Viktor Korchnoi: 'Kasparov Doesn't Want to Come Back to Russia? Right He Is!'

E.SUROV: This isn't a typical interview you are used to read on our website. It has nothing in common with the dialog that Viktor Korchnoi and I have had here in Zurich 3 years ago. Back then, one could easily speak to Viktor Lvovich face to face, while this interview would have been impossible without assistance: the renowned Grandmaster has difficulty with his speech. It's thanks to Genna Sosonko that Korchnoi's thoughts could have been conveyed - sometimes literally, sometimes just close to the original.

This conversation took place shortly after Viktor Korchnoi had finished his match vs Wolfgang Uhlmann and was about to go back home to Wohlen (1 hour by car from Zurich). 'Knight c2 to a1...' were the words Viktor Lvovich began our talk with. He was still absorbed by the games.

E.SUROV: What do you think of the match in terms of chess?

V.KORCHNOI: It was very weak. He was playing the first game just for a draw, just exchanging everything. The second game was horrible even though I won: he chose the King's Indian having no idea of it. I'm satisfied with the third game, although it seems he had some chances for a draw at the end. Earlier, he had compensation for a pawn.

E.SUROV: How did you prepare for the match?

V.KORCHNOI: Badly.

G.SOSONKO: Why badly? You won the second game thanks to the opening, didn't you?

V.KORCHNOI: Because he doesn't understand openings!

Wolfgang Uhlmann

G.SOSONKO: What about your move 6...Nd5-e7 in the third game? An overwhelming majority of people go 6...Nb6 in that position.

V.KORCHNOI: Once, an American player went 6...Ne7 against me...

G.SOSONKO: Which American? Wasn't his name Robert..?

V.KORCHNOI: An American. I liked that idea, so I played it now.

E.SUROV: Who among modern players has the best understanding of chess?
 
V.KORCHNOI: Hard to say. I think everyone understands chess.

E.SUROV: What about the World Champion, then? Is his understanding better compared to others as his rating superiority suggests?

V.KORCHNOI: My opinion about the World Champion is not that high.
 
E.SUROV: Well, then let's talk about Kasparov and Karpov. Who do you appreciate more as a chess player?
 
V.KORCHNOI: Kasparov's chess is much better than Karpov's.

G.SOSONKO: Even than Fischer's?

V.KORCHNOI: (smiling, with a characteristic smooth hand gesture) Fischer... Fischer is in a class by himself.

E.SUROV: Recently, Spassky said that he often talked to Fischer in his dreams. Does that happen to you as well? Or maybe you talk to Spassky in your dreams?

V.KORCHNOI: It happens.

E.SUROV: What do they say?

V.KORCHNOI: I'm still curious how Spassky is able to read one's thoughts.

G.SOSONKO: Your match vs Spassky in 1977 comes to mind at once. You were feeling something strange while playing, weren't you?

V.KORCHNOI: Yes, I was feeling something. He won four games in a row.

E.SUROV: Something supernatural?

V.KORCHNOI: Yes.

A little dinner after the finish of the match. Uhlmann and Korchnoi are being accompanied by their wives. Genna Sosonko is sitting near the Master.

E.SUROV: What do you think of Kasparov's political views and of current political situation in the world?

V.KORCHNOI: Kasparov and Karpov have something in common. They both want to become deputies of the Russian State Duma...
 
E.SUROV: Karpov already is!

V.KORCHNOI: Exactly.

E.SUROV: Does Kasparov also have such ambitions?

V.KORCHNOI: It turns out he does.

G.SOSONKO: But he has left Russia two years ago and won't come back because he is afraid of being detained!

V.KORCHNOI: Right he is!