Interesting chess interview: Lomineishvili wins Georgian National Women's Chess title

Chess blog for latest news and trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011

Maya Lomineishvili

Hello Everyone,

IM Maya Lomineishvili has just become the national women's chess champion of Georgia for the fifth time. Complete final results can be seen here. Meanwhile, here are the interesting excerpts from the interview conducted by www.chess-news.ru with the champion. You can hear the audio in Russia here.

M. LOMINEISHVILI: Some managed four times, but five - nobody else. For example, Gaprindashvili became champion four times. Frankly I did not expect it. It's not just about my being busy with my home but also my work at the university and just before the tournament I arranged a banquet for 400 people. I didn't think I would be able to play well here. In fact, I rested the first day after a request to participants and organizers. As there were 13 people playing so it was okay... The participants agreed.

Just last year I lost 100 points and from 2450 went to 2345. I do not know. A job is time consuming, and even family, and all-all-all. There was no time to engage in normal chess. I even spoke at home: they say, might be better and you refuse to play in Anaklia, because you never planned before the tournament ... I was getting ready - I had four lessons with Konstantin Shanava (Georgian chess player).
I am very pleased with our joint work, and will continue to deal with it, that's for sure.

Three years ago I started working at the State University.

Interestingly, I was third in the Georgian Championship on January 23 last year and today is actually an anniversary of my husband congratulating me for the first time! We met on January 27 and got married on April 25. And, today, he sent me the same sms again: "Congratulations on the victory, I wish you all the best, and that Caissa was your guardian in chess and in life. Sincerely, Vakho Gaganidze."

Actually, I thought about less playing with my family but, you know, not chess, I just cannot live. It's like the air and the water for me. I can play less, but not give up. When once you become a professional chess player, it is simply impossible to stop. In my opinion, it's all true.

(On her having signed the open letter to Fide about the bad organization of Women's World Chess Championship 2010 in Turkey. Read and comment at the open letter at our www.chessblog.com here.)

M. LOMINEISHVILI: I had spoken at the beginning of the tournament itself. Because we paid 130 Euros a day is quite a lot. And for the money we had hoped, at least, to eat normally. And there it was not. And there were still other problems. Hotel is so-so, the average level. Food was generally a nightmare. And the prices there, of course, unrealistic. Many times I played in Turkey - and the club tournaments, and in the Open, and official, but this was the worst. And the hotel, and meals and everything. They are really good usually organize their tournaments, but this World Cup - a black stain.

I hope things will change after the letter. Firstly, I am sure they must do so that we were not obliged to live in the official hotel. Or, at least we should have a choice - to live in a five-star or three-star hotel. Because in the end it turns out that we get a prize there, and all. Playing at the world championships, and we get very little.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Also see her personal blog at
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