How did I become a coach and Carlsen’s second? I got too weak as a player: Jan Gustafsson

Jan Gustafsson was erstwhile ranked 85th successful the world, but helium has ever been keen to presumption chess not conscionable arsenic a nonrecreational player. He became a manager erstwhile helium was 21, helium is an adept successful opening mentation and a wide regarded commentator, and helium worked arsenic Magnus Carlsen’s 2nd for 3 successive World Championship matches. Excerpts from an interrogation Gustafsson gave The Hindu successful Goa:

The Candidates features a German for the archetypal clip since 1991.

We successful Germany are rooting for Matthias Bluebaum though helium is not 1 of the large favourites. It volition beryllium a adjacent tournament. The Candidates is specified a nervy affair, a agelong tournament. I deliberation whoever qualifies, they volition already person shown their worthy successful the Candidates and it volition beryllium a pugnacious lucifer for D. Gukesh. But Gukesh has gained experience, and you tin spot his mentation is truthful overmuch better.

German chess seems to beryllium successful bully shape. Vincent Keymer, who was Gukesh’s 2nd for his World rubric lucifer against Ding Liren, is the World No. 4. And you besides person men similar Alexander Donchenko and Frederik Svane.

We person had this radical for a mates of years. We won the European Team Championship [tied for archetypal spot with Serbia earlier finishing runner-up connected tie-breaks successful 2023], but didn’t negociate to triumph this clip around. But, yeah, the young guys are getting adjacent stronger. So we person a bully group, but it’s astir making the adjacent step. They person had immoderate peculiar support, truthful it’s bully to spot it’s showing fruit.

How large is the emergence of Keymer arsenic a imaginable World champion for German chess?

There are truthful galore young guys who person imaginable to beryllium the World champion, similar Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, R. Praggnanandhaa, and determination are players similar Javokhir Sindarov; and Andrey Esipenko is coming up. And I americium definite I americium forgetting 5 names. There are a batch of apical players astir successful that 19 to 22 property group. And Arjun Erigaisi, too. But we are blessed Vincent is successful that group. And it is bully to beryllium capable to basal for someone.

You were 1 of the founders of chess24.com, which was an fantabulous tract to travel chess, with its casual navigation, charismatic layout, the mode the contented was presented oregon however unrecorded games were streamed. But arsenic has happened often successful the past, the portal was bought by a bigger institution and past killed.

Yeah, it is simply a spot sad. But I deliberation determination is inactive truthful overmuch large chess contented retired determination now. The satellite is changing a bit, truthful determination is nary shortage. Yes, I deliberation we did a large occupation astatine chess24.

So wherefore did you person to merchantability it?

I wasn’t progressive successful the concern broadside of it.

What took you to chess24?

I knew immoderate people. And it started arsenic a task a long, agelong clip ago. It was a amusive ride. I find plentifulness of enactment and worldly to bash successful the chess world, but yeah, I miss immoderate of the features of chess24 for sure.

You were precise young erstwhile you became a coach. You besides worked arsenic a 2nd to the world’s strongest subordinate of each time, Magnus Carlsen. How did this happen?

I got excessively anemic arsenic a player. And I similar being successful the chess world, truthful I look for different work. I was a manager erstwhile I was 21. I was a manager astatine the World Junior Championships. In chess, it is mean that you person antithetic roles.

It surely is. How did the relation with Carlsen successful aggregate World rubric matches travel about?

I americium not sure. Because of connections possibly and the information that I similar chess openings. It was an breathtaking accidental to enactment astatine immoderate World Championship matches.

You worked with him for the archetypal clip for the 2016 lucifer against Sergey Karjakin.

Yes, my enactment was much connected the opening lines.

Were determination immoderate lines Carlsen wanted to enactment connected successful particular?

I was a spot of a specializer successful the Marshall Attack aft ‘e4 e5’, truthful we worked connected that against Karjakin.

How did you find moving with Carlsen?

I was chiefly a workhorse determination acold away. Of course, we spent immoderate time, but I wasn’t truthful overmuch successful interaction with Magnus physically. But everything was ever great. And for a subordinate similar me, it is an honour to beryllium progressive with World Championship matches, the biggest signifier successful chess.

How large was Carlsen’s squad successful 2016?

Normally it is similar 3 oregon 4 guys determination remote, and past the main 2nd connected site. That 2016 lucifer was tough. He was down successful the lucifer and helium was a large favourite. So it wasn’t precisely a creaseless ride. But helium did travel done successful the end.

You worked with Carlsen again successful 2018 for his World rubric lucifer against Fabiano Caruana. It was a adjacent affair, too.

Caruana was precise beardown then. Ratings were adjacent and it was a precise nervy lucifer with each those draws [in the classical games]. We knew successful the tiebreak, Magnus was astir apt going to beryllium a large favourite, and helium came done there, but it was precise tough.

And you worked with him again successful the 2021 World rubric lucifer against Ian Nepomniachtchi.

That 1 went well. In the archetypal six games, Nepomniachtchi was precise good prepared and it was a precise tense fight. But aft Magnus won the archetypal game, it was benignant of creaseless sailing. I person enjoyed moving with Magnus. He is awesome successful each facet of the game. And helium is simply a amusive guy, too.

How bash you find being a commentator?

I bask it. It varies time by day. I bask the chess satellite and going to tournaments, but I ne'er enjoyed playing that much, truthful being a commentator for maine is simply a large mode to benignant of enactment successful interaction with chess.

And chess commentators are getting fashionable successful places similar India. Your workfellow Peter Leko was talking of however shocked helium was erstwhile helium was recognised by a mates of Indians by conscionable his dependable successful Goa.

Peter Leko is amazing. I tin ideate him being fashionable capable to beryllium recognised.

What made you crook to commentary?

In chess, if you’re not a world-class player, determination are galore antithetic roles, and I similar talking, truthful commentary was a earthy fit.