Welcome to the another interview from ‘Presenting Anstey Chess club’. In this series we present the players from the club and this week we had a chat with our second team captain Oskar Rudczenko. Another young promissing player from the club and dedicated contributor to the community, Oskar shares his insight into the game of chess and being a team captain.

Oskar: I used to study and I completed one year of a three year Psychology course at De Montfort University. I left because it didn’t suit me, but I don’t regret having studied there; it was insightful. I’m not as busy as Ben (our chairman Ben Vaughan) is, but I do fill my time by learning new skills like learning a bit of Russian and exercising (cycling and weight lifting). I’m planning to join a rifle club in Groby as well.

ACC: Sounds like a lot! Let us turn our attention now to Oskar, the chess player. To start with, what is your current rating, both OTB and online?

Oskar: With OTB I’m 1120, but online I’m 800 in Rapid and 400 in Blitz, which of course is quite the range.

ACC: Which platform do you play online on? Chess.com, lichess.org, or another one?

Oskar: Just chess.com.

ACC: What is your favourite opening and why?

Oskar: Probably the Queen’s gambit for white, since it seems to be a very offensive opening and it allows for much more freedom of movement for the pieces when compared to something like the Caro-Kann. For black I use a variation of the Scandinavian defence, but I can use the King’s Idian as well if I am feeling like playing something different.

ACC: Nice! What type of player are you?

Oskar: I like to be much more aggressive when I can, and I just like to get in the opponents face when I can. Although I do like playing a defensive game as well because then the pieces have to unite together to make a fortress, which can be a great foundation for a strong attack.

ACC: What is your favourite part of the game? Are you more involved in the openings, do you prefer the middlegame battle, or do you like the endgame the most?

Oskar: I prefer the middle game because that’s when chess can get very complex and interesting, since that’s when all if not most of the pieces are still on the board. I have studied openings a bit but not all that much. It is interesting seeing the different ideas in different openings though.

ACC: And what is your least favourite part of the game?

Oskar: I guess the endgame since endgames can be less forgiving compared to the opening and middle game, because of the amount of pieces still on the board. Although, I will have to say the studying that people recommend is really not for me. I’d prefer to trial and error different things, which can make the game a lot more fun.

ACC: On this topic, how often do you study chess, if you do at all? And what do you do?

Oskar: Well I don’t read all that much, but I do watch youtube videos which explain what you should or shouldn’t do, as well as basic understanding of different openings. I mostly watch GothamChess, who’s really engaging, but I will look at different engine moves after an online game or even go briefly through an OTB game right after to reflect on what went wrong.

ACC: You mentioned that you have got quite a busy schedule which is about to become even busier. How often do you get the time to watch instructional videos and analyse games?

Oskar: Well I have time on the side sometimes. Recently I’ve had more time because I’ve not been doing that much volunteering or working so I’ve managed to play quite a lot of chess over the last couple of weeks, so I’ve managed to look at chess in a bit more depth than I have done before.

ACC: Who would you say is your favourite player? Who do you like watching play?

Oskar: I’d say Julian (first team’s Julian Tarwid) because he’s really enthusiastic about chess, and he’s very funny. For watching, I’d probably say Matt Connor (plays for both teams, deputy captain in Ben’s absence) because he has a different way of approaching chess than the other players. I’m not too sure what is different about him, but he seems more thoughtful and precise about his moves.

ACC: And who would you say is your model player? Who would you like to play like?

Oskar: Depends what I’m after. If I’d say I wanted more enthusiasm I’d say Julian, if I were to say dedication I’d say Ben. However, I might have to say Matt again, because to me he seems like a cold blooded killer when it comes to chess. I like the methodical nature of how Matt thinks.

ACC: Cool! Let’s talk a little bit about your captaincy of the second team. How did this come about?

Oskar: It’s kind of an underwhelming story. Basically back in the summer of 2019 the club had gotten a lot bigger, consequently the club could then play with two teams in the Leicestershire chess league. Ben held a formal meeting with the members at the time, including me, and he explained that we could play a second team and we need someone to be captain. No one really volunteered themselves, so I reluctantly offered thinking that it would be a lot of responsibility, but it’s actually very easy. Ever since I’ve happily been the second team captain.

ACC: What is the feeling to be a team captain?

Oskar: A proud feeling. It’s great to represent the club and what it stands for, which is to show sincerity and to play respectfully, or at the very least that’s the impression I’ve gotten from Ben over the years I’ve known him. It’s also great to see how far the second team has come, with strong players like Boris (Borislav Lazarov) and Hal (Hal Jardine) joining the team in 2021.

ACC: Describe a match day from your perspective as the second team’s captain.

Oskar: Well there was the most recent one, which was us versus Heathcote Arms 2. I lost, Hal drew, Boris and Matt won, and in very convincing fashion we won the match. There’s not much to it really, just welcome the opposing team, make sure everyone knows where they will be seated and that they know where the toilets are, and make sure my players know where they are going to the match venue. It’s just really comforting to know that there’s a full team you can rely on and trust.

ACC: Sounds really easy when you put it like that. A few final questions before we leave you to enjoy your Sunday. First of all, what makes Anstey Chess Club the place to go and play OTB?

Oskar: Everyone is a lot of fun to talk to, along with a very approachable secretary, very well managed website, and a lot of members who want to talk about and play chess. Sometimes it feels like it’s more of a social club than a chess club but that is why I’m still a member.

ACC: Thank you for the kind words, Oskar. Where and when can people find you – live and online?

Oskar: Well my chess.com username is OskarRud, and my email is oskarrudczenko@gmail.com if anyone has any questions about the club or the second team.

ACC: Finally, what advice would you give to the aspiring chess players out there?

Oskar: Surround yourself with people who love chess as much if not more than you do, and you’ll flourish.

ACC: Thank you, Oscar, you have been awesome! Feel free to share any last thoughts.

Oskar: Thanks for having me, and if anyone wants to come to the Anstey Chess club just contact me or Ben Vaughan and we’ll make sure you’re looked after and warmly welcomed.