We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we'll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.
1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Sebastian Siebrecht, 37 years old but still feeling young, from Essen (Germany). Young, dynamic and always radiant with joy. Probably the world's tallest (2.02 m) grandmaster.
2. What is your role in the chess world?
I love chess, I can become highly enthousiastic about chess and feel like a chess ambassador. My promotional activities include show matches, simuls, blindfold games, training sessions, blitz handicap games and all sorts of commentary. I'm trying to install chess at elementary schools in my home region. At some point I was probably the most active player of the tournament circuit with 220 rated games in one year. Besides my chess activities I run a small event agency.
3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
I watched my dad and my brother playing and was very interested. Then I started playing with my dad. When I entered highschool I was lucky that they had an active chess group. The guy sitting next to me in school was just as enthousiastic about chess as me and we played blindfold chess during mathematic lessons. We pushed eachother forward from age 13 until 15, this was essential for my chess development. Lateron I started reading a lot, books and magazines. And of course I played a lot.
4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
Definitely my dad, since he always supported me. School notes were relatively unimportant and even when I graduated from university (law) he was perfectly happy with the fact that I focused on chess from that point on (see question 6).
5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
I used to be a good basketball player, used to be in the regional (NRW) U17 selection. Lateron I focused more on individual sports because of a lack of time. Recently I took part in my first triathlon, which actually was a fantastic event to be part of.
6. What would be your advice for young people?
Do whatever you enjoy most. For the simple reason that when you enjoy something you will be able to achieve most.
7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
My family and the people I care for are very important for me. Seven weeks ago I became a father, which was a life-changing experience.
8. What is the best chess game you played?
I find this a very hard question to answer, since I have a lot of respect for my opponents. I am especially happy when I manage to create something new.
9. What's your connection with 'Developing Chess Talent'?
I'm playing for the Apeldoorn team in the Dutch League for about six years now. I play in eight different leagues (Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Greece) and the atmosphere is best in Apeldoorn/The Netherlands. I agree with many of the ideas in the book about creating a chess culture (see also next question).
10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
What are your goals? How do you see the future? I want to live life very intensively and do as much as possible. Brilliant games are nice and fantastic, but indeed, the most important is, to build something more then a chessgame. I have deep respect for all people who are involved in social matters without selfish reasons. So I guess to make chess more popular and involve everybody in the party should be great. Chess ist a teamsport Yasser Seirawan once said, and I agree completely. Everybody has his role and that is the goal. Let us celebrate it!
Background information - These interviews are produced for the Facebook Group Developing Chess Talent
- Chessvibes is hosting them here and they will be linked to from the Facebook Group
- The book Developing Chess Talent is written by Karel van Delft and Merijn van Delft and can be ordered via www.chesstalent.com
We formulated ten questions related to Developing Chess Talent and every Monday we'll ask them to an interesting personality in the chess world.1. Please introduce yourself (name, age, nationality, etc.)!
Sebastian Siebrecht, 37 years old but still feeling young, from Essen (Germany). Young, dynamic and always radiant with joy. Probably the world's tallest (2.02 m) grandmaster.2. What is your role in the chess world?
I love chess, I can become highly enthousiastic about chess and feel like a chess ambassador. My promotional activities include show matches, simuls, blindfold games, training sessions, blitz handicap games and all sorts of commentary. I'm trying to install chess at elementary schools in my home region. At some point I was probably the most active player of the tournament circuit with 220 rated games in one year. Besides my chess activities I run a small event agency.3. How did you develop your chess talent as a kid?
I watched my dad and my brother playing and was very interested. Then I started playing with my dad. When I entered highschool I was lucky that they had an active chess group. The guy sitting next to me in school was just as enthousiastic about chess as me and we played blindfold chess during mathematic lessons. We pushed eachother forward from age 13 until 15, this was essential for my chess development. Lateron I started reading a lot, books and magazines. And of course I played a lot.4. Who had a profound influence on your chess development?
Definitely my dad, since he always supported me. School notes were relatively unimportant and even when I graduated from university (law) he was perfectly happy with the fact that I focused on chess from that point on (see question 6).5. What are your favourite sports besides chess?
I used to be a good basketball player, used to be in the regional (NRW) U17 selection. Lateron I focused more on individual sports because of a lack of time. Recently I took part in my first triathlon, which actually was a fantastic event to be part of.6. What would be your advice for young people?
Do whatever you enjoy most. For the simple reason that when you enjoy something you will be able to achieve most.7. What has your main concern in life besides chess?
My family and the people I care for are very important for me. Seven weeks ago I became a father, which was a life-changing experience.8. What is the best chess game you played?
I find this a very hard question to answer, since I have a lot of respect for my opponents. I am especially happy when I manage to create something new.9. What's your connection with 'Developing Chess Talent'?
I'm playing for the Apeldoorn team in the Dutch League for about six years now. I play in eight different leagues (Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Greece) and the atmosphere is best in Apeldoorn/The Netherlands. I agree with many of the ideas in the book about creating a chess culture (see also next question).10. What question do you miss and what would be your answer?
What are your goals? How do you see the future? I want to live life very intensively and do as much as possible. Brilliant games are nice and fantastic, but indeed, the most important is, to build something more then a chessgame. I have deep respect for all people who are involved in social matters without selfish reasons. So I guess to make chess more popular and involve everybody in the party should be great. Chess ist a teamsport Yasser Seirawan once said, and I agree completely. Everybody has his role and that is the goal. Let us celebrate it!