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GM Ivan Sokolov, a former high participant himself, was the coach of the gold-winning Uzbek group on the Olympiad in Chennai, India. In an interview with Chess.com, the Dutch-Bosnian grandmaster reveals what it is wish to work with prodigies who’ve taught him one thing about chess as nicely.
The 54-year-old Sokolov wants little introduction to our older readers who noticed him play on the highest stage within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s. He was a continuing top-30 participant in these twenty years and occupied the twelfth spot on this planet rankings 3 times. Of all of the sturdy grandmasters who by no means made it into the highest 10, he is perhaps one of the vital profitable. Apart from successful a number of sturdy tournaments (for instance, Hoogeveen, Selfoss, Sarajevo), he defeated 5 world champions in classical video games: GM Garry Kasparov, GM Vladimir Kramnik, GM Viswanathan Anand, GM Veselin Topalov, and a younger GM Magnus Carlsen.
Born and raised in Bosnia (then Yugoslavia, now a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina), he was one of many hundreds of thousands who left or fled the nation through the Yugoslav wars of the Nineteen Nineties. He settled within the Netherlands in 1992, which was a way more chess-loving nation then when it had 5 – 6 annual grandmaster tournaments. His Dutch residence additionally made it simpler for Sokolov to journey to tournaments overseas.
Now divorced with two youngsters of their 20s, Sokolov presently lives in Amsterdam. He has been incomes his dwelling as a chess coach since 2008. He initially labored with high skills from the previous Yugoslavia (GMs Ivan Saric from Croatia, Marin Bosiocic from Croatia, and Borki Predojevic from Bosnia) and later additionally GM Baskaran Adhiban from India and GM Salem Saleh from the UAE.
The choice to surrender his personal chess profession and begin a full-time job as a coach within the UAE got here in 2013, and there is a good anecdote linked to it.
“In the beginning of 2013, I nonetheless had an excellent score [2663 – PD] and I performed in Tata Metal, the place my end result was a lot worse than the positions I used to be getting. My preparation was superb; just a few months later I received various video games within the French league based mostly on my Wijk aan Zee preparation. It was a yr of ups and downs, and someplace in June I received a suggestion from the UAE Chess Federation to work for them as a result of they had been in search of somebody to make Salem a greater participant. He was at the moment perhaps 2550-2560, a younger, proficient grandmaster, however they wished somebody to assist him to get to the subsequent stage. I wasn’t certain if I wished to maneuver to Dubai for a full-time job with, clearly, a hard and fast wage however now not being the proprietor of my very own time, for my part the largest plus of being a chess participant.
“Then, on the finish of August, I used to be enjoying the Vienna Open, an enormous match with one thing like 600 gamers. They invited me, I gave a simul as, I suppose, the star visitor of the occasion, however someplace in the course of the match I misplaced a sport to some 2400-rated, proficient younger participant from Turkey [Batuhan Dastan, now a GM – PD]. I completed the match with 6.5/9 which was adequate for ending Sixteenth-Thirtieth, and my prize cash was, I feel, about 100 euros.
“I went to the airport, I used to be having a flight to Amsterdam, and so they informed me: ‘The flight is overbooked. Would you want to attend one other two hours for the subsequent flight? We can pay you 250 euros.’ I mentioned sure, however then I believed: wait a minute. There’s one thing improper right here. I used to be enjoying an open match for 10 days, the prize cash is 100 euros, I’ve to attend for 2 hours for a brand new flight, and they’ll pay me 250. One thing is improper right here. So I took this cash, ordered a bottle of wine, and analyzed the scenario. And having analyzed it, I picked up the cellphone, known as Dubai and requested if their provide was nonetheless on the desk.”
So I took this cash, ordered a bottle of wine, and analyzed the scenario.
To at the present time, Sokolov has no regrets about his determination. Issues have been going nicely, and his outcomes as a coach converse for themselves, culminating in Olympic gold in Chennai.
He labored within the UAE till the summer time of 2016, principally with Salem who quickly grew to become the Asian champion. He additionally coached the UAE group on the 2014 Tromso Olympiad, his first Olympiad as a coach. Earlier than that, he had attended all Olympiads between 1988 and 2012 as a participant (representing Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Netherlands), apart from Dresden 2008.
Working with Firouzja
A few month and a half earlier than the 2016 Olympiad in Baku, Sokolov stop his job in Dubai and began to educate the Iranian group—a job he held till and together with the World Crew Championship in 2019. In contrast to with the UAE, he didn’t transfer to Iran however flew there just a few occasions a yr for coaching periods that may final a few weeks.
Iran then completed in a sensational shared eleventh place in Baku, alongside chess powerhouses akin to Azerbaijan and China. Two years later, the younger group completed in an additionally very first rate shared fifteenth place, shortly after successful the 2018 Asian Nations Cup forward of India and China. One of many gamers then was GM Alireza Firouzja, who would later transfer to France and finally develop into the youngest-ever participant to interrupt the 2800 Elo barrier.
Sokolov: “After I got here to Iran in 2016, a month earlier than the Olympiad, the nation had one established grandmaster: Ehsan Ghaem Maghami. I additionally had Parham Maghsoodloo, Amin Tabatabaei, I had Firouzja, all of them very younger and round 2400 rated at the moment. I understood that they had huge potential however how huge, that is at all times tough to evaluate.
“What I seen with Alireza from the very begin, and this made him a bit bit completely different, was that he had an enormous dedication.
What I seen with Alireza from the very begin, and this made him a bit bit completely different, was that he had an enormous dedication.
“Our work day was one thing like from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., one thing like a 2.5-hour break, after which from 3:30 to six:30 p.m. All of us had been staying in a lodge very near the constructing of the chess federation.
“Normally, what would occur is that I’d end this work; I’d have a break; I’d go for a protracted stroll in a park, have lunch, reply my personal emails, and are available again to work. Normally, after I would come again for the second half, Alireza would have already got some novelties and concepts based mostly on what we had been taking a look at within the morning. The identical factor, once you end within the night, some guys would begin chatting or enjoying video video games, however within the morning he would have new concepts, one thing to inform me based mostly on what we had been taking a look at within the afternoon. So he was working perhaps 10 hours a day.”
Working with computer systems
Particularly for a classically educated grandmaster like Sokolov, whose 2008 ebook Successful Chess Middlegames is in that very same classical custom, working with the brand new era of gamers who have a tendency to make use of a pc greater than anything is each a pleasure and a problem.
“What I confronted, not solely with Alireza but additionally with another younger gamers that I labored with, is that, for instance, they arrive with a proposal that may be very unconventional for a recognized kind of place—unconventional based mostly on previous data. I’d normally say, if this works, I have to quote my pal GM Jan Timman, who mentioned: ‘If it really works, I have to be taught chess once more!’ However then I’d get a remark like: ‘Sure, however the laptop loves it.’ Then we might do some evaluation, and generally it will end up that the pc was improper, within the sense that the analysis solely works if computer systems are enjoying. For people, the evaluation will be completely different.”
Requested for an instance, Sokolov described the next pawn construction, which may come from many openings, such because the Scandinavian, the Caro-Kann, the French, the Slav, and so forth.
“The widespread plan is that you simply both push b2-b4-b5 otherwise you attempt to provide you with the d4-d5 pawn break as a result of by definition White is having the bishop-pair benefit in these sorts of positions. The bishop on c8 went out someplace and traded itself for a knight.
“One of many new concepts was to not contact something within the middle, attempt to solidify and ensure there isn’t a straightforward break, and to easily begin pushing g2-g4-g5 and h2-h4-h5 and to have this sort of assault. This isn’t recognized in classical books as a typical plan in such a place, nevertheless it turned out that it will probably simply be working.”
One other instance is an unconventional plan for White within the Mar del Plata variation of the King’s Indian: enjoying Kg1-h1, Rf1-g1, and g2-g3, in different phrases, going towards the previous adage, Do not play on the wing the place you might be weaker. It needs to be mentioned that this plan will not be utterly new (GM Alex Yermolinsky performed it again in 1997!), nevertheless it received the eye of sturdy gamers as engines appeared to love it.
“You’d have been thought-about utterly loopy based mostly on previous books,” mentioned Sokolov. “In my case, it was Tabatabaei who got here to me and mentioned: ‘, my laptop has this concept and I can not see something improper with it.’ At first I mentioned: ‘Come on, this does not make any sense.’ However then we began to look, and I noticed the pc is true. It makes lots of sense.”
Sokolov has a concrete technique that helps gamers to be taught from computer systems: as an alternative of selecting the highest traces given by the engine, a participant ought to at all times choose the transfer that he would play himself, or he would count on his opponent to play able. It might be the fifth alternative of strikes for the pc, and determining what’s improper along with your first alternative will be extremely instructive. “It’s a course of for me, and clearly working with these folks helped my very own understanding as to how synthetic intelligence works and the way typically it will probably put you on the improper path: that you simply consider an excessive amount of in assessments whereas in one-on-one sensible play, it’s a little bit completely different.”
Explaining it in one other means, Sokolov mentioned: “You’ll be able to have two approaches. First, you’ll be able to have a mindset that you simply attempt to consider a place based mostly on widespread data, so pawn construction, area, bishop pair, king security, potential of pawn breaks, attainable commerce of items, do I get a greater ending, do I get a worse ending, and as soon as you might be carried out with all these parts, you calculate to attempt to discover one of the best transfer and to attempt to justify your judgement. However after all, it will probably additionally go vice versa, that you simply calculate and based mostly on the variations that you simply calculate, you attempt to provide you with an evaluation of the place.
“I consider I belong to the primary college of thought, and I nonetheless consider this fashion is extra justified, and it makes it simpler for you in sensible play to deal with the place. However the direct factor has develop into far more vital than it ever was, and for this we are able to thank computer systems.”
Teaching Uzbekistan
In the course of the Sharjah Masters, in Might of this yr (the place Sokolov was a commentator and the place many Uzbek gamers had been enjoying) he was approached by the Uzbekistan Chess Federation to educate the nationwide group. After altering his plan to work as a commentator in Chennai, he accepted and flew to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on the finish of June the place he met with the group members who had already been chosen for the Olympiad: GMs Nodirbek Yakubboev (20), Javokhir Sindarov (16), Jakhongir Vakhidov (27), and Shamsiddin Vokhidov (20). Board one GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (17) wasn’t there but as he was enjoying in Biel.
So how did he begin?
“I checked their video games from the final 12 months, and I didn’t look that a lot on the openings. I used to be extra attempting to grasp them as gamers, how they perform,” Sokolov mentioned. “It’s worthwhile to perceive how their brains work so that you could assist them to make the best decisions for themselves. Additionally, you must work out what kinds of positions swimsuit these gamers, what are the ‘holes’ they’ve, and whether or not they can simply sidestep them to keep away from touchdown in positions they don’t like.
“I mentioned from the very begin, even earlier than I took the job: ‘Do not count on me to run a cloud Stockfish at depth 50. I’m not going to do that. However I may also help you develop into a greater participant, make the best decisions, perhaps level out one thing you have to be engaged on.'”
As an alternative, Sokolov gave the gamers a number of middlegame positions, coming from both particular openings or particular kinds of positions, and likewise positions the place he centered on their decision-making course of. He mentioned his database of positions is already about 70 % new from the time he was working with the Iranian group.
“That is what you must do as a coach to stay on the high of the sport: carry on updating your database as a way to perceive the middlegame developments and likewise to grasp new opening concepts as a result of your gamers are going to be dealing with this in over-the-board play. It’s worthwhile to attempt to perceive it, you must have an opinion, and you must know this. You can’t say to a participant: I do not know something about this. It is completely different from after I was a participant, when, as a 1.d4 and 1…e5 participant, I could not care much less about what was occurring within the Najdorf or the French Winawer. I didn’t care in any respect. Now, I can not afford this luxurious.”
Sokolov summed up the completely different kinds of the Olympic gold winners this fashion:
Abdusdattorov: “Near Magnus.”
Yakubboev: “A extra rounded participant.”
Sindarov: “A pure tactician.”
Vakhidov: “A wonderful theoretician.”
Vokhidov: “Predominantly a tactician.”
“In my case, understanding the way to work with them helped me additionally through the Olympiad to make the best opening decisions,” mentioned Sokolov. “But it surely was not at all times so easy, like for instance, I used to be very sad after I noticed this King’s Indian kind of place which Sindarov received versus GM Praggnanandhaa R. in our match with India 2.
“The road Praggnanandhaa performed was an awesome alternative towards Sindarov. He traded pawns on e5, and so they received this comparatively symmetrical place the place White is having a really small plus, which is perhaps not even terribly formidable for White however for a tactical participant like Sindarov, it was tough to deal with this sort of place, whereas a technical participant, like Praggnanandhaa, in all probability felt very snug. What occurred within the sport was that Black was really attempting to resolve the scenario tactically, which in the end didn’t work. This is only one instance of decisions: White’s benefit wasn’t huge in any respect, however his place suited him significantly better in over-the-board play.”
In soccer or different sports activities, there may be an infinite dialogue about how a lot a coach is liable for the group’s outcomes. How does Sokolov take a look at his function in Uzbekistan’s success?
“Let’s put it this fashion. I feel as a coach you’ll be able to assist gamers higher if in case you have been on this scenario your self. I didn’t win Olympic gold, however I did win Olympic silver [behind Russia, playing board two at the 1994 Moscow Olympiad for Bosnia and Herzegovina – PD]. We did develop into European Champions in 2005 [playing for the Netherlands – PD]. And as I mentioned, I beat many world champions. Primarily based on these experiences, I feel I may also help gamers enormously. However this interprets into like Zinedine Zidane or José Mourinho, or what you had within the Netherlands, Johan Cruijff or Louis van Gaal. I would put my cash on Cruijff or Zidane.”
Elaborating a bit on the subject, he provides: “What’s my affect in proportion factors? I do not know. However I do know one factor: my successes with Salem, with Iran, and now with Uzbekistan aren’t a coincidence. That is what I do know.”
Earlier than the Olympiad, Sokolov didn’t actually take into consideration successful the gold medal in Chennai. “Objectively, no, however I used to be considering a medal may very well be an possibility. After I was in Tashkent, they requested me many occasions if a medal was achievable, however though I used to be considering it may very well be attainable, I didn’t need to construct up expectations. However I discovered it very tough to see america not successful it. I used to be considering: What are our possibilities to be one of the best of the remaining?
“Analyzing the groups, I believed, we’re a bit fortunate as a result of India is selecting three groups to do nicely however not a single one to win. As a result of if that they had chosen a group to win, clearly GM Gukesh D. would have been on the primary group. All three Indian groups had been sturdy however beatable, identical to, as an example, the Netherlands, Germany, France, or Spain.
“I did suppose our group was underrated, and I used to be proper as a result of I feel collectively we received like 80 score factors or one thing [84.4 to be precise – PD].”
| Bo. | Fed | Title | Title | Rtg | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pts. | Video games | Rp | rtg+/- |
| 1 | GM | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2688 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 8,5 | 11 | 2803 | 21,1 | |
| 2 | GM | Nodirbek Yakubboev | 2620 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 8 | 11 | 2759 | 20,6 | |
| 3 | GM | Javokhir Sindarov | 2629 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 6,5 | 10 | 2655 | 7,7 | ||
| 4 | GM | Jakhongir Vakhidov | 2564 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 6,5 | 8 | 2813 | 25,1 | ||||
| 5 | GM | Shamsiddin Vokhidov | 2552 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 3,5 | 4 | 2755 | 9,9 |
“The primary time I believed we may win a gold medal was really a while throughout the remaining day as a result of I believed, OK, we’ve got performed america, and it would not seem like they’ll win this Olympiad.”
When the interviewer semi-jokingly requested whether or not he saved his gamers away from the Bermuda Get together [a traditional party always held at Olympiads ahead of the rest day], Sokolov answered with a agency sure. “They had been very enthusiastic concerning the Bermuda Get together, however I informed them: ‘Look, you might be forbidden to go there, however I’m additionally going to punish myself. This would be the first Bermuda Get together since 1988 that I’m not going to attend myself. So I’m staying within the lodge as nicely if that is any comfort.’ They tried a bit by saying: ‘We’ll solely go for just a few hours.’ However I replied: ‘Boys, there may be one small drawback. I used to be not born yesterday. As soon as upon a time I had your age, and I’m not shopping for it. It isn’t going to occur.’ So this was an excellent determination.”
On the remaining day, Sokolov informed his group that the probabilities to win the Olympiad had been actual. He additionally defined that enjoying 2-2 towards america was a wonderful end result, even if that they had missed an awesome likelihood for victory. “I informed them: one, we can not play them once more; two, we’ve got a greater tiebreak, and this can in all probability not change; and three, they’re going be beating different groups for us whereas we’re going to play groups which can be positioned second-best at that second, whereas they may clear the street for us. As we all know it, it did not precisely work that means.”
Sokolov admitted that the group had its share of “winner’s luck” within the match with India 2 within the penultimate spherical. “We had been unbelievably fortunate to not lose as a result of, OK, Gukesh spoiled a very received place. In that match, I had resigned myself to a 3-1 loss, however at some second I understood one thing actually good may very well be occurring.”
“We received very fortunate that Gukesh did not need to settle for the truth that he spoiled a successful place to a draw, after which he pushed unobjectively too exhausting, and we merely received lucky in that match.”
This is that fateful encounter between Gukesh and Abdusattorov another time, annotated because the Sport of the Day by GM Davorin Kuljasevic in our spherical 10 report:
Sokolov: “Even earlier than the piece was blundered, I had the sensation Abdusattorov was going to win. He had an enormous benefit on the clock, and likewise you could have this run of play. This is the reason it is a lot simpler for a pc to defend awful positions than for people. How can Gukesh take out of his thoughts the place that he had 20 strikes earlier? It is utterly inconceivable as a result of he’s a human.”
On the time of this publication, Sokolov is touring again to Tashkent to debate persevering with his work with the Uzbek gamers, and it now appears fairly more likely to proceed. Actually, he’ll in all probability be welcomed on the airport as a hero.
When the ultimate match was over, the cellphone of one of many officers of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation rang. On the opposite finish of the road was none aside from Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to congratulate everybody. Sokolov couldn’t touch upon the accuracy of media reviews that counsel every participant will obtain $55,000 and a automobile again house, however he famous that for some gamers the precise sum is significantly increased. With a contractual bonus for the Olympic gold, Sokolov himself additionally receives an additional reward.
The following Olympiad is in two years from now in Budapest, Hungary, the place the younger Uzbeks will probably be even stronger, whereas getting into the competitors with a complete completely different mindset. Taking part in because the defending champions will probably be a special scenario for them. Two years after that, in 2026, the Olympiad will then be on house soil in Tashkent—Uzbekistan received the bid to host the occasion on the FIDE Congress throughout this Olympiad.
Correction: An earlier model of this text erroneously acknowledged that Iran received the 2016 Asian Crew Championship. The article has been corrected to state the 2018 Asian Nations Cup.
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