The international RSSU Cup, Moscow Open is famous for its extensive program and the competitions for chess players of any level and age. Thus, mainly players, who have come to the capital to enjoy the game, are participants of the RSSU Amateur Cup. Our attention was drawn by a group of boys in the military uniform, and we have decided to talk to their representative Stepan Lisov – a course educator of the Suvorov Military Academy in St. Petersburg.
- Good afternoon, Stepan! Tell us about the participation of the Suvorov Academy students in the tournament.
- The troop of the St. Petersburg Suvorov Military Academy was sent to the Moscow Open thanks to the victory in the Team Championship of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. And besides the main awards, the RSSU Rector Natalya Pochinok granted the guys with the certificate for the team’s participation in the Moscow Open.
- Do you have a chess club in the Academy?
- Yes, there is a chess department as a part of additional education in the Academy. A talented teacher, candidate master of sport Anna Leonidovna Golovchenko is working ther. I have also a category of a candidate to the master of sport in chess. When it was decided that the team will take part in the Championship of the Ministry of Defense I was asked to help them with the preparation to the tournament. After successful performance in that competition six Suvorov Academy students were directed here. However, this team doesn’t have the strongest roster. The part of team that won the Championship of the Ministry of Defense is now participating in the Olympiad of English language.
- Besides chess, what other optional classes do you have?
- The Suvorov Academy students go in for different kinds of sport, music and even innovative technologies. They choose optional classes they want to visit when they enter the first course. Here everything depends of the kid’s desire, what aim he has. Of course kids follow the training process more for the overall development, but we have our own starts in some kinds of sport, training at the professional level.
- What other chess competitions the Suvorov Academy students play in?
- Every week kids play in the city’s fast chess competitions as a part of the preparation program to major tournaments.
- Did you set any goal for this tournament?
- Of course we would like to perform successfully but if to speak seriously some of the guys will be able to score points closer the end of the tournament. Now they managed to find the way of playing, some good games appeared. So far I am playing at a very average level, scored 4 of 6 points.
- Where do you stay in Moscow and how do you spend free time?
- We are staying the Moscow Suvorov Academy. Guys follow a very strict schedule. Notwithstanding their participation in the tournament, they do their homework. Besides we devote much time to prepare to games and to work on our mistakes. Recently we went to the Red Square and visited a fair. We enjoyed it greatly.
- Thank you for the answers. We hope to meet you and the guys at the next Moscow Open.
Eldar Mikhametov and Anna Bivol asked the questions.