The Monday Questions (14) for GM Sebastian Siebrecht

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Sebastian Siebrecht, 37 years old but still feeling young, from Essen (Germany). Young, dynamic and always radiant with joy. Probably the world’s tallest (2.02 m) grandmaster.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
I love chess, I can become highly enthousiastic about chess and feel like a chess ambassador. My promotional activities include show matches, simuls, blindfold games, training sessions, blitz handicap games and all sorts of commentary. I’m trying to install chess at elementary schools in my home region. At some point I was probably the most active player of the tournament circuit with 220 rated games in one year. Besides my chess activities I run a small event agency.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
I watched my dad and my brother playing and was very interested. Then I started playing with my dad. When I entered highschool I was lucky that they had an active chess group. The guy sitting next to me in school was just as enthousiastic about chess as me and we played blindfold chess during mathematic lessons. We pushed eachother forward from age 13 until 15, this was essential for my chess development. Lateron I started reading a lot, books and magazines. And of course I played a lot.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
Definitely my dad, since he always supported me. School notes were relatively unimportant and even when I graduated from university (law) he was perfectly happy with the fact that I focused on chess from that point on (see question 6).

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
I used to be a good basketball player, used to be in the regional (NRW) U17 selection. Lateron I focused more on individual sports because of a lack of time. Recently I took part in my first triathlon, which actually was a fantastic event to be part of.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Do whatever you enjoy most. For the simple reason that when you enjoy something you will be able to achieve most.

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
My family and the people I care for are very important for me. Seven weeks ago I became a father, which was a life-changing experience.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
I find this a very hard question to answer, since I have a lot of respect for my opponents. I am especially happy when I manage to create something new.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
I’m playing for the Apeldoorn team in the Dutch League for about six years now. I play in eight different leagues (Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Greece) and the atmosphere is best in Apeldoorn/The Netherlands. I agree with many of the ideas in the book about creating a chess culture (see also next question).

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
What are your goals? How do you see the future? I want to live life very intensively and do as much as possible. Brilliant games are nice and fantastic, but indeed, the most important is, to build something more then a chessgame. I have deep respect for all people who are involved in social matters without selfish reasons. So I guess to make chess more popular and involve everybody in the party should be great. Chess ist a teamsport Yasser Seirawan once said, and I agree completely. Everybody has his role and that is the goal. Let us celebrate it!

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (13) for GM Emanuel Berg

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Emanuel Berg, 28, living in the town Arvika in Sweden, near the Norwegian border. I am the current Swedish Champion (2009).

2. What is your role in the chess world?
I am a professional chess player, but also working as a coach for young people every now and then.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
I played a lot of games and was taught to play gambits, which developed my tactical skills.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
I don’t know. Many different people I guess. I had a few coaches from abroad when I was a kid.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Football and tennis.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Don’t get lost studying all chess theory. Take your time to study endgames first as well as go through classical games.

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
My family (wife and 4 children).

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Hard to pick one, but Berg-Bareev, Göteborg 2005 is one of my favourites.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
Chess talent is a gift that some people have. Having talent makes it easier to be a promising chess player at an early stage without too much effort. However, hard work is also needed for the talented player in order to reach the top. Players with less talent need to work harder from the start, but might not reach a top position in the chess rating. My impression is that talented players often are lazy, while less talented players are hard working and ambitious. The best would of course be to be both talented and to work hard.

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
Who is your favourite chess arbiter? Hans Olav Lahlum, Norway.

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (12) for GM Roland Schmaltz

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Roland Schmaltz, 35, German currently living in Brisbane Australia, 4 times unofficial world bullet champion (1 minute chess). German youth champion 1992 and German blitz champion 1997.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
Retired from the world of chess since 2006.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
By playing as much as possible, especially against computers. I read every chessbook and Informator I got my hands on. My ‘Talent’ was more or less the result of my chess addiction.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
John Nunn. His books are great! Most things I know and understand are from his books. And: the guy at my chessclub in Mannheim who offered me money if i can beat him.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Brazilian women beach volleyball.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Have fun going for the best you can do, but don’t over do it. There is more out there in life than chess. (There is poker too! …just kidding)

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
Money.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Against Mikhail Gurevich Bundesliga 2002?! Four exchange sacrifices! I dare you to find one with more.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
Chess talent is something you either have or don’t. But that is the same for everything you do in life. Nobody is perfect!

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
Do you regret wasting half your life and your teenage years moving wooden pieces over a plastic board? Yes.

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (11) for GM Radoslaw Wojtaszek

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Hello, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, 23 years old, Grandmaster from Poland.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
I’m mainly a player, number 73 in the May rating list. I’ve also been Vishy’s Anand second in Bonn and Sofia.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
By playing a lot, reading books, studying some classics, analysing my games. Usual stuff, I would say.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
It’s always hard to choose one, let’s say my grandfather who was my first teacher.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Definitely basketball and tennis.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Work as much as possible, but only if you enjoy it!

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
Studies which I have to finish soon.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Probably Shirov – Wojtaszek, Pamplona 2006.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
Merijn and I are teammates for HSK (Hamburg).

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
What is your favourite movie/TV series? I love Family Guy!

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (10) for GM Sipke Ernst

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
My name is Sipke Ernst, 31 years old and living in Groningen, the Netherlands.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
I play in the Dutch and German league. Besides that about seven tournaments a year. Also I am involved in chess coaching.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
By reading lots of books. I was especially fond of all the Dvoretsky stuff.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
Hard to pick one, but Yge Visser was a good chess trainer.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
At the moment I do a lot of fitness and swimming. It´s good to be in shape when you play tough tournaments like the Dutch Championship, which starts the 10th of June.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Stay away from a professional chess career

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
At the moment finishing my MA in Dutch Language and Culture. I have an extensive music collection. Also I am interested in almost every sport so following all sport results is another time-consuming hobby of mine.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Don´t know. Maybe Nijboer-Ernst, Wijk aan Zee 2005

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
I have a copy of the book and I like it very much! I´m often a guest at Karel´s house and before the book was published we discussed many subjects that are in the book.

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
It´s all there!

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (9) for GM Sergei Movsesian

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Sergei Movsesian, 31 years old chess-veteran
Armenian, born in Georgia, living in Czech Republic and representing Slovakia.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
I enjoy playing in different kind of tournaments and leagues.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
We had a very nice chess library at home, so I was trying to read a lot. Also important was analyzing games with my father.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
At first it was again my father, who helped me a lot at the very start of my chess carrier, later it was my coach David Dzhanoev, who teached me to work independently (very important quality for a chess-player) and not only rely on coaches.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Ice hockey. Hard to say why, as in Georgia there is no big tradition of this sport. I often visit matches in Pardubice, which is my favourite hockey club and also follow most of important leagues.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Try to learn, while you are young, later you may understand it is important, but will not be able to do it

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
I would like to be fair to everybody in this life.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Probably Movsesian – I. Sokolov, Batumi 1999

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
None at the moment, but I am planning to find out more about the project

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
It may sound very original, but no idea!

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (8) for GM Jan Gustafsson

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Hi, I am Jan Gustafsson from Hamburg, Germany. 30 years old and slowly coming to terms with it.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
Chess player! I like to play for my club Baden-Baden and the german national team. Planning to play more than I used to this year, somehow I decided now is the time to become a bit better. In the past I have worked as a second for the likes of Loek van Wely, Jan Smeets and Peter Leko. Sadly, at some point they all figured out the extent of my lazyness.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
By reading whatever chess book I could get my hands on. Basically I liked studying and disliked losing, so I felt the former might help the latter.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
My first coach, the late Vincent Kolanoske. While he was not a strong player, he always made me look forward to going to chess training on Friday afternoon.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Football! Currently I am bitterly disappointed by the failure of HSV on european level in both football and handball

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Don’t ever start smoking! Seriously, don’t.

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
The question what should have my main concern in life besides chess.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Somehow I never liked looking at my own games (Yes, I know I should!). Therefore I can’t give a qualified opinion.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
I was fortunate enough to be a member of the Apeldoorn Chess club since the mid-90s and could therefore enjoy the stimulating chess atmosphere created by the Van Delfts first hand.

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
As a professional player, I am sure you watch a lot of TV series during tournaments to relax. Any recommendations?
I am glad you asked! Check out “The Big Bang Theory” and “Curb your Enthusiasm”, they are both hilarious. If you want drama, “Sons of Anarchy” and “The Wire “are great. Oh, and “True Blood” is so good that I watched 2 seasons while playing Inarkiev in the World Cup. You do the math how that turned out…

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (7) for GM Jan Smeets

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Hello, good evening! I am Jan Smeets, 25, Dutch, and have blue eyes.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
I am currently ranked in the lower parts of the top 100. Really enjoyed playing playing Corus A and the Amber tournament this year even though I made an impressive minus score. Besides playing I have never done a lot of coaching, writing etc although right now I am in Sofia as one of Topalov’s seconds.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
By playing a lot and reading books. And attending lectures/lessons. It may sound strange to the juniors these days but as a kid I never used a computer for anything related to chess.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
Never really had any chess idols although I always used to be more of a Kasparov then a Karpov fan. Must have been the first two professional trainers I had, Rob Brunia and Cor van Wijgerden.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Uf! Let me start by confessing that I don´t spend enough time on sport. Used to play a lot of tabletennis but that’s a thing from the past. I also like soccer but play it very rarely.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Play chess only if you really enjoy it. If not, join a soccer club.

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
University, finding a good place to live, girlfriend.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Mamedyarov-Smeets, Corus B 2005. During the game I was extremely focused and calculated a lot of lines (correctly). I should add that after about 15 moves I was more or less lost.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
Merijn sort of forced me into buying the book

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
Not so much a question as a small piece of advice. Don’t stare at computer evaluations all the time but keep using your own mind!

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (6) for GM Artur Jussupow

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world. Artur is a good friend, a very busy man and as he explained totally not into all sorts of modern social networking, which in his view may be a serious waste of time. Since he cannot fail in this series we have his quick answers anyway.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Artur, 50, German.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
Chess trainer.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
Played games, learned from other players and chess trainers, read good chess books.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
Mark Dvoretsky is my most important chess teacher. Without Mark I would never be a Junior world champion and a candidate for the world championship. As a coach I profit very much from our previous work. Mark is a good friend and for me he is the best trainer in the world.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Soccer.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Read good books, analyse your own games, study the chess classics.

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
To be a decent person.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
Maybe my game against Andrey Sokolov, Soviet Championship, Moscow 1988.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
“Chief adviser” of the project.

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
This was the most difficult question.

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

The Monday Questions (5) for GM Sune Berg Hansen

We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we’ll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.

1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Sune Berg Hansen, 38 years old (soon 39), Danish grandmaster, 5 times Danish champion.

2. What is your role in the chess world?
Dunno I play for Hamburg in the German Bundesliga and I play for Denmark at the Olympiad. I am ranked around 500 in the world. I’ve been writing a daily chess column for the second largest newspaper in Denmark for ten years now. I consider myself a serious amateur.

3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
I read a lot of books! By the way I don’t believe in ‘talent’ – I think all talents become good by deliberate practice.

4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
My grandfather and I played in the hollidays and he was pretty good for a ‘homeplayer’ (strength around 1400) – when I started beating him (when he didn’t lose on purpose) I decided to take chess serious. I started in a chess club at the age of 12.

5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
Football.

6. What would be your advice for young people?
Get an education and only do things you find interesting and enjoy.

7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
I am now a professional poker player and that takes a lot of time and effort – but it is fun.

8. What is the best chess game you played?
I don’t know – haven’t played it yet? – but maybe my win against Emanuel Berg last year – really enjoyed that game.

9. What’s your connection with ‘Developing Chess Talent’?
Merijn and his dad are into it and I know them – good people

10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
How long does it take to become a grandmaster? It takes 10 years or approx. 10.000 hours of deliberate practice. That goes for everybody – even Kasparov

Background information

These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent

Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group

The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com

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