Nodirbek Abdusattorov interview: Uzbekistan team looking for revenge from India at next Olympiad

In a freewheeling interrogation with The Indian Express, the PBG Alaskan Knights prima Nodirbek Abdusattorov opens up astir the emergence of India and Uzbekistan successful chess, the enactment for Uzbek players backmost home, his content astir the Global Chess League and more.

Excerpts:

At the past Olympiad successful 2022, Uzbekistan were the champions. Your triumph against Gukesh was the turning constituent of that full Olympiad. From past to now, however person you seen the Uzbekistan and the Indian players’ rise?

It’s decidedly going to beryllium precise absorbing to spot however we vie with each different due to the fact that we are decidedly going to beryllium 1 of the favorites successful each Olympiad for coming years. It’s evidently precise hard to vie with Indians due to the fact that determination are galore players they have. India person a benignant of precise heavy reserve successful their squad due to the fact that each subordinate tin person a replacement. I can’t accidental this astir my squad due to the fact that we are benignant of constricted successful that sense. We person 4 established ace grandmasters and we volition bash our best. We are hosting the 2026 Chess Olympiad successful our country. We are decidedly looking guardant to having a benignant of revenge for Budapest.

How bash you spot the dynamic betwixt India and Uzbekistan successful a sense? Both teams were competing for the golden successful 2022 and 2024. Will the rivalry betwixt India and Uzbekistan beryllium a diagnostic of galore decades to travel maybe?

Definitely. Because chess successful wide successful Asia has been increasing for galore years. You tin spot successful the Olympiad the examination betwixt these countries. Definitely Asia has much potential. I decidedly spot this arsenic a bully boost for chess generally. If we proceed to person this benignant of rivalry betwixt these 2 teams it’s going to beryllium amusive for some players and for fans.

“India person a benignant of precise heavy reserve successful their squad due to the fact that each subordinate tin person a replacement,” says Abdusattorov. (FIDE/Michal Walusza)

When Gukesh became the youngest-ever World Championship contender, did that benignant of marque you besides consciousness similar your days are besides coming? Because it was astir similar a procreation breaking through, which you are besides a portion of. Maybe adjacent World Championship you mightiness beryllium successful beforehand of him?

Definitely. It’s the procreation that is changing and we tin spot that decidedly successful the satellite rankings. Like we person 5 oregon 4 oregon 5 inferior players successful the apical 10 list. So you tin decidedly spot this happening. It’s lone going to beryllium much and much competitive. I’ve known Gukesh for galore years. He’s, of course, an highly talented, highly beardown player. He has shown highly astonishing results successful the Candidates and the Olympiad. He’s proven that he’s determination for the challenge. It’s going to beryllium absorbing to spot however the chess elite volition change.

Just talking astir yourself, tin you speech astir the level of enactment that you get successful Uzbekistan. We cognize determination is authorities support. But from backstage partners, is determination a batch of support?

Of course, each subordinate successful our nationalist squad has his ain sponsorship. The authorities does a bully occupation supporting everything from grooming camps to question and expenses. In that sense, we are 1 of the astir improved sports successful Uzbekistan. We had a precise large Olympics this twelvemonth successful Paris. We had 5 golden medals successful boxing. So, boxing, I would say, is the astir fashionable successful Uzbekistan. Ranked first. It’s changing, but I deliberation chess is successful the apical three. The authorities are doing perfectly everything for us. I person my ain sponsor, a backstage sponsor.

What has been your content astir the Global Chess League? Is it unsocial successful the consciousness that you are wearing jerseys, sneakers. Because chess is each astir being formal, wearing ceremonial shoes.

In a mode this tourney is precise unsocial due to the fact that it’s been held for lone a 2nd clip and we are lone getting started successful this business. It’s precise bully for everyone to person these kinds of tournaments due to the fact that it’s precise entertaining and a batch of caller chess followers volition travel visit. In a way, it’s a antithetic feeling compared to different squad tournaments similar the Olympiad. It’s much benignant of chill, truthful I americium conscionable enjoying the ambiance and conscionable having a bully time. I have, fortunately, a precise bully team. We person a precise bully narration with each different among our players.

When you said it’s precise chill, what is the 1 happening that has possibly stood retired astir this tourney that you astir apt person ne'er experienced anyplace other successful immoderate different tournament?

The format is precise antithetic due to the fact that this twelvemonth they changed to nary increment. It’s very, precise uncommon successful this benignant of tourney due to the fact that we are not utilized to playing without increment. So, it’s a precise antithetic benignant of science and determination are galore cameras signaling everywhere, conscionable trying to bring, to stock immoderate caller excitement and caller insights. It’s a caller acquisition for each subordinate successful this benignant of tournament. I privation determination been much tournaments similar this. We volition get a accidental to vie successful a higher stage.