Andrey Filatov: I Congratulate All Russian Chess Fans with a Great Victory!

The head coach of the Russian team draws conclusions. 

— Andrey Vasilyevich, our congratulations on winning the silver medals of the World Championship! How do you estimate the result? 

— In the last round, our team demonstrated a brilliant play. We defeated the US team 4:0 and won silver medals. Of course, I would like to win gold, but the Chinese players happened to be stronger. I would like to congratulate all Russian chess fans with a great victory, as our women’s team won gold medals, while men gained silver ones. 

— What can you say about the team’s playing in general? 

— The team performed brilliantly. It is significant, that the team’s line-up was renewed, and our young players have shown that they deserve to be a part of the main team. The Russian girls became World Champions for the first time in the chess history. Before that, they won Olympiads several times, but they won the WTCC for the first time. 

— Which match was the most difficult for your team?

— The 8th round’s match against India was the hardest and the most nervous one. Any result could happen there, but we have shown our character and finally won. If China had made a draw in the last round, we would have two sets of gold medals. But we have everything before us!

— Please tell us a couple of words about your preparation. How many training sessions did you have before the event?

— In general, men were preparing individually, everyone has one’s own programme. Women had training camps, and it resulted in their success. 

— How seriously the teams are supported in Russia?

— I would like to thank Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System (FGC UES), personally its Director General Andrey Murov for supporting our national teams. There is a result: our performance is fine! 

Interview by Eteri Kublashvili