Round 1, game 2. Jolanta Zawadzka: I am getting support from whose who are important for me

An interview with Jolanta Zawadzka of Poland after Game 2 of Round 1 of Women’s World Championship:

– Jolanta, you have outplayed Marina Guseva of Russia in the first round of Women’s World Championship. How was your match going on?

– The second game was very well, my opponent fell into my preparation in the position that I still knew and I had one hour more on the clock. Probably, I didn’t play precisely because it wasn’t clear how to continue one moment but in her time-trouble, my opponent went wrong and I picked some pawns and then I converted the advantage.

– Marina Guseva is a strong player. How do you usually start knock-out tournaments? Is it good or bad to start them with a strong player?

– Well, this is only my second time I play in a knock-out tournament. In the first one, I lost in the very first round so it is really difficult to say how it will continue  and what is better. But I am very happy to beat my opponent. We were very close on the ratings. When the pairs were made I had a bigger rating and now, when the list is updated she has a bigger rating. So the match was very tough and I knew that I would have to play better than in recent events to continue the tournament.

– Do you like to play knock-outs? Do you feel pressure or not?

– As this is my second time (the first one was in 2010) I don’t have much experience. There’s some pressure, of course, but I just have to do my best and try to prepare well. And if I do well, maybe with some luck, I can continue.

– Do you know who is your next rival?

– I think I will play Humpy Koneru because she is #2 and she won her match. I guess so. Well I didn’t even think about the second round before. One round at a time.

– When you are playing chess during tournaments, do you follow social media and get messages of support from your fans from Poland and other countries?

– Well, I am not really active on social media and not really involved with the general public. I am getting support from whose who are important for me – my family and my fiance, close friends, and also here I have my friend Monika Socko. She also won her first match so we will continue supporting each other together.

– What do you think about organization of this tournament?

– The playing hall is very good, as well as the conditions for players. Hotel is the same we stayed in during the World Team Championship. The food was disappointing but I hope it will get better.