The third round of the World Youth Chess Championship 2013 started in time. The participants were invited to the Hall whereas the parents and coaches were left outside in order to preserve silence and comfort for the participants.

Kazakhstan numbers 40 chess players to participate in Al Ain Championship. There are many coaches, who came to support their pupils with their parents. One of the coaches of Kazakhstan players is Anuar Ismagambetov who represents the National Chess Union of Kazakhstan answered some questions of our journalist:

Anuar Ismagambetov: we believe in our players

• Anuar, are you an individual coach of some players from Astana?

   

• Well, I am a coach in the National Chess Union of Kazakhstan in Astana. I coach some players individually, as well as I have group classes. Mainly we have students under 8, 10 and 12. There are other chess players from many different regions of Kazakhstan.

   

• What do you think if chess is popular among kids in Kazakhstan?

   

• Yes, now we have a chess boom in Kazakhstan. A lot of children learn how to play chess, they attend chess clubs, and participate in national as well as in international competitions. Parents do a lot to help their children to gain interest in chess. Our government does not set aside the interest of our kids. It assigns means to develop chess among children and to cover the expenses of the travels to participate in international competitions.

   

• How do you estimate so far the performance of your trainees?

   

• They are doing quite well so far. One of our players has won three games in a row. Another boy has made 3 out of 3, we really set our hopes on our team. .At this stage it is difficult to say if we could make it to medals. Though I may say that our girls, our small chess stars are dominating in almost all categories. We are proud of a U-18 group participant Dinara Sadvakadova for instance. It is also pity that another chess star of Kazakhstan, Zhansaya Abdumalik does not participate in this championship, due to some clashes. She could have been a trouble for her opponents as well. Also, we do set hopes on our young player Bibisara Asaubaeva, under 10 group participant. She is very talented and has a big interest in chess. Boys can also create problems to their opponents. I could name Zhanat Sain and Ahmet Afayan under 16, Ramazan Zhalmahanov under 12 and Nogerbek Kazbek under 10, whom we believe in. Also, let me mention Meruert Kamalidenova, a participant of under 8 group - is our great hope. My colleague Erzhan Shakenov and me, we sincerely believe that our players would show good results.

   

• When loosing, do your pupils become deeply upset? How do you encourage them?

   

•  Of course, they get upset if they lose. It is good that many of our players have come here with their parents. So, we share the so called "after-game-reanimation-period" with them.

  Parents provide with the home atmosphere, to make children feel comfortable, We, as coaches, need to submit the psychological support. We need to make sure that that children don't get upset and don't shrink into their shell. Some of them will become professional chess players. They should get accustomed already now to up-side-downs of a chess player's career.

   

• Can you share your impression on the organization of the championship? There are different opinions in respect of accommodation and meals.

   

• Well, my team and me have come to Al Ain earlier than other representatives of our country. Maybe this was the reason that we were accommodated in so-called "superior" rooms. Other players came later and they received normal single rooms, but from what I know, they are happy with them. In general, we don't have any complaints in respect of accommodation. We have experienced more comfortable as well as worse conditions before. As for the organization in general, I witnessed the better organization of course, having played in Al Ain the previous years. I may understand that problems this time occurred due to a big number of participants and guests, which the organizers did not expect at all. They were not just physically ready for that. But now, I must confess that the tournament has caught its rhythm, the organizers have stabilized main issues. As far as the food is concerned, at the beginning, we liked it. Now, everyone has been kind of satiated with it. If it were possible to make some changes in the menu, it would be appreciated. Food is one of the most important part in the production of good game.

   

• What about playing venue? Are the conditions good enough to play?

   

• Yes, to my mind the conditions of a playing hall are proper. Even the fact that the playing venue is kind of away from the city center is good, from the chess point of view. The participants came to play chess, they should be concentrated. Here they have this opportunity.

   

• Thank you so much, Anuar, for your answers and let your trainees show good performance in the championship.