Nodirbek Abdusattorov shared his thoughts with the press after the very important victory over the world champion Gukesh. The tension at the end of the meeting, lack of time, and unexpected mistakes turned the game into a truly dramatic scenario.
Abdusattorov, first of all, expressed sympathy for his opponent as a person. According to him, he himself has experienced such a "heavy feeling" many times, so he understands Gukesh's condition well.
"I really feel sorry for him." This is a very difficult feeling. I myself have been in such situations many times. In general, the party was moving in a normal way. At one point, he got too excited and tried to accelerate the tempo of the game, but I kept the situation under control. It seemed to me that there were enough chances for a draw. "Near the end, he lost time, got nervous, and made a blunder," Nodirbek said.
The interview also mentioned the Rg5 move, which was heavily discussed at the end of the game. Abdusattorov noted that this episode is not easy to interpret.
- It's hard to explain. It's as if it's another move that can't even be explained. I think there were many such gross mistakes in the very first round of this tournament. Until then, I can't even remember games with such errors. This meeting was one of the most striking examples. "The ending was completely shocking," he said.
During the conversation, Nodirbek's activities outside of chess were also discussed - his interest in physical training and padeling. He said that although he played padel a few days ago, he didn't have time to play again later.
- No, I didn't manage. We wanted to find two more players and play in groups of four, but it didn't work out," says Abdusattorov.
As for the partner, he also made a humorous but open challenge:
- Of course, I'm still looking for a partner. If someone sees me and wants to play - I'm ready.
Speaking about the weekend, Nodirbek said that the regime is simple, but effective: lunch, hall, and then recovery.
"I went to Beverwijk for lunch, then went to the gym and practiced a bit." "I rested and recovered the rest of the time," he said.
Addressing the importance of physical condition in long-distance tournaments, Abdusattorov emphasized that activity is a prerequisite for stability at "long distances."
- The tournament is very long. Therefore, physical activity is necessary. Everyone has their own path. When I feel good - I go to the gym, do exercises. "I'll rest the rest of the time," said the grandmaster.
The most interesting point is the mood when you arrive at the tournament equator. Nodirbek didn't hide that the current result was pleasant, but he openly admitted that even this victory was a signal to him to "play even better."
- After such a "gifted" victory, of course, the mood is good. But this also shows me that I need to further strengthen my game. I'm not entirely satisfied with today's game. Nevertheless, I will try to play even better in the next matches," Abdusattorov concluded.
In short, Nodirbek won, but didn't leave saying "everything is great" - on the contrary, he increased the demand for himself even more. If he leaves in this mood, there might be more big talk in the second part of the tournament.
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