At a press conference at the World Cup Karjakin pointed out that while Kasparov was training Carlsen he was being trained by Kasparov’s old trainer.
The Russian-language Azerbaijan site Extra Time has a report on the press conference with Sergej Karjakin in Khanty Mansiysk. I originally posted it here. As well as pointing out the formalities of his representing Russia haven’t been sorted out, Karjakin says:
– he caught Mamedyarov out in the opening, but then didn’t play ideally and it was close to a draw. …Rb2 was the decisive mistake.
– he responds to his team of Motylev and Dohoyan having previously criticised his technique in exploiting advantages [I didn’t see that anywhere] by saying there’s no problem with team spirit.
– he’ll play the position and not for a draw tomorrow.
– he says he likes Mamedyarov’s style but thought that his opponents earlier in the tournament suited that style. He thinks he’s a much less convenient opponent for Mamedyarov.
– he says that if he’d had to play a tie-break yesterday he wouldn’t have been able to win today as it would have been his 10th playing day in a row. He said that if you’re going to have such tie-breaks there should be rest days as well.
– the person leading the press conference pointed out that while Kasparov is training Carlsen, Karyakin’s being trained by Kasparov’s old trainer, Yuri Dohoyan, so we might see a contest between the two trainers. Karyakin comments:
I hope so. In principle it’s an overstatement to say that Kasparov’s working with Carlsen, seeing as he’s not travelling to tournaments. As I understand it he periodically holds sessions. I’m working with Dohoyan on a continuous basis. I hope that will bear more fruit.
The same site seems to have lots of other interesting reports. I’m about to read, “Ruslan Ponomariov’s secret for being in good sporting form: ‘Not to drink a lot of vodka’!”
