Express News Service
CHENNAI: International Master John Donaldson has captained Team USA in many Chess Olympiads. His high point came in 2016, when USA triumphed in the Open section of the Chess Olympiad in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku.
Many chess buffs believe that the USA is the favourite team to win gold in the open category in the upcoming edition that begins in Chennai on July 28.
John states that the current USA team is their strongest side in recent times and is confident of a good show by them. He rates the India B team, comprising highly talented youngsters, as the tough one and would be the crowd favourite among the three teams.
Speaking to this daily from USA, John admits that India has a lot of talent and stands a good chance to produce a world champion in the future.
Excerpts:
Having the best team among 188 countries, how do you rate USA’s chances?
This is the strongest team I have had the privilege of captaining in 14 Chess Olympiads and it might well be the highest rated since the introduction of the FIDE rating system in 1970. That said, everyone on the team knows it will not be easy to take first. We need to play well and stay healthy.
Which teams do you think can challenge USA for the title?
I think there are a number of teams who could be potential challengers. With a record number of countries participating, eleven rounds and match point scoring (2 for a win and 1 for a draw) teams will be closely bunched together and there will be little margin for error.
On preparations and key players
The players have been preparing hard and also playing in individual competitions. Levon and Lenier are both great additions to the team with vast experience. They are world class players and good teammates. Fabiano (Caruana) always plays well for the team. He was undefeated in both the 2016 and 2018 Olympiads, helping to take the US to first and a tie for first.
On India hosting the Olympiad for the first time
This indeed is something special. India is the birthplace of chess and it has been wonderful to see the progress it has made the past three decades. I’m particularly impressed how the organizers have been able to put on this event on such short notice.
Which among the three Indian teams do you think is tough and why?
It speaks to the depth of Indian chess that all three teams are quite strong. Team two, with super strong youngsters will probably be the crowd favorite. Gukesh D has the hottest hand of late, but (Arjun) Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa and (Nihal) Sarin are also very impressive. It speaks volumes for the potential of Indian chess that it has four of the top ten rated juniors in the world.
On Viswanathan Anand mentoring the Indian team
I remember Anand playing in his first Olympiad back in 1986 and it was already clear he would be quite special. What a career (he has had) and he is still playing at a high level in his 50s. Still, I understand that he would rather be an advisor than play. His knowledge and experience will be a great help, particularly for the younger players who haven’t faced this sort of responsibility and pressure before.
Vladmir Kramnik in an interview with this daily had said that India will be the next super power in chess after Russia for the amount of talent that it has. He also predicted that a world champion will emerge from India in the coming years. Do you also believe in the same theory?
This is definitely possible. It’s difficult to predict how strong any single player will get, but if you have a half dozen teenagers over 2700, as India will soon have, odds are good one of them will break through. Russia has a tremendous tradition and China has been very successful the past decade, but right now if one goes by the number of high-rated players in their teens and early twenties India and the United States look to have good chances. Thanks to many individuals in the United States, particularly Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield, the US has close to a dozen players in the top 50 in the world. Some have immigrated but a number of them are home grown. It is a good mix and there are a number of strong juniors of both genders in the pipeline.
Having been USA captain for many Olympiads, what is your most memorable experience in the biennial event?
There have been many memorable moments, including defeating a USSR team led by Kasparov and Karpov in 1986 and winning the 2016 Olympiad, but if I had to pick one experience it would be defeating Ukraine, a team that outrated us by 60 points a board in the last round of the 2008 Olympiad in Dresden. We won by a score of 3 1/2 – 1/2 and grabbed bronze at the last moment.
What is your take on Magnus Carlsen not defending his World title in 2023?
The World Championship is much shorter than in the 20th century, but the pre-match preparation is much more extensive. With the World Championship now held every two years instead of three as in the past, the titleholder spends much of his time preparing for and playing World Championships. There is not much down time. On the other hand, three years is an eternity these days for top level players who don’t want to wait three long years for a shot at the crown. I don’t see an easy answer, but understand and accept Magnus’ decision.
How was the experience of writing a book on Bobby Fischer?
It was quite enjoyable, particularly talking with players who had grown up with Fischer and listening to their stories. I have almost completed another book on Bobby, this one devoted to his writing.
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