorrectly placed or there are other inaccuracies. In chess terms, I'm a perfectionist. But this happens quite rarely, because the filmmakers are trying to make everything correspond to reality and not cause laughter to people like me.

- Have you received any offers to work as an expert for a staging scene in a theater or cinema?

- This was not, but I can say that now several films about chess are being shot at once, including about me. In general, this sport is now on the rise, and it is very great that more and more people are interested in them.

• "In chess terms, I - a perfectionist"

- What kind of chess player do you need to make a movie?

- In my opinion, all world champions of past years are worthy of attention. If you need to single out one, I would call Robert Fisher. Recently I was at the premiere of the film “Sacrificing a Pawn”, about his famous rivalry with Boris Spassky. The tape impressed me.

- Recently, the screens out a large number of films about sports. How do you rate this trend?

- I think that this is very correct, because there should be as many motivating films as possible about ordinary people living among us, who through their work have managed to achieve great success. They tell you that you should never stop chasing your goals.

- Have you ever commented on the matches of professional chess players?

- Yes, all my previous experience in this field came down to work in real tournaments. So, now I almost every day comment on the meetings between Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, who are fighting for the world title these days. I find this interesting, because I have to monitor the course of the confrontation, delve into what is happening and tell the audience about it.

- Experts say that Caruana was well prepared for the battle for the chess crown, but he was too carried away by the defense ...

- In my opinion, it is not. For example, in the eighth game he had excellent chances to win, which he was unable to use. In general, the matches take place on an equal footing with a slight advantage of Carlsen. But until the end of the tournament, nothing remains, and the cost of the mistake is very high. In this connection also acts Norwegian cautiously.

If the winner cannot be identified in the 12 parties stipulated by the rules, then in the tie-break the advantage will be on the side of Magnus. In his game, he relies more on intuition, makes quick moves, unlike Fabiano, who needs more time to think.

- In Khanty-Mansiysk, Ekaterina Lagno is one step away from the world champion title. Follow the course of her confrontation with Ju Wenjun?

- Yes, we have known Ekaterina more than 20 years, we communicate very well, we constantly support each other.

- Russian woman returned to the sport recently after the birth of a child. Can this be called a feat?

- No matter how this tournament ends, the result of Catherine is already a great achievement. And I'm sure it will be a good motivation for many mothers.

Her success proves that women are capable of great feats and that you can harmoniously combine family and professional activities.

- For what sports watch, besides chess?

- Of course, chess is always a priority for me, but whenever possible I try to root for all our guys in tennis, football, basketball and other sports.

- Maria Sharapova on her Twitter page admitted that Virgin Records owner Richard Branson had taught her the first lesson in chess. Are you offended?

- It is great that chess is popularized at the expense of famous personalities, but I don’t strive in any way to get into the front pages of newspapers. The game is developing in its own way, and we do not need scandalous methods to attract the public. Maria herself will understand how interesting and intelligent the sport is.

• Karjakin told about the attitude towards scandals in sports

- If there was an opportunity to give Maria a master class, would you agree?

- Yes, I would be very interested. Moreover, before meeting with Carlsen, I spent several training sessions with our famous tennis player Anna Chakvetadze. Therefore, I have some skills, and as we say in chess, I would have held out for several moves. I think a couple of draws could take.

- Recently, the name of another Russian athlete, figure skater Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, has been heard. Would you like to organize with her some kind of joint event like “Chess on Ice”?

- In fact, we already had a similar idea. We planned to hold a kind of tournament in which games would take place on the ice. But then this project had to be abandoned. However, the idea itself deserves the right to exist.

- At the end of 2016, you were recognized as the most popular athlete in the country. What do you think, what place do you occupy now?

- 2016-th was extremely successful for me. I won the Candidates Tournament in Moscow and won the Blitz World Champion title. Unfortunately, I cannot say that this year is a good one, because there were both victories and offensive defeats. The asset can bring second place in the tournament contenders. But in chess anything can happen, so do not give up.

- In 2020, the popularity will return to previous levels?

- In order to become popular, you need to win victories in competitions in which you participate, play well here and now. Already in December I will have a fast chess championship, where I will try to show again everything I can do.