A press conference was held at Georgian Chess Federation on May 17. This press conference was dedicated to the results of Nana Dzagnidze and Bela Khotenashvili which they showed at Grand Prix series in the city of Switzerland, Geneva.
Bela earned 8 from 11 points and took the first place. As for Dzagnidze, she shared the third-fourth places with Nadezhda Kosintseva of Russia. Grand Prix consists of 6 stages. 6000 EUR is for each stage.
Each chess player must participate in four-four tournaments of Grand Prix. Winner of Grand Prix will play against champion of the planet in 2015. The champion of the planet is Anna Ushenina who won the championship by knockdown system. This year Ushenina will play against Yifan Hou (China), two-time world champion and winner of Grand Prix 2011-12.
Dilijan will host the next stage on June 15-29. Dzagnidze and Khotenashvili will compete in it. Besides the Georgians, the following chess players will participate there: Koneru (India), Muzychuk (Slovenia), Natalia Kosintseva (Russia), Stefanova (Bulgaria), Cmilyte (Lithuania), Dronavalli (India), Ushenina (Ukraine), Danielian (Armenia), Girya (Russia) and Batchimeg (Mongolia).
Gia Giorgadze (president of Georgian Chess Federation): “After unsuccessful competition in the last chess Olympiad and World Team Championship, we achieved success. Besides Bela, Nana Dzagnidze showed good result too.
Besides theoretical and practical preparation, fitness is also important. We must start preparation for the second stage of Grand Prix which will be held in a month”.
Bela Khotenashvili: “We planned to get in Top 5 but I did not expect the championship title. I participated in such tournament for the first time”.
- How can you explain that you gained the most 7 wins at the tournament?
- I am an offensive chess player and fight for win in each game.
Nana Dzagnidze: “If taking consideration that I had not played since World Team Championship, I am satisfied with my result at Grand Prix. I could not manage to prepare well because my son Nikoloz is just 5 months and half years old and he demands a lot of attention”.
Davit Jojua: (international grandmaster, coach of Bela Khotenashvili)
- Have you worked as a coach before?
- I have been coach of the women’s team with Zurab Sturua.
- Are you satisfied with working with Khotenashvili?
- How cannot I be satisfied when we won such tournament?
- Bela lost two games in the first four rounds. How can you explain it?
- With inexperience. Bela has participated in such tournament for the first time. Then, she won four games in a row.
- Sturua will coach Khotenashvili for the second tournament of Grand Prix…
- I am going to participate in the Georgian national championship and I cannot handle both of them.
- Will you work with Bela in the future?
- Let us see.
Roland Labuchidze
