Anish Giri: “Baku boulevard is nice to walk in”

The Netherlands team competing in the 42nd Chess Olympiad Baku defeated England in the fourth round 3.5:0.5, showing a perfect result after four rounds. Anish Giri drew his game against England's Michael Adams on the first board.

In a press conference after the game, Anish Giri shared his views on the performance of the Netherlands team so far. "The Netherlands team is not among Olympiad favorites. Although we have won our first four encounters, most of the tournament is still ahead. Our current team brings together both experienced and young grandmasters. I am sure that the most difficult games are still ahead of us."

Giri also spoke about the organization of the Baku Chess Olympiad. "I also competed in the World Cup held in Baku last year. I had sufficient time to look around and see places of interest here. I was fascinated by the mixture of modern architecture and the old city. It is nice that Azerbaijan cherishes its traditions and history. I like walking in the boulevard."

The Netherlands team competes in the Baku Chess Olympiad under the captaincy of Vladimir Tukmakov, who is also the captain of team SOCAR-Azerbaijan. "Playing for a club and the national team is different, of course. SOCAR-Azerbaijan can attract high-rated players, while the Netherlands team can't do that. The success of a coach can only be seen over a long distance."

Giri currently lives in three countries - the Netherlands, Russia and Georgia, as he has recently got married with Georgian chess player Sopiko Guramishvili.