Read the interview we had with Nikolina Koljevic, a chess player from Montenegro, who has been practicing chess for almost 10 years.
1. Can you tell us something about yourself? What is your name, how old are you and where are you from?
"I'm Nikolina Koljevic, I'm 21 years old and I come from Cetinje. In the same city, I finished high school and enrolled in the Faculty of Economics in Podgorica, at the University of Montenegro. I am currently a third-year student and I play chess in my free time."
2. How long have you been practicing chess and who are your chess idols?
"I have been practicing chess for almost 10 years, and my idol is Judit Polgar. At only 15 years old, she became a grandmaster and is considered the best female chess player in history. She played on an equal footing with men and defeated world champions. I like her aggressive style of play, her games are really inspiring and rich in tactical attacks."
3. Which opening do you play the most?
"I mostly play Sicilian defense. It has many sub-variants and can often be found on my board regardless of the color of the pieces. Very sharp positions can arise and I remember a lot of nice games from this opening."
4. Have you read any books about chess?
"Of course, without that I would have a hard time imagining any progress in chess. I went through some books by myself, and some with the help of a coach. The most interesting for me were the books about the endings, which helped me understand the ideas and properly treat some positions that arise in this phase of the game."
5. Are you a member of a chess club and if so, which club?
"Yes, since 2014 I have been a member of the chess club "Crnogorac" from Cetinje. It is one of the strongest clubs in Montenegro, we have won medals in the Premier League of Montenegro several times, and last year we also won the First Women's League."
6. Can you single out some success and tell us more about it?
"I achieved my greatest success at the individual senior championship of Montenegro for women in 2019. After numerous titles in the cadet and youth categories, at the age of 18, I managed to win the senior title as well. The championship of that year is recognized as the most massive so far. As many as 17 contestants participated, and I stood out at the head of the table with 6 points from 7 games, without defeat. I was very proud and with this result I deserved to be the representative of Montenegro at the European Women's Championship (Antalya, Turkey 2019)."
7. What are your future plans for chess?
"Chess really occupies a special place in my life. I spent almost half of my life behind a black and white board. Playing chess, I gained new experience, new acquaintances, I had the opportunity to travel and visit many countries around the world. However, I still see chess as a hobby, I'm here for love and I really enjoy every game. I have no special plans for the future as far as chess is concerned, I simply look forward to every new competition and the time spent at the chess board fulfills me. I am a student at the Faculty of Economics and my plans are to further improve my professional skills in that field. What I can say for sure is that I will always try to balance my commitments and find time for this ancient game."
8. Would you recommend the younger generation of boys and girls to try chess?
"Of course, I think that children should be introduced to this game from an early age. Chess promotes the development of cognitive skills, improves memory, concentration, problem-solving ability and develops creativity. Because of all the positive effects of chess on children's development, in many countries this game is part of the school curriculum. Also, research has shown that children who play chess achieve better results in school compared to other children."
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