Mariya Muzychuk: “It’s not true that all chess players are so serious”
2015 was the most successful year in the career of 23-year-old Ukrainian chess player.
Lastnews.com.ua asked the 15th Women’s World Chess Champion to tell about herself and her life.
I’ve mostly played against men
– I started learning the moves almost from birth. Both my mom and dad are Honoured Coaches of Ukraine. They worked in youth sport schools at Stryj with children of various ages for over twenty years.
As I started learning chess at two or three years old, I knew all the rules, and I was able to play a whole game. At five or six years old, I began to take part in the city championships. I mostly played against men of any age – 30, 40, and 50 years old. At first, I was often losing, but after a few years of experience, I managed to win the Stryj championship.
How did adult men react when they had to play with a little girl? Well, for most of them chess was just a hobby, so they were not too upset. And furthermore, they all knew me, because they all knew my parents. I owe my Women’s World Chess Championship victory mostly to my mother and my father. They helped me and my sister (she, too, plays chess) every day and they did everything they could to make me participate in strong tournaments.
One of my most vivid childhood memories is chess. I would not say that I have no other memories... But, when I think back to my childhood, I still remember my first chess victory. For instance, my first major victory in 2001, when I won the Ukrainian Chess Championship Under-10 gaining the right to take part in the European Championship and the World Championship. Perhaps from that moment I began taking chess more seriously. And I realized the importance of knowing other languages – Russian and English. Before then, we mostly spoke Ukrainian at home.
At first, when I was very young, I started studying fifteen minutes, gradually increasing to two hours. When I became a professional, the schedule was to work every day for five or six hours. Like most professionals, I train with the ChessBase software.
Of course, chess is a sport! I don’t understand those who doubted it. Endurance is very important in chess, as well as results, daily training, and public spectacle. More or less, it’s almost the same as in any other sport. And self-confidence, as well as will to win, are no less important for us.
A chess game usually lasts between five and six hours. Sometimes more. The most serious mistakes are most likely to occur in the middle of the game, at the fourth hour of play. You need endurance, because that doesn’t happen to you.
One time, when I lived with my parents, mine and my sister’s physical training were constantly monitored by my father. We regularly jogged, and performed physical exercises. I didn’t like it. I felt like I was forced to do it. I didn’t understand how important it was for me. But then, when I moved to town and began to study at the University, I got directly involved in my physical training. I joined a fitness club, and started to swim in the swimming pool.
In childhood I used to take with me stone amulets
One of the most common chess superstitions is that of the favourite pen. When you win a game, writing down the moves with a pen on the scoresheet, well, that’s your favourite pen, and you’ll keep it as long as you’ll keep having good results. But I would not say that I am so superstitious. For instance, I don’t change walk direction if I meet someone or someone else, no matter whether I win or lose.
When I was a child I used to take with me talismans, and stone amulets. But then I realized that if you play well, you will be rewarded. And if you play badly, no matter what your lucky stone is, it won’t help you.
I always took chess tournaments very seriously, even when I was a child. I avoid distractions, even while travelling. Thus the whole day is almost spent in preparation, analysis, and play. Under such circumstances, there’s very little or almost no free time to devote to daily visits. However, most tournaments usually include at least a day off.
I like to relax myself – watch a movie, read a book, go for a walk and meet friends. That’s enough for me. I very rarely go out to dance clubs. But many female players are more extroverted.
I’m quite a moody person. And I like listening to music on mood, especially before playing. Sometimes rock, and rap, sometimes more quiet rhythms. My audio player can play... For instance,
Linkin Park. They are particularly inspiring to listen to a couple hours before a game: lively music infuses confidence. Also
“Win The Race” by
Modern Talking, which I recently downloaded. When I play a tournament, I listen to that song every day. And since it helped me, I achieved good results!
What kind of movies do I like? Indeed, I pick them out on the spur of the moment! Sometimes my friends give me advise, sometimes I trust the recently released films. I like science fiction films. And books... I like
J. K. Rowling. I read more detective fiction.
I’ve been lucky dealing with my nerves
My chess earnings give me enough bread and butter. And, yes, I earn more than the Ukrainian average of higher educated persons. But I am a perfectionist by nature and I always strive to reach the maximum. I like good hotels, cars, beautiful places, and new technologies. I cannot always afford all these things, but at least it’s something to strive for.
I’d not say that I’m too serious. I like laughing and I also appreciate other people’s sense of humor. I even have difficulty talking to people who lack a sense of humor. Contrary to stereotypes, chess players are not too serious. I can’t even remember a single one of them.
How do young people react when they learn that I am a chess player? At first they are very surprised. And then they say: “Oh, it’s a very smart game! You’re very clever for sure!”.
Sincerely speaking, for now, I’m not thinking about marriage. I’m preparing for the match against 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán)
[Ed. Note: For the Women’s World Chess title], and I have almost no time for my personal life.
Of course, 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) is a very strong player, women’s world number one. China is now at the forefront of the chess world, both didactically and agonistically. Why is 侯逸凡 (Hóu Yìfán) so strong? Lets’s say, in the language of chess, that she excels in understanding strategy as well as in mastering theoretical knowledge. I would not want to say now, however, the reason why I consider her such a strong player. The match will show who of us is stronger.
For me there’s no difference in playing against men or against women. My opponent’s playing strength is far more important for me. I like playing with players who are stronger than me. It’s the only way to make progress and gain experience. If your opponent is weaker than you, well, you’re going to win, but you’ll learn very little. The most important thing for me is to learn something new every day.
It does happen that I play a game, when people come up and congratulate me: a big hit, a shocking blow. It looks like everything works fine. But, then I come home, I turn on my chess engine, and I analyze where I could have done better and where I got wrong. Naturally, my mistakes upset me. But it’s rare that even the worst mistakes don’t let me sleep at night. I know I am a human being, not a robot. And in fact nothing bad happened. The important thing is to draw the right conclusions.
I think I’ve been lucky dealing with my nerves, when compared to other players. I am able to accept defeat and not quit. I always been lucky so far, I’m not one of those who get hysterical if they lose a game. But I was told it can happen. It may even happen that it comes to insults. But the majority of players are professionals and they are used to accept defeat with dignity.
It’s not easy indeed being an athlete. Training, travelling, always travelling, living out of a suitcase. I think everyone who lives a sedentary life could never get accustomed to such a life.
Since my childhood, I dreamt of becoming Women’s World Chess Champion. Now my dream came true. But there are still so many non-chess wishes. I prefer not to talk about them. I fear that if I talk about them, they’ll never come true. But I compiled my “wish list”.
