GM Nikita Vitiugov is a former Russian champion who reached a peak ranking of #15 in the world. He has represented both his native Russia and England at the Chess Olympiad and worked on the World Championship team of his boyhood rival, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi. In his excellent new book, Chess Metamorphosis, he candidly reflects on his varied chess experiences.
In our conversation, we discuss:
What he learned from working with players like Nepomniachtchi and Peter Svidler, and what he observed from seeing them up close.
How two unforgettable training camps with GM Viktor Korchnoi altered the trajectory of his career.
Why he has accepted that his best competitive years are behind him, and what that means for his future.
How professional chess has changed, and why he might not pursue a chess career if he were starting out today.
We also discuss the candid, behind-the-scenes photos featured in Nikita's book, his passion for cooking and football, and much more. I loved reading Nikita's book, and it was an honor to hear more about it.
0:00 Intro
Thanks to our sponsor Claude AI. Check it out at Claude.ai/chess
2:00 GM Nikita Vitiugov joins the show
3:00 Why Nikita wrote Chess Metamorphosis
6:30 Why Nikita suspects that his best competitive years are behind him
10:00 How professional chess has changed
14:00 Growing up alongside Ian Nepomniachtchi
18:30 Training with the legendary Viktor Korchnoi
23:30 Working with GM Peter Svidler
Mentioned: Svidler on being a practical player-
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gi9KryNqkNEPZzN3obeU6?si=a7e7505918ed441e
27:00 What makes Nepomniachtchi and Svidler so talented?
29:00 Behind the scenes of Team Nepo, including a funny story about a thermos
35:30 Working with GM Peter Leko
38:30 Moving to England and adjusting to a new life
41:00 Nikita's passions for cooking and football
45:30 His transition to coaching and advice for aspiring professionals
Thanks to GM VItiugov for joining me! You can order his book and find a free preview via the links below:
https://www.newinchess.com/chess-metamorphosis
https://forwardchess.com/product/chess-metamorphosis?section=Products
Photo in thumbnail by Etery Kublashvili