A product of the Soviet chess system and a Grandmaster since 1998, Petr Kiriakov represents a generation shaped by tradition, structure, discipline, and relentless over-the-board practice.
Over the past few years, he has taken that experience across continents training players all over the world, conducting camps, and building his reputation more as a mentor.
Now he is in Kerala as part of ‘Chess for Everyone’, a unique free FIDE-rated
tournament organised by Premier Chess Academy in Thiruvananthapuram.
Ahead of the tournament, which began on Friday, Petr headlined a simultaneous exhibition, taking on over 30 local players in a single sitting.
TNIE catches up with him on the sidelines of the event to talk about his journey through the Soviet-era system, Kerala’s chess scene, and what needs to change to build a stronger chess ecosystem. Excerpts from the interaction:
How has your experience in Kerala been? What are your impressions of the local chess scene?
It’s my first visit to India. Last year, I spent two months in Bangladesh. India is fascinating, feels different. I arrived a couple of days before the tournament. In Kerala, I noticed many churches. What I found especially interesting is how colourful they are. Different, but nice.
A day ago, I played about 30 games simultaneously against local players. It was not easy. I managed to win 28, but the level was strong. It was a great experience.
I believe India is one of the best chess countries. There are almost 100 grandmasters. When I was young, there were maybe only just a couple of them. But now it is completely different — there are many strong players, many tournaments, and a lot of young children playing chess.
I also see that organisers in India are doing a fantastic job by creating academies and giving players opportunities to play at home without needing to travel much or spend a lot of money.
Russia, too, has had a strong chess tradition. How is the current scene?
I was born in the Soviet era. I started playing chess when I was six. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, I was 16, but already a strong player. At that time, the Soviet Union was number one in chess. We had many strong grandmasters, and we played a lot among ourselves.
But nowadays, the situation in Russia is not as strong as before. In the top 25 in the world, perhaps there is just one Russian player now. Earlier, in the top 10, maybe only one or two were from outside the Soviet Union!
I think this change happened because now kids have many more opportunities. They play video games and do many other things. There are also many other sports.
We still have many chess schools and many children playing, but there is not as much government support or sponsorship as before.
In India, I saw that there are many sponsors, even support from political organisations. That helps players a lot.
How would you compare the development of domestic chess ecosystems?
There are many strong players in India. They mostly play within the country and hone their skills. When foreign grandmasters come here, they can lose rating points because the competition is tough here. There are players who think that playing in India is risky for their rating.
This indicates how strong Indian chess has become over time. It reminds me of Soviet times.
Kerala youth have limited access to elite training. What systemic changes would you suggest?
I think chess academies are crucial. Of course, today it is possible to learn chess at home via computers and online tools.
But it is much better for kids to learn together, to communicate and play with each other. That helps them improve more and also builds friendships that can last for life. It is important to have more tournaments and also get government support.
How has your relationship with the game changed over the years?
When I became a grandmaster at 22, it was a big achievement. But now, it is easier to become a grandmaster because all tools are easily available — books, computers, training.
You can find coaches online and play games anytime on the internet. That said, just playing is not enough. I always say: play one game, then stop and think. Analyse what happened. Many players today just play fast games continuously, and that is not the best way to improve.
Now, well into my 40s, it is not easy for me to compete at the same level as I used to. So I mostly teach and share my experience. But I still love to play. I cannot even imagine stopping chess.