Josef Vinatzer, CEO of Bulgaria's biggest mobile operator M-Tel

Interview with Josef Vinatzer, Chairman of the Organizing Committee and CEO of Mobiltel, General Sponsor of M-Tel Masters

- Chess is ancient game and enjoys lots of admirers. Do you like chess?
Chess is very interesting game. I pay a lot of respect to it.

- Do you have your front-runner?
Of course! This is the World Champion Vesselin Topalov. As you might know Mobiltel supports this talented Bulgarian and our company, together with all the Bulgarians, enjoy his success in Bulgaria and all over the world. In M-Tel Masters 2006 he will face very strong opponents and it is only the game to define the winner. Vishwanathan Anand, Peter Svidler, Ruslan Ponomariov, Etienne Bacrot and Gata Kamsky have their chances to win the tournament.

- What are your expectations about M-Tel Masters?
This is the second edition of the tournament and for such a short time it became the most prestigious one in the world. I agree with Vesko who compared it to Wimbledon in the world of tennis. This is huge success for us. During the past year it aroused a lot of audience and media attention and made us really happy. All the efforts of the organizers and the sponsors brought great results. Nevertheless, we believe that this year’s tournament will be much more interesting for the audience and much more contested for the players.

- Who will be the winner in the tournament?
- Let the best one win.

- Why does Mobiltel support this tournament?
- Mobiltel supports this great initiative because it will not only popularize the chess but will attract lots of young people to this game. Thanks to M-Tel Masters Bulgaria will again become host of a world class super tournament. The world stars will play here and all of us will be able to touch them. In addition to the games, which beyond doubt, will become fascinating experience for the chess-masters and for the public, there will happen even more remarkable events, all of them here, in Sofia. Last year a new rule about the draws was introduced. According to it the players cannot agree a draw. This can be decided only by the chief referee of the tournament. The new rule revived the games and I believe that this year it will make them even more interesting. Here is the place for me to thank to KAISSA Chess Management agency, because without them this tournament wouldn’t have become such a significant event.

- What would you like to wish the participants and the spectators?
Keeping in mind that we organized this event basically for the spectators and the fans, I would like to start with them. I hope that M-Tel Masters 2006 will bring unforgettable emotions and experiences to everybody in the chess hall and in front of the television sets. I wish the players success during the tournament and after it. May all of them shake hands nevertheless who wins. By this handshake we could distinguish the real winner.