GM Gata Kamsky

A rare smile: Gata Kamsky in a light-hearted mood before a game

Gata, who was a World Championship candidate in the nineties, abandoned competitive chess in order to study medicine (for one year) and then law. He graduated from Touro Law Center in New York, but then returned to chess in June 2004 and soon became the number one chess player in the US – instead of, oh, the number 25,000 lawyer in the New York area. Wise career move! Before his break from chess many considered Kamsky to be sullen and hostile.

Since his comeback he is, as we can testify, utterly charming – outgoing, humourous, even affectionate. When you read this he will be on the verge of or already have started playing a candidates match against Veselin Topalov in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is probably not appropriate for us to say this, but: good luck, Gata!