We had and still have a great chess tradition and good chess clubs. Without this level, it is impossible to understand the mechanics of chess and the subtleties of thinking of the strongest chess players. RV: I continue to learn the art of coaching, working with great chess players. After coaching chess players for decades, IM Roman Vidonyak earned the Coach of the Year diploma from the German Chess Federation in 2023. Here is a man who has shaped some of the world’s best chess players, yet so few know his story.