Michael Adams: Chess legend still going strong at 54

Michael Adams is 53 — virtually 54, he stresses — however continues to be a formidable presence in entrance of a chessboard. He’s ranked 90 on the earth in what’s a really aggressive, world sport that’s getting more and more youthful. In 2023, the English Grandmaster received a powerful London Chess Basic, which featured present World champion D. Gukesh. That yr, he additionally received the World senior (above 50) title, which ought to, in fact, come as no shock.

When Adams, the previous World No. 4 who got here near successful the FIDE World Championship in 2004, received a possibility to play on the ongoing World Cup in Goa, he gladly took it. He sat down for an unique interview with The Hindu at Resort Rio within the North Goan village of Arpora after scoring a cushty first-round victory. Excerpts:

What retains you going?

Properly, I don’t know. This can be a good query. I’m not solely positive, really. I feel it was partly [due to] the pandemic when every part shut down. And I used to be form of close to the top of my enjoying profession, however not fully there. So it was a bit irritating to have this type of day trip then. To the extent that I made a decision I wished to play rather a lot and do just a few extra years.

It was partly I wished to be prepared for the European Crew Championship, which really didn’t go that nicely for me personally, anyway. So I believed it was higher to try to play numerous video games. Additionally, now there is a little more chess exercise in England. So I like very a lot that I can play occasions in England. I usually play in Cambridge, the English Championship, British Championship, London Chess Basic. I’ve just a few occasions in England and perhaps just a few elsewhere.

Typically I play the senior occasions as nicely, as a result of I just like the man organising it, or I’m fairly pleasant with a few of the different guys on the workforce. So it’s a little bit of a social factor and it provides as much as numerous video games. However it’s not going to go on perpetually.

Considered one of your contemporaries is right here as FIDE’s deputy president, when you are right here as a competitor. Did you may have a chat with Viswanathan Anand?

I solely chatted with him briefly. In fact, Vishy can nonetheless play anytime he desires to. The man is wonderful. I feel folks will solely perceive how unbelievable his power is perhaps in years to come back. His stage was wonderful. However much more just lately, when he was enjoying with absolutely the prime guys, he simply performs and it is rather like regular for him. There are some older guys right here, like Vasyl Ivanchuk. He’s nonetheless enjoying rather a lot. He’s a extremely nice participant. I don’t actually think about myself in the identical form of league. Additionally, there’s Boris Gelfand, who continues to play. The man challenged for the World Championship, an incredible participant and he was simply enjoying within the Grand Swiss just lately. There may be additionally Alexei Shirov, who too performed very nicely at Grand Swiss.

Stumbling block: Adams had a superb World Championship in 2000 till he bumped into Viswanathan Anand. ‘I’ve some good reminiscences from Delhi, nonetheless,’ the English GM says.
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S. SUBRAMANIUM

I don’t suppose the blokes who are actually like 30 or so, I don’t suppose they are going to essentially go to 40 and play. Chess is much more intensive, with pc preparation. It’s much more tough. It’s much more work. And the depth of the work could be very excessive now for the robust younger gamers. They work so laborious, and from such a younger age, whereas it is a little more totally different for guys of their 50s, as a result of we didn’t actually have that pc preparation for a very long time.

What made you play this World Cup?

I assume it would virtually actually be my final World Cup. However, by no means say by no means. It was actually only a query of if I wished to strive yet one more time. There have been a few guys who would usually be chosen for England — David Howell and Gawain Jones. And so they selected to not play. After which I used to be requested, and I believed, why not? I believed Delhi could be the venue, and it was one direct flight. After which afterward, it was Goa, and I used to be not so comfortable.

You performed the World Championship in Delhi in 2000, it was additionally a knockout format like this. You had a superb event till you bumped into Anand within the semifinals.

I’ve some good reminiscences from Delhi, nonetheless. I received many matches; I beat some very robust gamers. It was disappointing to finish the event like that after enjoying so nicely, however I had numerous respect for Vishy; he was all the time a really tough opponent for me as nicely. Properly, firstly, I had an terrible rating; within the first 10 video games, I used to be scoring hardly in any respect. It received higher later and stabilised the rating. And I feel Vishy’s affect on the younger Indian gamers is exceptional: not solely the wonderful means they play, but in addition the angle and the form of modesty, the politeness, simply the way in which they behave is simply, actually, you possibly can see that it’s the requirements he has set. They actually comply with his requirements.

How do you look again on the 2004 World Championship last match with Rustam Kasimdzhanov, most likely your greatest likelihood to win the title?

[After the classical matches were tied], I had some possibilities within the first fast sport. The win I missed within the sixth sport, I simply merely didn’t have a lot time. And I used to be checking that I used to be making a draw. It simply didn’t happen to me to actually look to play for a win. However I don’t remorse that I didn’t win the World title. I achieved a lot greater than I anticipated. I’m nonetheless ranked within the prime 100 gamers on the age of 54. To me, that is wonderful, as a result of once I was perhaps 37, I used to be considering, nicely, I’m unsure I’ve that a few years left, actually. I used to be considering perhaps 5 years, perhaps a bit bit extra.

Your ideas on Daniel Naroditsky’s tragic loss of life?

I don’t even know what even occurred, really, however this was very unhappy and simply completely stunning and horrible. We’ve got to have strict guidelines that you could’t make accusations in opposition to folks publicly. There must be some punishment each time this occurs.

I don’t suppose it’s regular in dishonest that some folks have been dishonest on-line and their identities should not revealed. There may be a lot publicity for this dishonest. And I feel it is extremely unhealthy for chess as a result of the story needs to be that 99.99% of gamers are very trustworthy in a sport the place everybody has the capability to cheat. And but there’s such an enormous fuss. We don’t fear sufficient concerning the rights of people that play truthfully.

Printed – November 08, 2025 12:22 am IST