This weeks episode of the New In Chess Podcast features an interview with grandmaster Loek van Wely. “King Loek” is an 8-time Dutch champion, and, at 51, has remained active as a player while expanding his activities as a trainer and organiser. He reached his peak in 2001, making it into the world top 10 with a rating of 2714. As a coach, Van Wely has worked with stars like Gata Kamsky, Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov, and more recently with the Italian national team and Dutch GM Max Warmerdam. He can also look back on a political career, as a senator in the Dutch First Chamber from 2019 to 2023.

Interviewed by Dirk Jan ten Geuzendam, Loek talks about his career highlights, his political years and his adventures as a second for the prodigious Gata Kamsky (and his father Rustam!), as well as the demanding Vladimir Kramnik. He also gives his take on the way chess preparation has evolved, and who he expects to do well in the upcoming Candidates tournament.

00:00:00 – Intro

00:01:16 – 01:40 Being excited about the podcast

00:01:41 – 02:52 Playing in the German cup, experiencing some fatigue

00:02:53 – 04:40 His fondest (chess) career memories

00:04:41 – 05:24 Turning his prize money into a BMW 5-series , crashing it

00:05:25 – 07:54 Winning numerous open tournaments, eight Dutch championships

07:55 – 10:30 Getting deported from the United States for having the wrong visa

10:31 – 12:00 When and why he got the nickname King Loek, being one of the first online chess players

12:01 – 14:00 His character, challenging himself, rivalries with other players

14:01 – 16:55 Dirk Jan witnessing his bloody football matches with Magnus in Wijk aan Zee

16:56 – 18:02 Loek’s love of placing bets

18:03 – 23:56 His remarkable career switch into politics

23:57 – 27:27 Joining the controversial Forum For Democracy party, leaving because of the weird conspiracy theories of some of its members

27:28 – 30:15 Where does Loek stand politically?

30:16 – 32:14 Similarities and differences between chess and politics

32:15 – 34:31 Does Loek have any regrets about his political career?

34:32 – 35:04 AD BREAK

35:05 – 40:51 Being a second for Gata Kamsky in preparation for the latter’s 1996 World Championship match against Anatoly Karpov, Gata’s crazy father Rustam

40:52 – 45:52 Seconding for Kramnik and Topalov, Loek’s expertise with early engines such as Rybka and Fritz

45:53 – 53:30 His predictions for the 2024 Candidates tournament, the evolution of engine analysis and preparation, not seeing Pragg’s potential early on

53:31 – Outro