Vera Nebolsina - the hope of the Russian chess
by Boris Schipkov
Vera Nebolsina
Interview with Vera Nebolsina - the World Chess Champion 1998 and Vice-Champion 1999 among the girls under the age of 10 years and Valery Nebolsin, her father and trainer, a Chess Master. Vera and her parents live in Novosibirsk.
Boris Schipkov: How have you achieved such success?
Valery Nebolsin: Vera is constantly improving herself. She practices chess for six hours each day. Vera is familiar with creative works of Steinitz, Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch. She is a positional player. Vera is also a beautiful tactician.
B.S.: Could you tell about the World Youth Chess Championships?
V.N.: The world championships of 1998 and 1999 among the girls under the age of 10 were held in October - November in the small Spanish city Oropesa del Mar, located on the coast of the Mediterranean sea between Barcelona and Valencia. In 1998 Vera scored 9,5 points out of 11 and took the first place among 73 participants, outstripped Sveta Vasilkova, another Russian, by 1 point. The next year Vera achieved the same result 9,5 out of 11, sharing the first place, but she became the vice-champion by coefficient.
B.S.: Did you like Spain?
Vera: Yes. We even swimmed on the days off, when the weather was good. On the sea coast I collected shells and brought a few as a memento. (Vera showed me the shells and two beautiful Cups.)
We were visited by Spanish sparrows, we fed them with bread and seeds. From the fifth floor of the house where we lived we could see the schools of little fishes in the sea.
B.S.: When did Vera learn to play chess?
V.N.: Mum explained to the daughter the rules of the game when Vera was about four years old. And since six years of age Vera has been playing in tournaments. She became the Champion of Russia at the age of 7 among the girls under 8 years of age.
Vera: Mum had also taught me how to play also other board games: go, cards, draughts. Earlier I practiced gymnastics and performed the dance "of a fiery snake".
B.S.: What school subjects do you like ?
Vera: I like literature and history. Every day I study English.
V.N.: Vera studies at home according to a special program, therefore she very seldom goes to the grammar school.
B.S.: What do you like doing in your free time?
Vera: I like to read books and listen to music. Now I am reading "The Count of Monte Cristo", and have already read "The Three Musketeers" by Dumas and "The Mysterious Island" by Verne. I like classical music, Mozart and Beethoven.
V.N.: Vera knows by heart the sonnets of Shakespeare, fairy tales of Pushkin, "Sermon on the Mount".
B.S.: Now many chess players discuss the question of nutrition during tournaments, what food could help to beat the rivals. What dishes do you, Vera, prefer?
Vera: I like to eat fish and, certainly, fruit. Oranges, apples, pineapples.
B.S.: What games of grandmasters do you like?
Vera: I like games of Capablanca, Kasparov, Judit Polgar, Anand, Fischer.
B.S.: What are Vera's latest achievements?
V.N.: This year Vera beat the international master Kron. And she gave a simultaneous exhibition on 32 boards for children (from 8 till 12) in the town Berdsk in the Novosibirsk area, July 6. In Berdsk in this simul Vera won 30 games and only two participants, a girl and a boy, managed to make a draw.
B.S.: An excellent and sensational result! What are your plans for the near and more distant future?
V.N.: In the near future we shall try to take part in the 2000 world championship among the girls under 12 years of age. And our future goal is the world chess crown.
B.S.: I wish you success!
I demonstrate the game Nebolsina Vera - Kron Valentin, Maestro open, Berdsk 2000.
Nebolsina, Vera - Kron, Valentin (2450) [C46]
Maestro open, Berdsk 2000
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3
Usually White plays 4.d4.
4...Bg7 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nge7 7. Nd5 O-O 8. c3 Nxd5 9. exd5 Ne7 10. Qb3 a5 11. a4 Bf5
Worthy of attention is 11...c6!?, exchanging a strong pawn at the centre.
12. d4 Qd7 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Rd1! Rab8 15. Ng5 Nc8 16. c4 h6 17. Nf3 Nd6
Better was 17...b6 18. Re1 Re8.
18. c5 Nc8 19. Bd2
The pieces and pawns of White are placed more harmoniously, therefore White has an advantage.
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19...b6 20. Bxa5 Bc2 21. Qxc2 bxa5 22. Nd2 e4 23. Nc4 f5 24. Rab1 Ne7 25. Nxa5
Vera has achieved a winning position. Though not bad was 25. c6 Qe8 26. d6 cxd6 27. c7 Rb4 28. Nxd6 Qxa4 29. b3 Qd7 30. Rbc1.
25...Kh7 26. d6 cxd6 27. Rxd6 Qc7 28. b4 h5 29. Nc4 Nc6
The following part of the game was played in time trouble, therefore the contenders made mistakes in turn.
30. Nb6?
Better was 30.Qd2.
30...Rxb6 31. cxb6 Qxd6 32. b5 Nd4 33. Qc7 Ne2+ 34. Kh1 Qd4 35. b7 Nc3 36. Rc1 Ne2?
Correct is 36...Nd1! 37. h3 Nxf2+ 38. Kh2 h4 39. gxh4 Nd3 40.Rc4 Qe5+ 41. Qxe5 Bxe5+ 42. Kg1 Rb8 43. a5 Rxb7 44. b6 Kg7 45. Ra4 Nc5.
37. Rf1 Qe5 38. b6 Nc3 39. a5 Qe8 40. a6
It was impossible to stop White pawns. Per aspera ad astra.
40...Nb5 41. Qc4
Possible was 41. a7 and after 41...Nxc7 42.bxc7 there was an original position with three pawns on a last but one horizontal.
41...Bd4 42. a7 Nxa7 43. Qxd4 Nc6 44. Qd6 Rf7 45. Rc1 Nb8 46. Rc8 Qb5 47. h4 Rxb7 48. Rxb8 Rd7 49. Qf6 Rg7 50. Qf8
Black resigned. 1-0
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Nebolsina, Vera - Kron, Valentin (2450) [C46]
Maestro (1) 2000
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nge7 7. Nd5 O-O 8. c3 Nxd5 9. exd5 Ne7 10. Qb3 a5 11. a4 Bf5 12. d4 Qd7 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Rd1 Rab8 15. Ng5 Nc8 16. c4 h6 17. Nf3 Nd6 18. c5 Nc8 19. Bd2 b6 20. Bxa5 Bc2 21. Qxc2 bxa5 22. Nd2 e4 23. Nc4 f5 24. Rab1 Ne7 25. Nxa5 Kh7 26. d6 cxd6 27. Rxd6 Qc7 28. b4 h5 29. Nc4 Nc6 30. Nb6 Rxb6 31. cxb6 Qxd6 32. b5 Nd4 33. Qc7 Ne2+ 34. Kh1 Qd4 35. b7 Nc3 36. Rc1 Ne2 37. Rf1 Qe5 38. b6 Nc3 39. a5 Qe8 40. a6 Nb5 41. Qc4 Bd4 42. a7 Nxa7 43. Qxd4 Nc6 44. Qd6 Rf7 45. Rc1 Nb8 46. Rc8 Qb5 47. h4 Rxb7 48. Rxb8 Rd7 49. Qf6 Rg7 50. Qf8 1-0
Interview with Vera Nebolsina. September, 2000. Novosibirsk.
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© 2000 Boris Schipkov