Everybody has his favorite Svidler loss to tease Svidler with that

The penultimate day of the Grand Prix in Khanty-Mansiysk produces several draws. Grandmasters Peter Svidler and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave also ended their game peacefully.

After the game they spent some time at the press-center answering questions from the media.

Q: Peter, you played in Khanty-Maniysk very often. We all remember your great success in 2011, when you won the World Cup. Can you remember how many times you actually played here?

Svidler: Yes, I think winning the World Cup is my biggest achievement. And as for you question – it is really difficult to give an exact number, I simply don’t remember. Two World Cups, the Olympiad, this Grand Prix, the Candidates… At least five times, right? Well, as you can see from my play this time, I am and aging and sick man, and can remember nothing.

Vachier-Lagrave: When did your famous endgame with Aronian happen?

Svidler: Everybody has his favorite Svidler loss to tease Svidler with that. Generally there are games I resign in drawn positions, but this game is not one of them, this is something new for my collection. I’ll go and look it up as well, I am hazy about the details.

Q: Maxime, and how many times you played here?

Vachier-Lagrave: In Khanty-Mansiysk I played in two World Cups, the Olympiad, and this is my fourth tournament. The first tournament was the most successful.

Q: Will you participate in the World Cup?

Vachier-Lagrave: I have no choice. In order to qualify for the Candidates Tournament I must play in the World Cup. It it a very interesting event and I am looking forward to playing with a different format.

Svidler: I actually began enjoying them but also I have to. We haven’t done good enough here. Although I probably would have played there anyway because it is a fun tournament with good prizes. Barring accidents – I might break something else… Bascially I break one limb per year, and seems to be worse every year. So I am not looking forward to the next one.