Press conference

In the press conference on Wednesday, Hans Walter Schmitt announced that even more matches will be played next year. “We will organise the Chess960 world championship again and we plan to organise the Chess World Games here in Mainz next year. There will be Chess960 world championships for players Under 14, Under 18, women and senior players”. Mayor Jens Beutel said that Mainz will definitely be the host for the Chess Classic 2006 and most probably for many more years to come. “The Chess Classic is important for Mainz”, Beutel said, “all records will be broken this year, more and more players come to our city to play chess. This is good for tourism, good for our image and good for Mainz”.

Alexander Grischuk

“Alexander hasn´t played chess for a while and he will be prepared and fresh for this match. I haven´t played since Léon and it will be interesting too see who is in good shape”, Anand said. “Well, for me this is my first long match in my life”, Alexander Grishuk said, “and I believe that Vishy is the clear favourite. He has played so many matches and is very experienced. I have to admit that it is a pity that I cannot play in the Open tournaments”, the young Russian smiled,”because I scored so well in the Ordix Opens the last two years”. Grishuk, who travelled to Mainz with his girlfriend Natalia Zhukova, won the Ordix Open battles in 2003 and 2004 without losing one single game!

Svidler-Almasi

“Of course I would like to win the match against Peter, but I know that it will be very difficult. He has played and won matches against top players like Leko and Aronian. But I will do everything I can to become the first Hungarian Chess960 World Chess champion”, Zoltan Almasi smiled. Svidler replied: “I have been looking at some statistics of the Finet Chess960 Open and I have notices that Zoltans score was incredable last year. When I won the Finet Open back in 2002, I scored 9 out of 11, but Almasi even scored better against stronger opponents! So it will be a tough match, as always.”

This morning the players had to compete in exhibition matches against computers. Almasi: “It was difficult to play against Shredder. I already wanted to resign the first game, but I kept playing on and in the end I got good compensation. Unfortunately, I had not enough time to find the best moves in the end. In the seocnd game, Shredder just played very good, I had no chance at all”. Svidler won his match against The Baron:” I had some time during my game to look at the other board and I think that Shredder is stronger than The Baron. It was a bit strange that The Baron blundered in the second game, but as far as I know the operator gives limited time per move to his engine in these rapid chess events and that is why something went wrong in this game. I was a bit unfortunate for Richard Pijl”.

More exhibitions: Blitz and the first ever Grischuk simul!

After the press conference Vishy Anand and world champion Antoaneta Stefanova played blitz games against special guests and a handful of amateurs. Supermodel Carmen Kass and the mayor of Mainz, Jens Beutel played blitz games, but the professionals had no trouble winning the handicap blitz games. At the same time Alexander Grischuk started a simultanious exhibition against 40 VIP´s and amateurs. “Oh, 40 boards, I need some help!”, Grischuk laughed. Hans-Walter Schmitt asked Grischuk if he has ever played a simul in Germany. “Well, I haven´t played a simulatanious exhibition in my life!”, the young Russian replied. “No problem, I will take care of a few boards”, his lovely girlfriend Natalia Zhukova smiled.