2002 Corus at Wijk aan Zee

Loek van Wely on ICC

After round 5, Aviv Friedman (sveshi) interviewed GM Loek van Wely (KingLoek) on ICC channel 166.

KingLoek(GM) and sveshi(FM), photograph by Jan Van De Mortel

sveshi: OK we can start
sveshi: ICC welcomes GM Loek van Wely

sveshi: What is your opinion about the withrawal of Kramnik and Kasparov from the event?
KingLoek: Kasparov didn't want to play because there was no one to beat on
KingLoek: and Kramnik had no intention at all to play because he cancelled well before he had a firm appointment from his computer match

sveshi: what is your opinion about the reduced FIDE time controls
KingLoek: personally for me it will work quite well because I am good at quick play, but I also feel bad about it because the best moves become secondary with that time

sveshi: you have started the event in an off form, and what may be the reason for that?
KingLoek: Had I known the answer to that ...
KingLoek: But I have been ill before WAZ the week before

sveshi: who do you favor in the FIDE finals?
KingLoek: I hope Ivanchuk will win, but Ponomariov is playing quite reasonably so that might not happen

sveshi: what other interests does a professional chess player has in his life other than pure 'chess'?
KingLoek: my life and the life of say Jan Timman are of course quite different
KingLoek: I am someone who likes to play soccer matches and Timman would prefer to go out and have a glass of wine

sveshi: who do you think will win the corus event this year?
KingLoek: if this event was a double round robin I would vote for myself!
KingLoek: (said tongue in cheek:))
KingLoek: more seriously, Grischuk strikes me as in good form in the event, but in the last event we played together his play was affected by "play station" luckily that doesn't exist this year:)

sveshi: how does ICC affect the improvement of an average of a chessplayer?
KingLoek: A: it is a decent tool for practice as long as you don't play bullet and/or marathon matches

sveshi: you mean like the one you had with Rustemov??
KingLoek: yes indeed
(Editor: that match was a non stop eleven hour session)

sveshi: can Ponomariov or Ivanchuk defeat Kasparov in a match? either now or in the future?
KingLoek: not Ivanchuk, but Ponomariov sure
KingLoek: I suggest for Kasparov to beat on him right now since in the future that would be difficult!

sveshi: what chess book has affected you the most or influenced you?
KingLoek: probably the book I had started with, two pocket prisma book by Bouwmeester
KingLoek: (A Dutch IM)

sveshi: in the last fide supplement Adams and Moro have closed some of the gap on Anand, do you think this is because of their improvement or Anand's decline?
KingLoek: I believe that Anand has lost some of his motivation and has weakened somewhat

sveshi: why do you think he is not playing here, do you think his schedule is indeed that busy?
KingLoek: No I don't, I think he lost some of his taste for chess, he declined to play in Monaco also (Melody Amber)

sveshi: who do you think the strongest/best player of all times is?
KingLoek: (Jokingly: John van der Wiel)

sveshi: and more seriously?
KingLoek: I would have to say Kasparov

sveshi: Are you going to visit the American chess scene again this summer or anytime soon?
KingLoek: I don't see any interesting events, I don't feel like playing in events where I have to bring my own chess set and clock :)

sveshi: Any more questions you want to ask him?

PatzerForLife: is it ok to play blitz? :)
KingLoek: yes!

OdinSon: who does he think the strongest up and coming women players are, and does he think a woman will ever be able to win at the highest levels
KingLoek: Kosteniuk might become quite strong, and maybe some of the "secret" chinese girls

sveshi: any advice for beginners?
KingLoek: listen to your parents and go to bed early :) eat well and no smoking :)

sveshi: what do you think the impact of computers on today's chess?
KingLoek: for the top players it is quite important for checking the analysis, and as a player itself it is a nasty opponent but it is accepted as such

fpawn: what do you think about the anti-doping and coffee/coke/caffeine rules of FIDE?
KingLoek: joining the IOC (Editor: International Olympic Committee) is not a bad idea, and with it the anti doping, alas they have no clue what helps a chessplayer improve their game and so the controls seem senseless

sveshi: are you optimistic about your match with rebel century and would you wager on a score
KingLoek: I am optimistic about the result, I will have to come up with some new strategies and ideas to overcome it

sveshi: who do you consider the better player in the world right now: Kramnik or Kasparov, and if you consider kramnik to be a legitimate champion?
KingLoek: I believe Kasparov is still the much better player, although he has problems in showing this vs Kramnik, but having said that, I recognize Kramnik as the champ having won the match

sveshi: last question: what are your views of fischer and his latest interviews?
KingLoek: it shows his eccentric personality and of course it is not doing his image any good

sveshi: OK thanks to GM Loek van Wely for his time and advice!