Piket on a hot trail

HIS CAREER has hit a hot trail this year. In the Corus Chess Tournament last January, Jeroen Piket's rating to rating performance difference was the largest signalling that he played very well at Wijk aan Zee.

In February he was the grand winner of the Kasparov Chess Grand Prix played over the Internet . He beat four opponents rated higher than him to win the tournament. In the finals he bettered Kasparov 1.5-0.5 and overcame pre-tournament odds of 472:1. He spoke about his recent climb and the Online Tournament in an exclusive chat:

Question: What's happening this year. You had a great Corus Tournament at Wijk aan Zee. Congratulations for winning the Kasparov Chess Grand Prix beating Kasparov in the finals.

Answer: So far it is going very well. I have always been a player not very consistent with good and bad results. Not so much in the middle. At Wijk aan Zee I had a great tournament but went down a little bit in the end. But I was very happy. After Linares it is clearly the strongest tournament. I am happy that I am playing well and in this Internet tournament I did even better.

Q: How did this happen? Did you do some extra work at the end of 1999?

A: I think I have been around for a long time and can play well. In all modesty I am a reasonably good player. I can also play well against the strongest and beat them. Unfortunately I am not always in the best mood or best shape. You can see that Kasparov, Kramnik and Anand are more stable players. This is what makes you world class. Below that there are many good players and I think I am one of them. If I play well I can beat them. Unfortunately I can't prove this in every tournament.

Q: How close were you to beat Kasparov at Wijk aan Zee?

A: I think I should have got him. It was sort of time trouble and it was not even severe at that moment. It was a technically won ending. Well, he too misplayed it. It was a very interesting game. He was trying to play even for more than a draw with black. So, you risk a little bit and it backfired on him. Well, I could have won, but I have to prove it. I was close at one moment.

Q: Tell me about your Online Tournament experience. Now that they are paying money for playing on the Internet.

A: (Smiles) I think it is an interesting idea of Kasparov. He wants chess and computer together. You have to compare it to his PCA Grand Prix actually. It gets good publicity for chess, money for the chess players. It is a knock out system. So if you lose you forget it quickly. If you win you continue playing for the big prizes. It is also more fun of course. We played with the strongest players in the world. For me it was a good challenge. The longer I stayed in the tournament the more serious it got. In the end of course I was very happy. People say the Online Tournament is a danger for other tournaments. I don't believe that. I think it is like the PCA Grand Prix as I said before to attract publicity. It is publicity for their webpage. For Deep Junior the computer was playing. Kasparov's name will give publicity too.

Q: If the same players are playing in Online Tournaments for a lesser fee, who will pay them for the classical tournaments?

A: This (fee) is what we normally get in tournaments. It is different with a big first prize. It is knock out and one hour a game only. It is like a rapid. I don't think both during the GMA (Grand Masters Association) and during the PCA there was a starting fee. There was only guaranteed prize money there. Even now you have about one thousand dollars or something (for first round losers in the Online Tournament).

You can't compare this with Wijk aan Zee for which you have to prepare two-three weeks or even a month before you play. You have to play two and a half weeks, you stay at a hotel, you have to travel, it is different I think. Corus does it for publicity too and everybody knows about their tournaments.

Q: Do you see more players sitting at home and playing events in the future?

A: Well if they continue it like this - the idea is as far as I understand is to make four tournaments a year - they will calculate and there will be a Grand Prix winner. Sometimes same players will play, new Grandmasters could also come in. They will look for top Grandmasters in the top forty or sixty and you know there is not much of a difference in strength between them. Sometimes I have many tournaments and have to cancel a few of them and sometimes I have no tournaments and I am at home for one or two months. If there are no tournaments, it is an excellent way of practising well. Because Grandmasters play free on the Internet's ICC (Internet Chess Club). You cannot only study chess. You need a feel for the pieces or play a game.

Q: On the ICC your handle is `Flying Piket', is it not?

A: Yes, it is one of them. When I started it was a bit addictive I have to say. Now I don't care much. I don't play so often. Once in a way you can even talk to your colleagues. If you are at home for a long time, you go there. If you have only one week between a tournament you don't go there, just want to rest and look for the next tournament. It depends on the tournament situation.

Q: Which was the most exciting moment in your Online Tournament? The tie-breaks with Morozevich or the final with Kasparov?

A: Of course the final against Kasparov for he is the biggest name. This is very important. But I think when I beat Svidler I was very happy. I had very tough opponents. First I had Seirawan and Morozevich. I was happy to beat Morozevich but I have a very good score against him. So ... Svidler is always tough for me. I somehow survived the black game and with white I just killed him. It made me feel good because I was there in the finals. The finals is always a different story.

Q: Did you miss seeing Kasparov's face when you pulled off a draw with Nf5 in game one and won the rook and pawn ending in the second one?

A: Yes. He is not only world champion, he is the strongest player. I have played him several times in tournaments. I have got used to it now. For everybody he is an impressive person at the board. He might lose little bit of advantage over you because you don't see him. When you see his moves, you know it is Kasparov. Maybe you can concentrate little bit better on the game when you are by yourself at home.

Q: Did it ever cross your mind that some of your opponents could cheat?

A: No. First they sent somebody from Club Kasparov to my house. He was a Dutchman. I can say ``you can shut up we are together''. I will feel so awkward doing this during the game. I will start making blunders looking at my books and computer. I never had this in my mind. If you have, you simply should not play the tournament.

Q: Where do we go from here? Like, who put the money, was it a success or an experiment, will it be held again?

A: It is from the Club Kasparov page. As far as I understand, they have a base in Israel, and have some sponsoring agencies. Club Kasparov because of the Kasparov name. It is not difficult to get sponsors. Deep Junior (for dual or more processors) is also based in Israel and was involved. Maybe together with Fritz it is the best computer programme. Well, they have the best player and should get some money for a while. You shouldn't see it like that. It was a good thing with publicity for chess. If there is a FIDE Rated serious tournament at the same time I will prefer the serious tournament.

Q: What was the Dutch reaction to your victory?

A: This was good. At the beginning there was not much publicity. When I beat Kasparov I got tired because I had to tell the same story for two or three days in a row. I even suggested to my wife that we should have a holiday because I was tired of the victory!

Q: Did you have any spectators at home watching these games?

A: No. My brother came for some time but there was nobody besides the Club Kasparov man.

ARVIND AARON

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