"I want to compete for World Cup medals, I will not be satisfied with a top-10 finish"

Alexander Grischuk has won the World Blitz Championship three times (in 2006, 2012 and 2015). Only Magnus Carlsen has more titles (six). This year, the entire chess elite, including Grischuk and Carlsen, will gather in New York. And there have been changes in the World Blitz World Cup. On the first day more than a hundred chess players will fight to get into the top eight, which on the final day - December 31 - will play for the title in a play-off format (quarterfinals, semifinals, final).

We managed to talk to Grischuk after his victory in the New Year Festival at the Central House of Chess Players in Moscow. In the blitz tournament Alexander gained an early victory with 11 points out of 15, beating Pavel Ponkratov, Alexander Ryazantsev, Andrei Esipenko, Maxim Matlakov, Ernesto Inarkiev, as well as our talented juniors Rudik Makaryan, Artem Uskov, Ivan Zemlyansky and nine-year-old Roman Shogdzhiev.

He last played in New York in 2000

- Which of the young guys caused the most trouble at the New Year Festival?

- Everyone played well, there was a serious struggle with everyone.

- What do you think about Roman Shogdjiev's potential?

- For his age he plays amazingly well. He looks like he'll be a contender for the highest honors in world chess in the future. Let's hope that we have a new champion growing up.

- Let's move on to the upcoming World Cup in New York. Will it be hard to play because of the time difference?

- I hope I'll arrive in the USA a little earlier, and I'll have time to acclimatize. It shouldn't interfere.

- What do you think about the new format in the World Cup blitz tournament?

- I like this format. I was happy when I heard about these changes.

- Could you explain it? Less random elements?

- It's hard to say. We'll see how it plays out in practice. I just love the playoffs. I've always said that the knockout is my favorite format (the eight participants selected on the results of the first day will compete for the title of champion in four-game matches on December 31. - "Izvestia").

- Have you ever played an official tournament on December 31?

- No. But it's going to be difficult to play here, too. We need to get into the top eight.

- Have you ever played in New York?

- I played in 2000 at the New York Open.

- Last year at the World Cup in Samarkand you took 10th place in Rapid and 15th in Blitz. Would you consider being in the top 10 in both tournaments a good result this year?

- I won't be satisfied. I want to compete for medals.

- How do you assess your form?

- It's hard to say. I assess it better than in the morning (the conversation took place in the afternoon).

If Russia plays at the Olympics, I won't coach another team

- What is your opinion of the confrontation between Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Lizhen for the chess crown in Singapore? Was it a strange match?

- Gukesh didn't show anywhere near the kind of game he showed at the Candidates Tournament in Toronto and at the Olympiad in Budapest this year. And Dean... The man is seriously ill and fought as hard as he could. That said, the ending was very frustrating. It's strange to lose a world title match like that.

- Would you like to see a tie-break?

- Firstly, a tie-break would have been more logical. Secondly, I was personally rooting for Dean. For a lot of reasons.

- This year you made your debut at the World Chess Olympiad as team captain, leading the Iranian national team. What did you think of the experience?

- It was interesting. The only thing that disappointed me was the inexplicable ban on captains talking to each other during a round. In this regard, it was very boring. I was sitting for five hours, I didn't know what to do. I'm very interested in what the reason is.

- So you couldn't talk to, for example, Vladimir Kramnik (he was captain of the Uzbekistan national team) during the tour?

- No. Although it was always possible.

- Are you satisfied with the performance of the Iranian national team?

- Of course not (the team took 26th place. - Izvestia). After seven rounds we were in second place, having beaten Norway and Vietnam. We started well, fought, but in the end we played very badly (in the last four rounds we lost to India, China and Armenia, and also drew with Romania. - "Izvestia").

- If you get an offer to lead one of the national teams, will you accept it?

- It's a difficult question. If Russia plays, I will not coach another national team. And I would like our team to play.

- Are there still chances to qualify for the 2025 World Cup?

- Honestly, I haven't thought about it.