Bryansk grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi gave a long interview to the TASS agency, in which he spoke about his career as a chess player and the upcoming fight with world champion Magnus Carlsen.
The native of Bryansk called his relationship with the Norwegian friendly, noting that he had never felt reverence for someone with a higher rating.
Ian Nepomniachtchi said that his grandfather and uncle taught him how to play chess. They also took him to a chess club.
The chess player also noted that as a child he liked playing the console more than going to a chess club, but at the same time he had a cartridge with the Chessmaster game.
The first laptop that he used to play chess online was presented to him by Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
