Kramnik: Armenian team is traditionally strong

Ex-World Champion Vladimir Kramnik spoke about the World Chess Olympiad in Khanty- Mansiysk starting today.

“We seek victory,” Kramnik told a Sport Express correspondent. “Personally for me, it is very important since I am already an old chess player and I don’t know how long I will have the right to take part in chess olympiads. Therefore I want to win. We should admit that our rivals are very strong. The Ukrainian national team will perform with its best chess players, with a rating almost equal to ours. Thus, we have no advantage.

We cannot speak about much advantage in modern chess. The Armenian national team is traditionally strong. The Chinese team is also progressing. In short, it will be a difficult competition. No one can guarantee our victory. In all probability, the outcome will depend on a move to be made in the last round.”