KARLOVICH: Dear ladies and gentlemen, we are starting first press conference of the fifth round day. We are happy to welcome our guests: Olexandr Sulypa, trainer of Ukrainian Men’s Team and trainer of Ukrainian Women’s Team Mikhail Brodskiy. We will start from our usual question: how was the preparation to Olympiad of Ukrainian teams, which as we know in different years were Olympic Champions and Ukrainian Men’s team is the current Champion?

BRODSKIY: We have had several training camps in Konche-Zaspa near Kiev and we are quite satisfied with the preparations. In comparison with previous years when we hardly had any camps – this year is very productive.

SULYPA: Men’s team had three training camps: in Mukachevo, in Alushta and brief one in Konche-Zaspa near Kiev as well. But the Olympiad will show the quality of our preparations.

KARLOVICH: Ukrainian National Chess Championship among men has been held recently, and almost all members of the Federation participated in it, except of Ivanchuk. Not all of them showed good results. Did you have any worries about the shape of your team members?

SULYPA: Ukrainian Championship was an individual competition, everybody played for himself, that’s why there is no point in estimating the results and chances, basing on such individual competition. As I understand, you are speaking about the results of Pavel Eljanov and Aleksandr Moiseyenko, but they are indeed very good team players. The team atmosphere helps our players to show good results.

KARLOVICH: Four rounds have passed already. How can you estimate the results of your teams so far?

BRODSKIY: To my mind so far our results are good, but the only thing, which we can complain about – is the process of making pairings. It’s always a mystery how the pairings during the Olympiad are formed. All in all, we have played with World Champions - China, whose team is the highest-rated team in the Olympiad. Today we are playing with Georgian team, who usually claim to be on the top places on such competitions. Anyway, one day we would meet with these opponents, so it’s good that we overcame it.

KARLOVICH: Can you tell us a bit more about your match against China – you made a draw – Do you think Ukrainian team could have won?

BRODSKIY: I think that every result is fair. But during the match we had some real chances to win. We had two draws (Zhukova and Ushenina). Maria Muzychuk managed to win. Kateryna Lahno played against World Champion Hou Yifan, till some point the situation seemed to be equal, but still Lahno lost the game.

SULYPA: As for the men’s team – we have nothing to complain about - we share first-forth places with Russia, Armenia and Hungary. We understand that this is the long-distance tournament, every round is very tough, and the main fight will be closer to the end.

UROSEVICH: Could you tell us a bit more about Ivanchuk’s game when he lost against Qatari player?

SULYPA: The match was very interesting, Vasiliy was playing very confidently, but when 7 minutes left on Ivanchuk’s clock, and his opponent had only 1 minute, he started to think too long, chose very complicated variation and started to panic. As a result he lost his game – he didn’t make his move and lost because of time. Afterwards I had to analyze his game for one hour immediately in the playing hall and tried to calm him down. All of us had had this bad experience before.

ATAROV: As we know, for instance, in Soviet Union before each Olympiad some goals regarding the medals were set up. Do you have any such instructions?

BRODSKIY: We can’t call such instructions imperative. For each team there is difference in what they consider to be a successful result. For example, successful results differ for Saudi Arabia and Ukraine. We will be successful, if we win one of the first three places. And indeed, we will be very happy to win the first place.

SULYPA: Our goals are very similar, we will try to show the best results, but there is no pressure on the team in terms of places and medals.

UROSEVICH: Do you still work with Polish Chess player Dariusz Swierzcz , last year World Junior Champion?

SULYPA: After the World Championship under 20 I finished my work in Poland.

KARLOVICH: How do your players relax and spend their free time after such tough rounds?

SULYPA: We have very little time to relax. Every evening we have some walks in fresh air. Every team member has his own hobbies, for instance, Ruslan Ponomaryov – is keen on Zen–Buddhism philosophy – he reads lots of new information and immediately shares it with everybody.

KARLOVICH: Is it somehow connected with his marriage?

SULYPA: I don’t know, actually, if this hobby appeared before or after his marriage. Vasiliy Ivanchuk admires poetry and learning Turkish language, he visits restaurants to practice his skills and try Turkish cuisine. After the dinner we go to the gym, and try to devote at least half an hour to physical training.

KARLOVICH: Will you let your players go to the Bermuda party today?

SULYPA: No, I guess we will find more useful way to spend our evening (laughing).

KARLOVICH: Thank you for your time and good luck to your teams!