Anastasia Karlovich: And once again welcome to the press center! We have a guest from Argentina – Carolina Lujan, who just won a game with White against Alisa Galliamova. How did the game go?
Carolina Lujan: It was very tense. We both had many options, I had to search for the best moves all the time. Now I won and can take a breath, but I am still a bit nervous.
– What was the key moment of the game?
– I didn’t like her 19…h6 – after this move Black cannot castle, and White can develop a strong attack on the black king that is stuck in the center. Defending such positions is very difficult, and especially in the time trouble.
– How many times have you participated in the World Championships?
– This is my fourth championship.
– An impressive number! How did you qualify for the Sochi?
– I won the continental championship and then finished in the top-5 at the zonal tournament.
– How did the previous championships go for you?
– In my first championship, which took place in Elista, I lost to Kovalevskaia in the first round. In 2006 I defeated Dembo in the first round, then won the first game against Galliamova, but she managed to knock me out eventually. In my third championship I lost to Zatonskih in the first round.
– How do you rate your chances tomorrow?
– Naturally, Alisa Galliamova is the favorite in our match, her rating is much higher than mine. I was very lucky to win today. Of course it will not be easy for me tomorrow, but I’ll try to play as good as I can.
– What do you think about organization of this championship? Do you like Sochi?
– I am very happy I’m here. Organization is great – very good food, excellent hotel, everything is perfect!
– Are you a professional player?
– I am trying to be.
– Do you also give chess lessons?
– I work at the National University teaching chess. I also play in many tournaments, but I am not sure if I can call myself a professional. I live in Buenos Aires, and we don’t have many high level tournaments there.
– How often do you play in Europe? What is your favorite tournament?
– Maybe once a year now; a few years ago I played a lot more. Usually in Spain, of course – the language is the same, I like the cuisine, and our countries have a lot in common. As for my favorite tournament, it is the Olympiad, of course.
– You are quite active on facebook, how many followers do you have?
– Maybe a thousand? I write about chess and the tournaments I play on my page, and I hope my friends are rooting for me.
– Does this championship receive any coverage in Argentina?
– Chess is not very popular in Argentina, but there are some small articles about the championship, as far as I know.
– Your compatriot Oscar Panno celebrates his 80th birthday today. Do you know him in person?
– Yes, we are good friends. Oscar is my idol, as is for all players in Argentina!