How is it possible to sing
the King's gambit?

by Alexander Spassky

During the chess tournament "Chigorin's Memorial" which was recently held in Saint-Petersburg one could see a prominent psychologist, candidate of science Vladimir Bagrunov among those present there. Vladimir Pavlovich plays chess for a long time and has certain achievements (he has once defeated Gata Kamsky), but in this case his interest in the tournament was not of sports nature. Mr. Bagrunov tried to persuade every participant (there were altogether 154 players including 40 grand masters) that he needed to learn how to sing. Some people thought that this was a joke, but others took this idea very seriously. I have already written about the investigations carried out by Mr. Bagrunov which brought him very close to understanding of Shalyapin's phenomenon. A special methodology is being used at the innovation centre "Bagratid" which produces wonderful results recognized by experienced specialists. Vladimir Pavlovich says that chess-players should master singing not for the purpose of professional singing but in order to get rid of internal pressure and stress. Vocal exercises can remove psychic strain and stress which are so common among professional chess-players during the period of training and of important tournaments.

The prominent psychologist came to a conclusion that the secret of longevity and high results in chess sport demonstrated by a Russian grand master Vassily Smyslov and a Hungarian grand master Lajosh Portish were due to the fact that both of them used to sing in the most difficult moments of their lives. Other chess-players, who did not sing, were in a more complicated situation and the process of their aging was much quicker. One should really trust Mr. Bagrunov because he used to consult the fathers of Gata Kamsky and Peter Svidler - a rapidly progressing chess-player of Saint-Petersburg. In the year 1984 when our football team "Zenith" gained the title of champion its coach Pavel Sadyrin together with the whole team visited St.Petersburg University to consult with Mr. Bagrunov. Certainly, the advises of the scientist proved to be very useful for psychic preparation of the players for the important games. It should be also mentioned that Valery Salov - the winner of the chess tournament in Linares (Spain) was instructed by Vladimir Pavlovich in playing guitar and singing just before this tournament.

On the final day of the "Chigorin's Memorial" I met Mr. Bagrunov in the Chess Club talking to Dima Batsanin. This infant prodigy from Vladivostok once won the title of the world champion in his age group. The young chess-player believes in Bagrunov's system of teaching singing and is going to use it in the nearest future.

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