Welcome to Gausdal Classics 2002! By IA Hans Olav Lahlum Gausdal Classics 2002 is a group of title qualifying round robin chess tournaments, including one GM-qualifying, two IM-qualifying and one ELO-qualifying group. The tournaments will be played 11.-18.04 at the famous Gausdal Høifjellshotell, which due to the goodwill of the hotel owners and the unique efforts of our late friend IA Arnold J. Eikrem, has hosted chess tournaments on a top international level ever since 1970. A very special welcome to Gausdal friend number 1, Grandmaster Heikki Westerinen of Finland, who was present in 1970 and has been so on most later occasions too. On behalf of the organising committee (= FM Bjarte Leer-Salvensen and IA Hans Olav Lahlum), I would however like to welcome all our 40 chessfriends who are taking part in the tournaments, representing the chess federations of Belarus, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Our hope of course is that all of the players will get exciting games and tournaments on a high qualitative level, but also a nice stay in a friendly international atmosphere. We also welcome all present onlookers, as well as those following our tournament on the internet. The best place to follow top chess of course is in the playing hall, but helped by IM Eirik T. Gullaksen and the Bergen SK's homepage we will try to keep all chessfriends outside Gausdal as updated as possible about results and games as the tournament goes on. Thanks for all help from us to Eirik (you are one in four millions!), but also to everyone at the hotel, all players (and not to forget all player's relatives) who have helped us with various practical purposes, The Norwegian Federation and everyone at their office for both financial and practical help, Tarjei and Per who will help us to put the games into ChessBase during the tournament, and everyone I forgot to mention now. The financialy responsible is my companion and close friend FM Bjarte Leer-Salvesen. All question regarding payments, prices etc should be directed to Bjarte. The responsible arbiter is me, IA Hans Olav Lahlum – all questions regarding the tournaments, norm chances, rules etc etc should be directed to me. (Persons not present at Gausdal if necessary can try to reach me on E-mail or to call the hotel at 612 28500.). Players dissatisfied with a decision of the responsible arbiter may deliver a written protest within two hours after the game, but then my decision will be final for the tournament. The prizes are all moneyprizes in Norwegian Kroner (NOK), and will go to the first three players in each group. In case of equal points the final places are decided by the Sonneborn-Berger-system (= the involved players get all the points from the opponents they have defeated, half of the points from the opponents they have drawn, and none of the points from the opponents they have lost against.), but all moneyprizes will be shared equal between all involved players in case of equal points.