Judit Polgar – preparing one by one with both colours

by ChessBase
8/24/2005 – One of the most interesting personalities at the FIDE Classical Chess World Championship in Argentina will be Judit Polgar, easily the strongest female player in the history of the game. In the interviews conducted by the official web site Judit answers the ten standard questions put to each of the participants. Here's what she had to say.

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The FIDE World Chess Championship will take place in the Hotel Potrero de los Funes Complex, in the Province of San Luis, Argentina, from September 27 to October 16, 2005.

WCC San Luis 2005 Press Release

Polgar: “It will be an extremely difficult and exhausting event”

Judit Polgar, the only woman among seven men for this World Chess Championship San Luis 2005, spoke to the Press Office of the event. “It is going to be an extremely difficult and exhausting event from mental and physical point of view”, she said, and that’s why she is carrying on a very important physical training. “Every game can be extremely hard”, she stated, revealing one of her training methods: “I am preparing against my opponents one by one with both colors”.

Tips for this competition? “To be very clever, to save energy for critical moments of the tournament, fighting spirit, stability, and to be very strong in mind because the pressure will be high”. The Hungarian GM remembered having good times in previous journeys to Argentina and has a special remembrance of Najdorf and his family.

Ten questions

1. What are your expectations about this important competition?

I try to prepare the best way I can for this World Championship and to play the best chess I can.

2. How do you evaluate the way of play of this competition? (Double round-robin)

It is going to be an extremely difficult and exhausting event from mental and physical point of view. After all it is a world championship and everybody I think has a very serious preparation already before the event.

3. Which are your favourite players among your seven opponents? And who will be the toughest?

Generally I think it is clear to me that the toughest opponents will be the highest rated players, but I am an experienced player and I know that every game can be extremely hard. All the players come to Argentina to win and fight.

4. How are you preparing yourself for the WCC Argentina 2005?

I am preparing against my opponents one by one with both colors and of course a lot on my repertoire. Also the physical training is very important part of my preparation.

5. Do you think that you will be coming being in your best competition level?

Definitely it is my goal to be in my best shape and I hope I can be.

6. Which will be the "tips" to win the competition?

To be very clever, to save energy for critical moments of the tournament, fighting spirit, stability, and to be very strong in mind because the pressure will be high.

7. Will this tournament be very different from all the others you have already played?

In one hand it is not going to be different because I have played in many strong competitions in the last decade, but in the other hand it will absolutely different. I will prepare much more than for other events. Also there will be much more tension than in a regular tournament.

8. Will the spectators be seeing "new things" in the way of playing?

Well, I am pretty sure that all the participants are going to prepare surprises.

9. Why should spectators not miss this championship?

Because it is a historical world championship and now that Kasparov has retired and Kramnik is playing unstable in recent times, people will consider having a World Champion again, even if some of great players are missing for this event.

10. Name the first things that come into your mind when you think of Argentina.

When I go to Argentina I have good time or very good time while I am there, hehe. I remember Miguel Najdorf and his kind family.

Short biography of Judit Polgar

Grandmaster. She is one of the greatest attractions of the World Chess Championship: the strongest woman in chess history. She will be the only woman in a men’s environment, but she lives it as a normal situation and doesn’t care. She is the only woman who has defeated the great Garry Kasparov and also the only one to make it to the top ten (Elo: 2735). Polgar has achieved her success by abstaining from participating in tournaments where there is a sex based separation.

Source: Press Office of the WCC San Luis 2005


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