Q: Hi, Milan! Could you please tell us how you got attracted to chess, when did you learn to play and who showed you the first moves?
A: Hi! I started playing chess at the age of 6. My grandfather taught my brother Milun and me how to play. It was very interesting for me to watch them play, so I really wanted to learn the game.
Q: How do you prepare for tournaments? Who is your coach and how often do you train together?
A: I don’t conduct any specific preparation for tournaments. Generally I strive to improve my game, analyze my own games and correct mistakes. I also analyze games of the greatest players. My current trainer is IM Miodrag Perunovic. We’ve been working together for two years and I think that he is one of the best chess coaches in the world. He helped me stabilize my opening repertoire, get rid of some weaknesses, correct particular mistakes and become more stable psychologically during the game. Usually, we train two times per week.
Q: How do you approach chess training and do you have any idol in chess?
A: I don’t have any idols in chess since I believe that every player has their own style of play and every (professional) player has different strengths and weaknesses. Training chess was never a burden for me. I’ve always enjoyed studying it, imagining that every second of training makes me a better player. My belief is that success is when you do what makes you happy and when you don’t look at the clock secretly hoping for the training to end. In short, you have to enjoy what you are doing. Despite my trainer helping me a lot, working alone is crucial for achieving any significant success.
See interview.