You had a three-point lead, and you were just half a point away from winning the championship. Does the situation make you more tensed?
It is inevitable that it affects you though I tried my best not to think about it. If I still needed two points to clinch the match, it was okay. But when it comes down to the last point and the last half point, then, it is difficult to put the thought out of your mind. How can you tell yourself, this is just a game like any other when the match could be over that day? I think it is impossible to avoid the thought completely.
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Was that one of the reasons why the 10th game went to Kramnik? The pressure?
I would say that is partially true but he simply won the 10th game because I walked into his preparation. It finally happened. He played a very big novelty. Also, by that time, the match situation made him work harder. I think since the seventh game, the match initiative was not clearly on my side. In fact, he was putting a lot of pressure on me. Thanks to the score, I was able to hold on.
You may not be aware, but when your seventh game started, after making that first move for you, Karpov told the media that Kramnik had no chance of coming back and winning the championship. He said only a miracle could save him.
(Laughs) Of course. I didn't read all that during the match which was probably good.
Still, he came back…
Yes, he fought back. A three-point lead is huge. To fight back a three-point lead, you need everything to go your way. He had a couple of good moments but I was also fighting. Imagine that I lost the ninth game and match would have been still open. I only lost one game and I held Game 8 and 9. I think that helped a lot.
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