An interview [Added: WFM Kathryn Hardegen]

[ER]

Thread Index added by moderator from May 2009 (scroll down for Michael Baron interview)

Interviewees are ordered alphabetically by surname except where posters are best known here by chesschat handles, in which case they are ordered by chesschat handles. Interviews are by JaK except where noted. Interviews by JaK on other threads will also be included.

Addamo, Michael, August 2010
Adams, Jonathan (Adamski), April 2010
Anderson-Smith, William, May 2010
Antolis, Cedric, July 2009
Axiom, May 2007
Axiom (part II), June 2007
Baron, Michael (FM), Oct 2006
Bretag, Warren, Oct 2009
Bolens, Johny. July 2011 [chesscrazytalk]
Bonham, Kevin, June 2007
Bonham, Kevin, April 2009
Boris (Brian Thomas), June 2007
Chibnall, Alana, May 2009 and short addendum here
Cordover, David (ChessGuru), September 2009
Cordover, David (ChessGuru), June 2010
Dembo, Yelena (IM/WGM), September 2010
Deviatkin, Andrei (GM), May 2011 [chesscrazytalk]
Dragicevic, Domagoj, May 2007
Duggan, Gunner (Howard), Aug 2007
eclectic, Aug 2007
Gray, Garvin (FA) Apr 2007
Grivas, GM Efstratios, April 2010
Goldenberg, Igor (FM, IM-elect), Feb 2008
Gorka, Carl (fireeater), Mar 2009
Hamilton, Doug (FM), Feb 2014
Hardegen, Kathryn (WFM), Dec 2018 (and scroll down for further parts)
Hartland, Gerrit, July 2007
Hjorth, Greg (IM), July 2010
Howard, George, March-April 2010
Illingworth, Max (FM), May 2011 [chesscrazytalk]
Illingworth, Max (IM), Dec 2013 (and scroll down)
Jamieson, Robert (IM), June 2010
Johansen, Darryl (GM), June 2011 [chesscrazytalk]
Jono (Dr Jonathan Sarfati (FM)), June 2007
Jordan, Bill (FM), July 2007
Kenmure, Jamie (lost), May 2010
Liu, Gladys, November 2010
Nielsen, Peter Heine (GM), July 2013
Power, Paul, Sep 2011
Pyke, Malcolm (macavity), Apr 2008
Sandler, Leonid (IM), November 2009
Simmonds, Tania, November 2009 and part two, December 2009
Smerdon, David (GM-elect), July 2009
Smerdon, David (GM), April 2017
Smirnov, Anton (GM-Elect), October 2017
Smith, Libby, September 2009
Solomon, Stephen (IM), June 2010 and part two here
Solomon, Stephen (IM) mini interview, April 2011
Szuveges, Grant (FM), Feb 2009 - in five posts through to #31
Svuveges, Grant (FM), July 2010 (followup to IM Hjorth's interview}
Teichmann, Erik (FM), September 2010
Warren, Elizabeth, February 2017
West, Guy (IM) (gattaca), Apr 2009 - in five posts through to #153
Yu, Sally, Apr 2009
Yung, Pearl, October 2010
Zhao Zong-Yuan (GM), August 2011 [chesscrazytalk]

Note that index hits may not go directly to post - may need to scroll down a little [-mod]




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The idea of this interview, was conceived while Michael Baron was talking in the room, analysing the final stages of the 10th game of the WCM between Topalov and Kramnik. A very strong and knowledgable Chess player and always an interesting person to have a conversation with, I believe he has always something new and something important to say... A few hints here a few links there the discussion continued in earnest Some of the other posters participated in the interview providing a special colour…

Michael Baron (talking with other chatters) : btw...I never played Topa..but I played in the same tourney as him...against his team. Seriously...1989 I played same tourney as Topalov...Petrosian Memorial... he played board 1 for Bulgaria

Heaviest Knight: Even as a junior?

Michael Baron: yep ..it was a junior event Sadler was playing for England

Heaviest Knight: and you represented USSR Michael?

Michael Baron: nope i was playing for Moscow palace of pioneers team board 5 i think i was from Moscow alone..we had 5 teams or so in that event

Heaviest Knight: So you must have seen all those legends from close yeah?

Michael Baron: lol at the time they were not legends...but ya i played in junior events with Svidler Morozevich etc Zviagintsev who is now 2670 or something used to share hotel rooms with me at tourneys

Heaviest Knight: but I mean being around the Moscow scene at the time you must have seen Kasparov and Karpov?

Michael Baron: Karpov's lectures i attended 6 times or so

Howard Duggan: Lectures would have been in Russian what’s the use?

Michael Baron: Howard,they could have been in english...in Russia (unlike in aus) people do learn foreign languages at uni hehe


Heaviest Knight: what is he (karpov) like as a lecturer?

Michael Baron: heh he is great out of the top GMs the one i saw most of was Bareev cause me and him had the same coach

Heaviest Knight: are you the same age group as Bareev? I thought he must have been older than you!

Michael Baron: Bareev is much older10 years or so but same coach so i saw him alot at chess club even played some blitz

WhiteElephant Michael, at what age did you come to Aus? Did coming here stop you becoming GM?

I was 15 when i got here lol...i gave up chess many years ago...i am sure i will never be an IM even

WhiteElephant Hard to get titles once you come here


Heaviest Knight: Have you ever visited the Moscow Chess Club?

Michael Baron: lol of course i played a lot of tourneys there you mean central chess club?

Heaviest Knight: the one Botvinnik and other World Champions frequented

Michael Baron: yes i have played there alot i never saw botvinnik there apparently his office was based in the club..but i never saw him but Smyslov i Saw...and Averbakh i saw nearly every week


Heaviest Knight: I presume they have special rooms with trophies and photographs of the greats?


Michael Baron: they do..they even had some kind of museum with all the trophies displayed

Heaviest Knight: Michael is there any chance you will concentrate on Chess alone for some time in the immediate future? In order to get some IM norms?

Michael Baron: i may get an IM title one day..if i play in the Zonal otherwise..no chance

Heaviest Knight: so you don't think that we are able to organise some highly rated tournaments in Australia? for the sake of our strong players and juniors

Michael Baron: 1)I am not strong enough and 2) i will not get stronger since i do not study....my only "studying" now takes place when i give lessons to others see....the problem is...in australia..chess scene is boring Rujevic, solomon, west, goldenberg etc...how boring

Heaviest Knight: but you are still amongst the strongest and still in your very early 30s

Michael Baron: well here...i am but its a joke...cause i am quite weak by any standard its ok...my chess students can become IMs i would rather be a professor one day hehe and if i can help organise some tourneys improve chess in aus...i will be happy

Heaviest Knight: you are a Dr already yeah?

Michael Baron: Dr.title is pending hehe

Heaviest Knight: Who were your Chess idols when you started playing serious Chess? who are your favourite players now?

Michael Baron: Andersson has always been my favorite along with Petrosian lol sounds like a serious question session

Heaviest Knight: well it's like an interview isnt' it? I think people in the Chess community would benefit from reading stuff like that

Michael Baron: some Petrosian's games are unbelievable even though some of his moves are too amazing for me to understand fully have a look at Petrosian's game with reshevsky from 1953 just amazing..he gives exchange...apparently for nothing..yet his position starts improving with every move

Heaviest Knight: obviously Tigran Petrosian is one of your favourite grandmasters

Michael Baron: these days..i am trying to play like andersson..cause i forgot all my openings but few people in aus know how to play endgames hehe

Heaviest Knight: You are well known for your King's Indian knowledge

Michael Baron: me? really? Lol when i just arrived here...may be... i do not know any openings any more


Heaviest Knight: Well thanks for the very pleasant discussion

Michael Baron: night..i am off to my evening yoga session

Heaviest Knight: Careful with those Yoga positions good night

As you can obviously observe, most of the interview was conducted in a internet chat room manner and there were no serious attempts to correct it. Please, contribute with criticism, or additional questions for Michael Baron.

It would have been an unacceptable omission, not to include Kevin Bonham's technical assistance for the completion of this project HK

Also my apologies for initially posting this interview to a thread dedicated to the Kramnik vs Topalov World Championship Match. I hope I haven't caused any serious inconvenience and thanks to dk transform for notifying me about it.

Cheers and good luck to all

[fianchetto]

Hey, heaviestknight, I happened to be in the chat room just after the 10th match, when I noticed your interesting chat with Michael Baron... I said interesting cause, not too many chatters can strike out a right conversation. I didn't realized that Michael have an interesting personality...I think had Michael stick to his chess, we could be watching him against Topalov instead… Great midnight interview heaviestknight, it was such a new and wonderful concept..

[ER]

Hey, heaviestknight, I happened to be in the chat room just after the 10th match, when I noticed your interesting chat with Michael Baron... I said interesting cause, not too many chatters can strike out a right conversation. I didn't realized that Michael have an interesting personality...I think had Michael stick to his chess, we could be watching him against Topalov instead… Great midnight interview heaviestknight, it was such a new and wonderful concept..

Many thanks for the encouragement fianchetto, I am planning a few other interviews with some well known Chess personalities as well as players from all strength levels on various Chess topics. Also the idea is to make these interviews as interractive as possible, ie chatters can ask their own questions as well and add questions during the interviews or at later stages.
Thanks again, cheers and good luck!

[likesforests]

I didn't realize Michael Baron was such a strong player. According to FIDE, his rating increased at the 2005 Elwood Championship, so he's being modest about his skills when he says they've deteriorated.

http://www.fide.com/ratings/card.phtml?event=3202283

An interesting intrerview, Heaviestknight. I look forward to the next.

[ER]

I didn't realize Michael Baron was such a strong player. According to FIDE, his rating increased at the 2005 Elwood Championship, so he's being modest about his skills when he says they've deteriorated.

http://www.fide.com/ratings/card.phtml?event=3202283

An interesting intrerview, Heaviestknight. I look forward to the next.

thanks LF, I have already booked another strong player as my second interviewee. He is also very interesting as a person, I hope you will all like the interview.

Cheers and good luck!

[ER]

I didn't realize Michael Baron was such a strong player. According to FIDE, his rating increased at the 2005 Elwood Championship, so he's being modest about his skills when he says they've deteriorated.

http://www.fide.com/ratings/card.phtml?event=3202283

An interesting intrerview, Heaviestknight. I look forward to the next.

As we are talking (I am at the MCC at present) I think a third interviewee is lined up!
I don't want to overkill the interview thing though. Maybe after some improvement though!
Cheers and good luck

[ER]

By the way one thing with Michael, is that he is a rare exponent of the Soviet School of Chess in this country. I don't think we have many teachers (apart from the well known and respected ones of course) who could teatch in such a depth.
I do not see Michael teaching beginners or people whom he doesn't consider to have real potential though. However, I think that one day he will come back to play in strong tournaments!
Cheers and good luck!

[ER]

Garvin Gray, or ggray_ggray or simply GG as he is known amongst the chatters of this forum was one of the officials of the recently completed SIO tournament. We asked him a few questions about the tournament and his involvement in it. He politely obliged and here follows our discussion (minus some emoticons)

First, congratulations for your role in the tremendous success of the SIO...

Thanks.

Is it possible to have a short interview re SIO? I want to publish it in my thread ... Here are the questions:
You officiated in arguably the strongest tournament ever held in Australia.... How challenging was it, and what's your greatest experience from it?

The tournament was well run and there were no major incidents, so I think I got off lightly from that aspect.

Greatest experience- Just being involved was a great experience and I really want to be part of the event again next year.

In your opinion what was (were) the highlight(s) of the tournament?

If I had to choose just one, of course it would be Gareth Oliver's IM norm.

Is there a possibility of having this tournament held on a parmanent basis?

It is my understanding that the SIO will definetely be held next year. After that, well lets just see how next year goes first.

Do you think that younger talented Australian players have gained from their participation in the SIO?

Of course they have in many ways.
Opportunities of playing strong opposition day in day out is quite rare in Australian conditions. Normally the stronger Aus players have to travel to Europe or Asia to get similar experiences to those at the SIO.

Quite a few of the stronger players came straight from Doeberl, so that would have been 16 days of hard fought chess against very strong opposition.

Another new and valuable experience for some of the juniors was dealing with the pressure of being so close to an IM norm
Cheers,

Garvin


Thank you too for your time Garvin and let's hope that either as an official or a player, you will again be present at the 2008 SIO!

Cheers and good luck

[Basil]

Garvin Gray, or ggray_ggray or simply GG as he is known

Actually it's the 'Garvinator' now!

[ER]

Actually it's the 'Garvinator' now!

thanks for the inclusion Howie I hope Garvin doesn't mind!
Cheers and good luck! By the way can yours be translit(t)erated to Garbonator as well )
Cheers and good luck!

[Axiom]

btw hk, my agent instructs me ,that im currently available for interviews.

[ER]

btw hk, my agent instructs me ,that im currently available for interviews.

You are more than welcome Ax as soon as you finish your sentence, I will contact you. The content, however, will be strictly chess related!
Cheers and good luck!

[Basil]

You are more than welcome Ax as soon as you finish your sentense

He never really finishes his sentence. He just keeps going!

The content, however, will be strictly chess related!

[ER]

He never really finishes his sentence. He just keeps going!

did he get life?

Cheers and good luck

[littlesprout85]

Heyy Heavys

Looks like Heavys has got some characters to open up on this thread here

Sprouty is just wondering what its going to take to get an exclusive with Heavys. Maybe if sprout brings the Ale

-Sprout