Breaking into top-10 extra special: Keymer
Chennai: Moments after capping off his Chennai Grand Masters campaign with an impressive final-round win over Ray Robson, champion Vincent Keymer was surrounded by many children who were eager for photos and autographs here on Friday.
The 20-year-old from Germany, already a crowd favourite, obliged each one with a smile. En route his triumph, he also broke into the world's top-10 in the live ratings for the first time. In an interaction with TOI, Keymer said the trophy is special, but breaking into the top-10 is a milestone he would cherish more. He also spoke about the challenges of being a professional chess player in his home country and more. Excerpts:
On the Chennai GM win and whether he expected to go the distance:
It has been a great tournament and finishing it with a win is special.
Winning 9/9 would have been a bit too good of a tournament. Because this tournament is difficult and even going to a plus score is also difficult, a 7 out of 9 result is a really fantastic one. In terms of classical chess, this is certainly one of my biggest assets. If you go to a tournament where you're the underdog, you want to win.
On why he considers himself as an underdog:
Not exactly, but Arjun (Erigaisi) had the highest rating and after him, there's Anish (Giri), Vidit (Gujrathi), and then me, we had more or less similar ratings.
On what was more special, winning the event or breaking into top-10:
This win is special because it's the strongest classical tournament that I have won, but breaking into top-10 is more special.
On how this win will help him in the World Cup, scheduled in India later this year:
I've been to India a few times. I don't think the conditions will bother me so much. But of course, it will be a nice feeling having played such a good tournament the last time I've been in India.
I think it will leave me going to the World Cup with a pretty good feeling.
On the Candidates race:
I will look at the standings. Pragg (R Praggnanandhaa leads the FIDE circuit board), he kind of won so many top events and is leading by a big margin. Of course, I will try the other routes. I mean, it's incredibly difficult because it's an aim for so many players and very few get those spots. But yeah, for sure I will try my best. Getting there will be a huge achievement.
On what would winning a Candidates seat mean back home:
I mean, chess is not as big in Germany as it is in India. But I think it's improving. If my results improve and I make more headlines on the international stage, it will also help make chess more popular in Germany. Basically, in Germany, it's not easy being a professional chess player. If you're not at the very top, it's not that easy to make a living. Or in other words, people who play chess often are also very capable of doing things in other fields.
And currently in Germany, you get support and financial support only if you're getting to the top. I mean, there are a few players who do it because it's their passion and they are very good. We have a very strong national team of five players who are all in the top-100, more or less. It's just that there is potential for more.
On how he deals with the demands of the game:
I think it's important to have little breaks. Because for us now, even when we don't play tournaments, there's something else in chess.
We have a training camp, or we have a tournament coming up and we need to prepare. It becomes very important to take some time off chess, both for relaxation and to be hungry for chess. Like, if you are only playing, you never feel the urge to get back to chess. But when you have a little break, you feel like you miss it.
On his coach Peter Leko (Leko was one of Vladimir Kramnik's seconds during the 2008 World Championship against Viswanathan Anand):
We have been calling pretty much every day discussing what to prepare and how to approach the next game. He has been a huge help here.
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