Interview with Esther Epstein
U.S. Championship, January 2003

Interview by Jim Perry

JFP: You've been playing chess since . . .

Esther Epstein: Since I was 5 years old.

JFP: What changes have you seen in the game during those years, either in the organization of the game or how one approaches the game in terms of study or play?

Esther Epstein: I would say it is a completely different chess now. When I was young and we were playing, it was chess without computers. This is the main difference.

The most talented girls and boys were those of us who played in tournaments and now everything is changed because of computers. It is necessary to know all new games. It is not so necessary to be talented now, just to work hard. It is a different chess now.

JFP: Do you think these differences have been for the good or for the bad?

Esther Epstein: I think I liked it when I was playing just chess without computers -- just for pleasure. I like to play because now I am not a professional. Maybe for a professional it is better to have computers. But I'm happy I'm not a professional because I prefer the old kind of chess. Without computers.

JFP: What about the differences between chess in the Soviet Union and chess in the United States?

Esther Epstein: It's a bit different in the U.S. because in the former Soviet Union and Russia it is a big long tradition to play chess. It was very popular and almost everybody could play chess. Here it is not so popular and I don't like this kind of chess because it is almost all Swiss systems. All tournaments are played two games in one day, and usually it's on weekends. I think it is very hard for people to play -- both for professionals and for non-professionals -- because two games per day is almost impossible. I prefer almost not to play with Swiss system and I try to participate in tournaments with one game per day.

JFP: The U.S. Chess Championship itself is a Swiss. They have also combined the men and the women in one large Swiss. Would you prefer the older system where the women played a separate round robin?

Esther Epstein: I can't tell yet. I prefer the old system, but maybe times change and maybe it's time for this combined Swiss system because for girls who play professionally like Irina Krush and Jennifer Shahade, it is better to play against men and in this mixed system than to play against women. Before I was against this system, but now I can say that I agree it is good for our strongest women chess players.

JFP: I think one of the ideas behind the new format of the U.S. Championship is that this will eventually result in an increase in the standard of play among the women.

Esther Epstein: Yeah, of course. It's not a bad idea. Before I was certainly against this system. But now I think it is good especially for girls who want to be professionals in chess. For them, of course it is much better to play in mixed tournaments.

JFP: Do you think the girls will ever beat the boys, maybe win this tournament?

Esther Epstein: I think there is not so big a difference. You can see for example, Judit Polgar. There is just not so long a tradition. There are some women professionals who play very well against men. You don't see such a big difference now.

JFP: When you were in the Soviet Union, did you play mostly against other women or did you play in mixed tournaments as well?

Esther Epstein: No, in the Soviet Union, only against women because we didn't have mixed tournaments in my time when I played. It was separate tournaments for girls, for boys, for women, for men. I never play against men, only here.

JFP: You've seen a lot of changes in the game, and in its organization, and you're in this country now, but one thing that has not changed: a couple of days ago we saw the game Esther Epstein versus Elena Akhmilovskaia. How is it to come over here and find yourself in the national championship of this country playing against many of the same people you would have been playing in the Soviet Union?

Esther Epstein: For me it is always hard to play against my friend. We are friends with Elena and it's hard for me to play with my friends. Usually I play much, much worse when I play with friends.

JFP: Regarding the game itself, do you regard chess as a sport?

Esther Epstein: I can tell it's not just a sport. It's a combination -- it's a sport, it's science, it's art, it's all kind of things and it's like a model of our life. It's very complicated and it's a very interesting game. You cannot call it just a sport.

JFP: What role does chess play in your life? How important is it?

Esther Epstein: It was very important because you know in former Soviet Union the life was so boring for boys and kids but we travel a lot and we had our community of friends. The chess world was a special world and we could see different thinkers and countries. It was a very interesting life I had when I was in chess.

JFP: At this point in your life, what are your goals in chess.

Esther Epstein: In chess, not any more goals, because I am not a professional. I was twice Soviet champion and I was U.S. champion twice. But now I don't have time to study because I am a full time system administrator.

JFP: Concerning the long-term future of the game itself, do you think there is a danger that the game will ever be solved? Capablanca once felt that it might.

Esther Epstein: Of course, and I think very soon, like in 10 years there will be chance that computers will beat the best human beings. Certainly. And it will be some kind of chess with computing and something like that. It will be very different.

JFP: Do you think there is a chance that we will be playing Fischer random chess in the future, say 50 years from now.

Esther Epstein: I don't want to think about this time.

JFP: What is the one thing about chess in America that you would like to see different?

Esther Epstein: I can tell you what I want different. At least if it is two games per day, it shouldn't be so long. One game should not take seven hours. It should be FIDE control like for -- I'm not sure, it is like one hour and a half. The games should be shorter if it is two games per day. Otherwise we can change to play one game because nobody has time for such long games. But at least if it is two games per day they should be shorter. This is my suggestion.

JFP: How do the professional opportunities for chessplayers in America compare with the situation in the former Soviet Union?

Esther Epstein: A long time ago, it was much better in the former Soviet Union because now everything is changed. Now the Swiss system everywhere in tournaments.

I think for women it is very hard time in Russia also. Before the strongest players got a stipend and they could just play and not worry about money. The system was much better for chess.

END