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.

Welcome to the first interview from ‘Presenting Anstey Chess club’. In this series we will present the players from the club starting naturally with ‘El Presidente’ Ben who is our chairman. An experienced chess player and a busy father of one, Ben takes us through the joys of being a working dad, league chess player, owner of a chess club and junior trainer.

ACC: Alright, let’s turn to Ben, the chess player, with a series of quick questions. What is your current rating, both over the board (OTB) and online?

Ben: 1600ish OTB and about 1450 blitz on chess.com.

ACC: Do you play exclusively on chess.com?

Ben: I have a membership on Lichess but I rarely go on it. I do almost exclusively play on chess.com.

ACC: What is your favourite opening and why?

Ben: My favourite opening is the Ruy Lopez for its open variations that are still being analysed to this day. I love the generally open and aggressive lines that can be played and the traps that can be fallen into for both sides.

ACC: Do you prefer it only as White, or do you like to play against it as Black as well?

Ben: Only as white. As black against 1.e4 I play the French. The reason for this is because I found it challenging to play against as a 1.e4 player myself. Again there are traps for both sides.

ACC: What type of player would you say you are?

Ben: I like to play open and aggressive games which is kind of ironic for a French player.

ACC: Why do you think that is? Is the French considered a boring opening in general?

Ben: It is considered as inferior to other more aggressive lines but I am ok with that.

ACC: What is your favourite part of the game? Are you obsessed with the openings, do you like the tactical and positioning battles of the middlegame, or do you prefer the endgame?

Ben: I don’t have a favourite part of the game. I guess if I had to choose, I would say the opening. The reason is that I view a game of chess like building a house. To build a house you need a solid foundation, just like in chess you need a solid opening to build your game from.

ACC: Alright, and what is your least favourite part of the game? If there is one?

Ben: Rook and pawn endings probably. They are so difficult and it is very easy to make a mistake without realising until it is too late!

ACC: Yes, they are notorious for being difficult. Who would you say is your favourite player?

Ben: I don’t have a particular favourite. Bobby Fischer is up there with my favourites as is Mikhail Tal – aggressive and tactical players. I have books of theirs (the Tal book was a gift from a close friend). Excellent reads when I have time!

ACC: Awesome! You stream on twitch.tv under the name notquiteagm. How did you decide to go on twitch and why did you choose this particular username? Also, how often do you stream?

Ben: I stream as often as I can really. I decided to go on Twitch myself having watched a lot of content myself. I found it fascinating that you can host a stream and have people watch you. I already teach youngsters and have previously taught adults so I thought I would give it a go myself. I am grateful to all my followers for growing the channel to 80 followers to date – this is more than I imagined I would get!
I chose notquiteagm because it had to be catchy and a little bit funny. I am some way off GM level so with a hint of sarcasm, I am notquiteagm.

ACC: You recently had a couple of streams, one with blitz and rapid games and one with puzzles. Which one do you prefer?

Ben: I genuinely 100% do not prefer one or the other. As long as people find the content engaging, that’s what means the most to me.

ACC: Alright, let’s take a look at Ben, the chess club owner and junior trainer. How would you describe owning a chess club?

Ben: Exceptionally rewarding. Seeing people coming through the door every week both new players and old players is all the reward I need. Trophies and winning things doesn’t matter to me.

ACC: You mentioned recently in your blog article that you created the Anstey Chess club because you wanted to play chess in the area. Was it a great effort and do you feel that it was worth it?

Ben: It was initially very hard, starting from scratch. I am very grateful to so many for sticking by the club when we first started and seeing out our first season. It was a case of trying to keep people interested in coming that weren’t winning games all of the time. Losing in chess is hard but it is how you learn. Seeing how much the club has grown has made every little effort worthwhile and long may new and old players keep coming through the door.

ACC: Hear, hear! How would you describe the atmosphere in Anstey Chess Club? Both during club nights and when there is a league match?

Ben: We are informal to say the least! We have a wonderful mix of talented, young and old chess players that each contribute to fun and enjoyable club nights. Match nights are quiet and respectful, as they should be.
ACC: Speaking of match nights, how do you feel about the league season so far? At the moment both teams seem to be quietly sitting mid-table in their divisions.

Ben: People measure the success of a chess club in different ways. Success for me is people coming through the door every week whereas success for others is winning trophies and picking teams to win matches. The second team is a vehicle for people new to league chess to get games. The first team is for more experienced players. I genuinely don’t mind where either side finishes in the league.

ACC: As we are on the topic, how do you decide on the team for a particular league game?

Ben: The first team pretty much picks itself. We try and give everyone the same amount of games but COVID has had an impact on numbers and affected people coming.

ACC: In chess one of the things after a game is to sit down and analyse possible lines and moves. How do you approach analysis of the games after the match? Do you leave everyone to do it themselves, or are you all involved as a team? Also, do you use engines?

Ben: The offer of post match analysis goes throughout the club for all players either on the night or at subsequent club nights. Me and Mick have always historically gone through matches for all players. Generally this is done in our minds but we have been known to use an engine on the odd occasion when we haven’t quite understood a complicated position.

ACC: Let’s turn our attention to Junior chess in Anstey! What can you tell us about the junior chess program you are involved in?

Ben: I run a children’s chess club in partnership with Beanies soft play in Anstey. It is for all children of all abilities and costs £3 per child per session. The sessions are on Saturday mornings from 9-11am.

ACC: Can you describe a typical training session?

Ben: Initially I try to assess the ability of a new child with a game against another. We will then try various exercises based on ability that make the sessions fun whilst teaching them the rules and what you can and can’t do.

ACC: Are the parents involved as well?

Ben: Not usually no. They can sit and watch or if a child is particularly nervous then their parent may sit and play with them to help them settle.

ACC: Awesome, a few final thoughts as we know you are busy. In just a few words, what makes Anstey Chess Club the place to go and play OTB?

Ben: We are a fun, relaxed chess club with a wide range of abilities and a very welcoming atmosphere.

ACC: Where can people find yourself? Both live and online?

Ben: Anstey Methodist church centre in Anstey on Thursday evenings from 7pm onwards from September until June. Online at Ansteychessclub.Co.uk or on twitch twitch.tv/notquiteagm. We are also on Facebook – search for Anstey Chess Club.

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

Ben: Come to Anstey Chess Club! If not, keep learning, keep playing and it is hard to lose but it is how you learn. Ultimately at club level, you will learn all of the time by winning and losing.

ACC: Thanks, Ben, you have been awesome! Please feel free to share any final thoughts.

Ben: Thank you for having me! As a final thought I will say that chess is a wonderful and inclusive game for all ages, abilities, genders, religions and races. If you fancy a game, come down to Anstey Chess Club!