Profiles
Martin Walker
Revenue & Customs
1. What are your earliest chess memories?
• Working through "More chess for children" by Raymond Bott and Stanley Morrison with my Dad at the age of 6 or 7, just after having learned the rules. Apparently after this I did nothing for about a year, then I was constantly pestering Dad for a game of chess. Initially I was more keen on (and better at) draughts. Once I started beating him regularly, he decided it was time to take me to a chess club.
• My first evening at Norfolk and Norwich chess club (aged 8) when I was thrashed by the Norfolk Schools under 12 champion.
• School chess club, which I joined at the age of 9. I won the school tournament twice, but there was nobody older than 10 so this wasn't a huge achievement. I played a move in one game then saw it allowed a mate in 1 so took it back. Tsk, tsk!
2. How long have you been playing chess?
I learned the rules at 6 or 7 and am now 45, so 38 or 39 years.
3. How active are you in the chess world? (e.g. number of games a year)
My peak period was 1999-2001 when I played 350 competitive games in a three-year period. In general I would say I average about 40–60 games a year, although as there is no chess club near here, and I don't enjoy playing on the internet, since January 2009 I have played none at all.
4. What was your best chess experience?
Two come to mind.
• Beating Michael Adams (aged 11) in a half-hour game. It got me a prize (at Southampton 1983) and denied him one. Needless to say, he exacted terrible revenge the next time we met.
• The British Championships in Scarborough 2001. I beat Gary Lane in round 2, drew with Chris Ward in round 3, drew with Joseph Gallagher in round 4 (eight days before he was crowned British Champion), lost to my old clubmate (by then a GM) John Emms in round 5 and beat Colin Crouch in round 6.
5. And what was your worst?
Again, Two come to mind.
• Hastings 2002-03. Round 4 v Rafe Martyn: I played 15 moves of theory in about two minutes, swopped down to a rook and pawn ending I thought was drawn, only to lose it four hours later. Round 6: completely outplayed the guy in the opening and was well ahead on time. He launched a last ditch attack. With about three minutes left he found seven or eight only moves and won. Round 8: reached a level ending only to be ground down by a player rated more than 100 FIDE points below me.
• British Championship Great Yarmouth 2007. I struggled for the whole tournament. Then in round 10 I had an inspired win (v James Hanley) to reach 50%. Could I win in the last round and reach respectability? My opponent played a line of the King's Gambit I'd never seen before. He launched an attack and lined up a sacrifice, which I saw. I thought I had a sidestepping move so allowed the sacrifice, only to realise that the sidestepping move didn't exist – I was off the board in barely 20 moves and under two hours. It was my most humiliating experience for a long time, and I was none too pleased when the finish appeared in the Daily Telegraph.
6. Which historical (i.e. dead) chess player do you most admire and why?
You may be surprised at this, but actually I admire Emanuel Lasker the most because he stressed, more than anybody else, the psychological aspect of playing chess. I also believe that this is important.
7. Who is your current chess hero / heroine, if any?
Vladimir Kramnik – coolness personified. I want him to regain the world title – more in hope than expectation, I would have to say!
8. Which part of the game do you enjoy the most?
It used to be the middlegame, but I have worked hard on other areas and am now more of an all-rounder.
9. What piece of advice would you give to a young player who was just starting out?
Learn the openings, including one in depth. Keep a balance between playing and preparation. Annotate all your games. Avoid too much blitz chess, and above all never forget to enjoy this wonderful game thoroughly. Don't get too down about defeats.
10. You are going to be marooned on a desert island with only a chess set for company. Which chess book would you take with you?
Of those I've read: Kasparov v Karpov 1986–87 by Kasparov. Of those I haven't read: any other in the series Kasparov on Modern Chess.