Интервью

Miron: On behalf of the Battle Chess portal and its players let me congratulate you, dear Малкавианин, on your first place in two rating lists at once: Top 30 of the Battle Chess portal, May 2008in Battle Chess and classical chess! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself.

Малкавианин: My name is Vladimir Vasiliev, I have been playing chess since I was 7 and I am 18 years old now. I have a degree of Candidate in Masters of Sports, my rating is 2214.

Miron: Seems like you have some achievements in sports, don't you?

Малкавианин: In 2006 I was the Champion of Ryazan and Ryazan oblast among young men and I won the XIV International Chess Festival 'Debut'.

Miron: What is your main occupation now?

Малкавианин: I study in Ryazan State University, department of Pedagogy and Psychology, I am also singing in a band. I am the frontman of Bughouse band.

Miron: Can you say what attracted you to Battle Chess?

Малкавианин: I liked Battle Chess because of their randomness and arbitrariness. When you set up the figures and click the Start Game button, you are really intrigued by what kind of setup you will see on the opponent's side. Did I guess it right or wrong? Who has the first move? Battle Chess game has a big future, while in the classical chess blitz is the game of the future.

Miron: Did you ever think on the possibility of classifying the setups in Battle chess? If so, how would you classify them?

малкавианин: I would classify the setups according to how the pawns are set up.

• The first category - 'flank setups' - is when the pawns are gathered on one of the flanks around the king and the other pieces are on the other flank. This is quite risky. The king is well-defended, but the other pieces may be exposed to a massive pawn onslaught.
• The second category - 'centered setups' - is when the main pawn force is gathered in the center, one of the flanks is occupied by the battery consisting of a queen with rooks and\or bishops and on the other flanks there are two knights defending each other.
• The third category - 'balanced' - is when the pawns are distributed evenly across the board and the other pieces are behind them. I think that this kind of setup is the most effective and universal.
• The fourth category - 'customized' - is when the pawns and other pieces are set up for a certain opponent and their favorite setup.

Miron: Vladimir, what is your attitude to using chess robots while playing online and how you can fight that if you cannot avoid playing with a robot?

малкавианин: I have a very negative attitude towards using chess robots. It is not very difficult to recognize a person using a robot, but it takes a lot of time: before actually accuse a person of using a robot, or, even more, before proving it, you should be absolutely certain that the person actually uses one and show your proofs (robot algorithms). You can fight it in two ways:

1. Playing better that a robot (one should remember that robots like pieces more that the game initiative, thus small sacrifices for a strong position and giving away pieces or piece quality for a passed pawn).
2. Play with time control. This is also very effective. It can be mean against an honest player, but you can use any methods against a robot user.

Miron: Why do you think you got to the first place in the Top 30 of Battle Chess players both in Battle Chess and in classical one without making it to medal places in any of the tournaments?

Малкавианин: Well I don't really try to hard. At the Battle Chess portal I just play for pleasure and don't really think about the next move for more than three minutes. Sometimes I even make a more interesting move instead of a stronger one.

Miron: You are a wonderful person! I hope that your presence among the prize winners is just a question of time. Let me congratulate you one more time and wish you success in and outside chess!