Sergey Karjakin: Our Dispute With Carlsen Is Not Over Yet

Russian mass media writes about Karjakin.

Sergey Karjakin had to deal with numerous requests from Russian newspapers and TV following his return from New York. 

Sport-Express reports from Sheremetyevo Airport

Sport-Express photo report  

Sovetskij Sport photo report  

Sergey Karjakin at Sport-Express HQ, photos  

The interview at Sport-Express HQ  

Sovetskij Sport reports

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Interfax agency informs that Sergey Karjakin became a second most frequently mentioned sportsman by Russian media in November, surpassed only by the head coach of Russian national football team Stanislav Cherchesov. Magnus Carlsen was third on that list. 

Chess broke its record, mentioned more than 13,500 times during this month, previously peaking at about 7,000 in August 2016. 

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A brief interview with Sergey Karjakin at the Sheremetyevo Airport. 

“What is the first thing that you'll do?”
“I miss by son Alexey very much. He just made his first step, which is a very touching moment, so I want to see him as soon as possible. And then I will rest.”

“What did you think about during the return flight?”
“I though it is amazing how many people are supporting me here. I am grateful to my trainers, doctor, fans, sponsors, chess federation. I am grateful to our government, and I was told the President himself supported me. I am happy to be back home.”

“You said there was some support from Americans as well, is that right?”
“Yes! I had an army of fans, which was especially easy to spot during the tie-breaks. Alas, I did not manage to beat Carlsen, but I think had a decent shot. I fought well and I am not ashamed to lose.”

“Do you already think about the next opportunity in two years?”
“Yes, of course. I will have some rest and then begin my preparation. I want to win the Candidates again, and I already proved that I can play Magnus as an equal.”

“How did you say goodbye to the Norwegian? Was it friendly?”
“Yes, we have a very good relationship. Our rivalry ends on the chess board. I congratulated him on his birthday, which he celebrated on the tie-break day. But our chess dispute is not over! Hope I will have the last say.”

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Andrey Filatov, President of Russian Chess Federation and Vice-President of FIDE, is quoted by Sport-Express:

“The victory was very close, Sergey did a great job. Had he made that knight move that forced a draw, we would probably win the chess crown... However, there are still good chances. We will try to win the title back from Carlsen in two years. We have Kramnik, Grischuk, Nepomniachtchi, and Karjakin, of course. Sergey won the hearts of the Americans and forced a nervous breakdown from Carlsen, which is a big deal. Carlsen's hands were shaking during the key game. 

Unfortunately, we were unable to adjust to rapid games, Carlsen's strategy was very good. But we have nothing to be ashamed of. The final games gathered 6 million viewers from 206 countries, which is a record-breaking number!”

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Some excerpts from the Sport-Express interview:

“How did you rate your chances before the match?”
“I realized I have good chances. Remember the history – when Kramnik defeated Kasparov, it was a sensation. And what about Alekhine against Capablanca? He was 0-5 in individual games against the champion before the match. Therefore I could not understand why bookmakers considered Carlsen such a big favorite.”

“At what time did you believe you have a real shot at the title?”
“After the 3rd and 4th games, which were very tough for me, but I managed to defend difficult positions and make two draws. Already in the 5th game I had the initiative and a serious advantage, but I did not find the way to turn it into a win. The match situation became very sharp at that moment, and I had an advantage from games 5 to 10. After that Carlsen managed to recover.”

“Did you feel he broke down emotionally when he left the press-conference?”
“I had that feeling, and decided to play very sharply in the next game. This was justified, and Magnus barely survived. His confidence was shaken, which he admitted after the match. He also said this was the most difficult match for him.”

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Grandmaster Sergey Karjakin signed a 1-year sponsorship deal with Kaspersky Lab, one of the leading companies in a field of cyber security.

“One can say that our crown lacked diamonds, therefore we decided to sponsor Sergey”, said Evgeny Kaspersky, the owner of the company. He also said that the deal with the Russian chess player is not just about money, but also about responsibility. 

The Kaspersky Lab will protect all devices of Sergey Karjakin, who will in turn participate in various events such as simultaneous displays as a representative of the Evgeny Kaspersky's company.

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