The Man Who Fulfilled His Dream
Sudden death of the FIDE World Champion's Chief Coach in Kramatorsk.

by Mikhail Golubev, 30.9.2002

On Saturday 28th September, Mikhail Nikitovich Ponomariov passed away. He is the man to whom the Ukraine owes a great debt of thanks to, for winning the world chess champion title. Almost a decade ago, Mikhail Nikitovich's coaching wisdom, together with his organisational ability met with the wondrous chess talent of a youthful Ruslan, to make a team that soon became known as the «Ponomariov's team». With the blessing of his parents, Ruslan stayed for a long time in Kramatorsk with the family bearing the same surname - Mikhail Nikitovich, Nina Vasilyevna and their son Boris. Success, titles, the steady support of sponsors, the foundation of a powerful chess club and, finally, winning of the world chess champion title by Ruslan came later. At first they had nothing at all, except for an overwhelming belief in their ability. The goal was finally reached on 23th January 2002. There are enough coaches and organisers in the chess world, but only few of them manage to prepare champions and Mikhail Nikitovich became one of those favoured few when Ruslan finished his seventh world championship game in hotel Metropol. Journalists from various newspapers started to make frequent pilgrimages to Kramatorsk... Probably, an accomplishment of a dream is the most cunning way to destroy ourselves. In August, Mikhail Nikitovich resigned as the Kramatorsk Chess Club Director in order to concentrate on his work with Ruslan. This tough decision was taken after several disputes with colleagues. The events around the world championship title also made Mikhail Ponomariov exert all his strength and nerves - he was far from happy about the Prague Agreements or about the support of the Jerusalem match announced by the International Chess Federation. As a matter of fact, the match has been promised to the FIDE World Champion! Mikhail Ponomariov considered everything that had happened unfair for Ruslan. As the chief coach of the champion, he became a public figure and did not conceal his opinion in recent interviews.
The sudden death of Mikhail Ponomariov by a stroke shocked everybody who knew him. It is hard to apprehend that he will never tell us again how he moistened chess pieces with valerian drops and demonstrated later to a little Ruslan that even a cat can solve complicated chess problems. However, even those who were not acquainted with Mikhail Nikitovich in person can listen to his stories in the recently issued Ukrainian film «The Sixteenth». Truly, Mikhail Ponomariov was a man who fulfilled his dream.

An extract from Mikhail Ponomariov's last interview (www.vp.donetsk.ua/index_sport/2002/093001.html):
- What do you think about the decision of the meeting concerning a new world championship system?
- Highly negative. There may be quite different options. As Ruslan is not an old hand, so they set him at defiance. His opinion is not very weighty. It was decided, without Ruslan's knowledge, that Kramnik will play with Leko and Ponomariov with Kasparov. The winners of those pairs should fight for the new chess crown. Ruslan is the FIDE World Champion. Kramnik is the world champion by the other version. Leko won the qualification tournament. And who is Kasparov now? Why he and not Ivanchuk, Anand, Karpov? At least two world champions - Ponomariov and Kramnik - should play each other.
- Still, this procedure has not yet been approved. The Congress will decide all.
- Right. I have been talking in Moscow with many leading Grandmasters of the world. They support Ruslan and advise not to play the match with Kasparov. Or play it but for big money. Now we prepare a letter to FIDE where we shall formulate our requests. Mr. Petrov, President of Ukrainain Chess Federation, will assist us. (translation by Ukrainian Chess Online)

Photo: Mikhail Nikitovich Ponomariov (Moscow, 8th September 2002)