Vsevolod Sour 
The following is the first of what will hopefully become a series of
interviews with local players. Due to time constraints I had to mail
a list of questions and the answers were mailed back to me, so the interviews
lack a certain dynamic interplay ...Anyhow, Vsevolod has been on the scene
for about four years now, and is appreciated as a friendly person and tenacious,
dangerous opponent over the board. Here's what he had to say:
After about two years of solid tournament results
with your rating staying in the 1900s, you have had some excellant results
over the past year, raising your rating to about 2100. Have you been
studying more or preparing for tournaments differently?
You are right that I increased my rating this
year, but I wouldn't want to exaggerate my chess results. To tell
the truth I can't say that I studied much more for the tournaments. Its
more likely that I prepared more thoroughly for individual games, and I
certainly went over my mistakes in previous games. I like to surprise
an opponent by playing an opening that I have seldom if ever played before.
What do you think about the chess scene in
Western MA? How does it compare to other places you have lived before?
In my opinion the chess activity in Western
Mass where I mainly participate in tournaments is on a sufficiently high
level. It's improved by planning chess tournaments ahead of time;
invitations to strong players to do lectures and simuls in the area contributes
to more popularity of the ancient game of chess. There is no sense
in comparing the chess scene in Western Mass with my native country, Azerbaijan.
Baku as capital of Azerbaijan might be compared in some ways with
New York City in terms of chess activities. But beyond that, Baku
is a larger, more highly populated city. By the way, the current
world champion, Garry Kasparov, was born in that city.
Tell us about your formative chess experiences--at what age did
you learn how to play? Who taught you? Do any other family
members play chess? In what type of chess environment(s) did you
develop your skill?
I started to learn chess at five years old. My
first teacher was my father, Grigoriy. He taught me the chess rules
and principles. I'm thankful to him for this opportunity. I
still like to play with him in our leisure time. My brother, Vitaliy,
also knows how to play chess but its not his main interest. At the
age of eight I went to the "Palace of Pioneers". It was
so called because many children and teenagers used to come to this huge
building to attend different sections. I went there to sign up to
attend a chess section under the guidance of a majestic, brilliant teacher,
Oleg Privorotsky (currently living in Israel), who was Garry Kasparov's
first teacher.
What does chess mean to you?
For me personally, chess means a battle of minds
over the chess board. I don't like to analyze the game of chess by
breaking it up into parts, like science, sport and art. It is more
like a great combination of all three things. I enjoy chess as the
best way to express my temperament. My personal philosophy about
chess is quite simple: I always play to win regardless of the rating of
my opponent. Obviously, this aim requires different techniques and strategies
to achieve the best result against any particular player.
Any comments on your battle with time trouble? You seem to
feel fairly comfortable in time scrambles--or am I mistaken?
Actually, I still have ongoing problems related
to lack of time. The root of this problem may be found only in the
player (her)himself. No one else is responsible for the unbalanced
use of time. To my mind, the solution lies somewhere between the
psychology of the player and the strategy for a particular game.
In observing you during tournament games I have never seen you with
a satisfied look on your face--you sometimes look disappointed or worried
though. Is that a conscious strategy on your part, or are the games
that tense for you?
Most of the games I have played in tournaments
have had critical points (usually in the middle game) and that's when I
often don't have a satisfied look on my face. Its kind of like the tough
position on the board finds vivid expression on my face.
What are your chief strengths? Your chief
weaknesses? How would you describe your style? Which players
have most influenced you? Why?
I have no chief strengths, I have more weaknesses;
for example, time trouble and endgames. Basically I can describe
my chess style as mostly an aggressive player. I was fascinated by
the beauty of Tal's games. I gained a lot by analyzing the games
of Alekhin and Capablanca also.
Do you have any advice for beginning players?
Begin to study chess at an early age under
the guidance of a qualified teacher or player if possible.
What is your favorite chess-related memory?
Your least favorite?
I think my favorite chess-related memory is
my game against World Champion Garry Kasparov in 1986 in a simul where
I made a draw. My least favorite is when I was beaten twice last
year by a pretty good Pittsfield chess player, Tony Mastri (rating about
1800).
Thank you!
Here are a couple of recent games Vsevolod submitted
(the comments are mine):
Western MA Championship 1995
Round 3 White: Gus Consing (2080)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 (the Lowenthal variation--a
bit cheesy but dangerous if White is not prepared.) 5.Nb5 a6 6.Nd6+
Bxd6 7.Qxd6 Qf6 8.Qd1 (The usual move. We can see that for the ugliness
of his position Black has the compensation of several tempi in development.)
Qg6 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.h4 h5 11.Bg5 d5 12.exd5 Nb4 13.Bd3?! (13.Rc1 is better.)
Nd3+ 14.Qd3 Bf5 15.Qd2 f6 16.Be3 Bc2 (The right pawn to grab--Qg2
17.0-0-0 and Rg1 is the type of mess White was hoping for.) 17.0-0 Rd8
18.Bb6 Rd7 19.f3 Qd3 (Black forces a Q trade, not liking the looks
of ...0-0 20.Ne4.) 20.Qd3 Bd3 21.Rfd1 Nd5
22.Nxd5
Rxd5 23.Rac1 0-0 24.Rc7 Rf7 25.Rc8+ Kh7 26.b4 (White ought to try to
trade off rooks with Rc7) Rfd7 27.Rdc1 Bb5 28.R1c2 Bc6 29.Kh2
f5 30.a3 Rd2 (Black's last five moves have been leading up to a K-side
breakthrough. White's moves have not countered this.) 31.Rc5 Bf3
(Its all over now.) 32.Kg3 Bd5 33.Rf8 Rg2+ 34.Kh3 Be4 35.Rc3 Rdd2 White
resigns.
1996 AIC Open
Round 1 Black: Jim Fried (1916)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 (The Schliemann, a favorite of the late
Dave Lees.) 4.d4 fxe4 5.Nxe5 (MCO 11 gives this a ?, citing Bc6 as correct--that'll
tell you why my openings are so crusty!) Nxe5 6.dxe5 c6 7.Nc3?!!
(Vsevolod knew this book line, but I still don't think it is sound--Jim
didn't bite though.) d5 8.exd5 Bd6 9.Bc4 Nf6 10.Bg5 Bf5 11.Qd4 Qe7
12.0-0-0 Bc5 13.Qd2 h6 14.Qf4 Bg6 15.Bf6 Qf6 16.Qc7
Bxf2? (Qe7 was the
last chance.) 17.Qxb7 Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Qxd8 19.Qxc6+ Black resigns.