Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011
Hello everyone,
Here is a very nice interview given to www.chess-news.ru by Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk. It's about the robbery that took place in Sao Paulo which you can read about at our previous post.
Ivanchuk spoke to Evgeny Surov of Chess-News. The interview took place via telephone and can also be listened to here (in Russian).
To begin with, how do you feel?In principle everything’s fine and I feel fine. There aren’t any problems and I’m fully able to continue the tournament. I hope everything goes ok. It was a small robbery, and by the way it was almost on hotel property, which was strange. My wife and I came out, sat in the car, put down our things… And then – two guys with pistols. They took our things and ran away. That was all it was, actually. There’s not really anything particular to say about it. Fortunately my laptop bag was between my feet and they simply didn’t notice it, clearly.
So you’ve still got your computer?Yes, I’ve still got my computer and also, fortunately, I’ve got my passport – it was in the inside pocket of my jacket. That enabled me to travel here, to Bilbao, and continue the tournament. Otherwise I’d have had to return to Ukraine, just as my wife had to. Her passport was stolen.
And what did you do next? Did you go to the police?It was at the hotel. We immediately went to reception and reception called the police, but it was already quite late. They suggested we could immediately go to the police, on the same day, but it was already late. We didn’t want to leave the hotel and we went to the police the next day and left a statement. They haven’t found anything yet, or at least they haven’t informed me about it.
There’s been no progress with the investigation?
No, but I’m not especially concerned. At the end of the day, there wasn’t anything particularly valuable there. The most valuable thing for me was my chess set, not in terms of money but in terms of some sort of… I’ve used that chess set for many, many years. I’ve even got a wish: perhaps that chess set can somehow fall into the hands of an intelligent child, and thanks to some sort of magical properties it’ll help that child to become a famous chess player.
Are you talking about a normal wooden chess set?Yes, a normal folding set – the board opens and closes and the wooden pieces are inside.
And today, as I understand it, you made it to Bilbao a few hours ago, and tomorrow you’re already going to play?Yes, that’s right. The game won’t be postponed. There’s no point. The organisers offered to postpone it, by the way, but I said: but why, if I’m already here? Why create problems and interfere with the natural course of the tournament? Nothing in particular that would get in the way of me playing has happened.
Hello everyone,
Here is a very nice interview given to www.chess-news.ru by Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk. It's about the robbery that took place in Sao Paulo which you can read about at our previous post.
Ivanchuk spoke to Evgeny Surov of Chess-News. The interview took place via telephone and can also be listened to here (in Russian).
To begin with, how do you feel?In principle everything’s fine and I feel fine. There aren’t any problems and I’m fully able to continue the tournament. I hope everything goes ok. It was a small robbery, and by the way it was almost on hotel property, which was strange. My wife and I came out, sat in the car, put down our things… And then – two guys with pistols. They took our things and ran away. That was all it was, actually. There’s not really anything particular to say about it. Fortunately my laptop bag was between my feet and they simply didn’t notice it, clearly.
So you’ve still got your computer?Yes, I’ve still got my computer and also, fortunately, I’ve got my passport – it was in the inside pocket of my jacket. That enabled me to travel here, to Bilbao, and continue the tournament. Otherwise I’d have had to return to Ukraine, just as my wife had to. Her passport was stolen.
And what did you do next? Did you go to the police?It was at the hotel. We immediately went to reception and reception called the police, but it was already quite late. They suggested we could immediately go to the police, on the same day, but it was already late. We didn’t want to leave the hotel and we went to the police the next day and left a statement. They haven’t found anything yet, or at least they haven’t informed me about it.
There’s been no progress with the investigation?
No, but I’m not especially concerned. At the end of the day, there wasn’t anything particularly valuable there. The most valuable thing for me was my chess set, not in terms of money but in terms of some sort of… I’ve used that chess set for many, many years. I’ve even got a wish: perhaps that chess set can somehow fall into the hands of an intelligent child, and thanks to some sort of magical properties it’ll help that child to become a famous chess player.
Are you talking about a normal wooden chess set?Yes, a normal folding set – the board opens and closes and the wooden pieces are inside.
And today, as I understand it, you made it to Bilbao a few hours ago, and tomorrow you’re already going to play?Yes, that’s right. The game won’t be postponed. There’s no point. The organisers offered to postpone it, by the way, but I said: but why, if I’m already here? Why create problems and interfere with the natural course of the tournament? Nothing in particular that would get in the way of me playing has happened.
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Wow what a philosophical attitude. Also he really has a psychological edge if he goes back to play today. Good. My respect for Ivanchuk several notches up.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice wish. Truly. It is nice to know we have such humane grandmasters. I remember the Navara episode at world cup. This is such a sweet wish. And maybe that kid would become famous and one day tell Ivanchuk I was the one who got your chess board. How romantic. How beautiful. Though of course sad he was robbed in the first place. I am very sure - like a lot of other readers of chessblog - that it was some kind of set back. I have lived in Sao paulo and really its not that bad particularly if you are in a hotel.
ReplyDeletemis mejores deseos a Ivanchuk
ReplyDeleteHello bloggers folks countrymen gentlemen someone started a discussion on Chuky in another post and everyone is discussing the issue there. Please Chess Queen could you move their discussion here?
ReplyDeleteVery sure that the incident was to unsettle him. More than anything else. There could be a bigger conspiracy behind this - maybe a personal enmity. Someone who didn't want Chucky to be the runaway winner and it would not be chess players - it must be someone else who hates him and accessed his departure info. Guess other players were also at the same hotel. So...
ReplyDeleteActually nowhere else in the world would a temporary passport would have been issued with such speed. You would need to be a prime minister or something in Asia for that or pay a hefty amount. It's just one of those terrible things. Wishing stronger recovery for Vassily and hopefully he wins the tournament now. That would be vindication. Ok I got my comment here too.
ReplyDeleteAliens
ReplyDeleteIt;s Chucky and not Chuky
ReplyDeleteGo Naka go this is your chance.
ReplyDeleteThank god its a suitcase robbery. Not like Inception. They still cannot steal Ivanchuk's mind.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they thought he had the prize money in the suitcases. With all that publicity it could be possible. The only logical explanation for me.
ReplyDeleteAnyone has updates on Nalchik women's chess event?
ReplyDeleteHave you guys seen the Bishop g4 move?
ReplyDelete