Interview with Segey Karjakin better half, WIM Katya Dolzhikova

Photo from Jermuk FIDE GP


Truth is, elite grandmasters are sometimes notorious for the high rates of broken/troubled marriage. Ivanchuk, Shirov, Kasparov just to name a few. Not because these people are womanizer. Grandmasters rarely are. It's just that high ego that usually associated with elite chess players. But of course we won't wish the same thing will happen with the newly weds, GM Segey Karjakin (19) and WIM Katya Dolzhikova (20). They're an almost perfect match. Sharing the same passions and interest, that is one mark for happy marriage life that could last a lifetime. Anyway, the couple is still in their honeymoon stages so expect some supernatural and cozy things from this interview conducted by that woman on the left, Lilit, from Jermuk FIDE GP to Sergey's better half, WIM Katya Dolzhikova:

- How would you describe Sergey, how is he in real life?
- Sergey is very romantic and full of care. When I am in a trouble, he always encourages me. He is optimist, always has a good mood and I am very happy when I am near him.

- How do you like to spend your spare time?
- We love poetry and often enjoy spending our free time reading classical Russian literature and poetry. For example, we recently read Pushkin’s Evgeny Onegin. Also we love music. I play the piano and guitar, and Sergey is learning to play the guitar as well and soon he will play …
One interesting addition: when we began dating, sometimes Sergey called me on the phone and we would play blind chess. Not surprisingly, those games ended with Sergey’s victory.

- How do you picture your future family? With many children or is one is enough? And would you like your children to be chess players like their parents?
- I would love to have a girl and a boy; I think one is not enough. It would be great if they become chess players, but Sergey doesn’t think so.

Full interview and photos from FIDE GP Jermuk website