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The organiser is like after Troll Masters 2003 a little bit dissatisfied with the level of quotes this year, most funny remarks seems to have taken place without my knowledge.... If this idea ever has been working out, I think it was in the debut after Gausdal Classics 2002. But for 2003 and for what it is: "It might very well end up that way" GM Nick de Firmian, having drawn round 1-3 and won rounds 4-8, when asked about the chances that he would draw round 9-11. "It is not very courteous to play for a win in the last round as black, against another GM already having won the tournament and wanting a draw to stay undefeated. But I will do it anyway" GM Aleksei Lugovoi smelling a moneyprize before the final round. "Oh. Do not worry, I will be there soon. Ooohhh" GM Aleksei Lugovoi via telephone from his hotel room at 10.10 during round seven, just being given the relevant information that "the rest of us have been playing for half an hour now". "I think I will give him a short draw today" FM Bjarte Leer-Salvesen about his strategy before round 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11. A total of none opponents accepted his gifts. "You might be right that there are now two Norwegian norm candidates in the IM-group. If so the first one is Bjarte Leer-Salvesen, the second one Espen Lie" Øystein Hole commenting on his chances when leading the IM-group with 4½/6 after defeating GM Normunds Miezis. "Leer-Salvesen I have never defeated, Hersvik is not my favourite opponent, and against Nygren I am black" Øystein Hole specifying why he did not expect to reach 6½/9 even when having 4½/6. "Will you join me to make a tattoo on the shoulder showing our dice for this tournament?" FM Bjarte Leer-Salvesen, obviously still breathing in thin air after his first IM-norm, to Øystein Hole during the dinner after round nine. "No thank you. It will be less painful to make such a tattoo if I get a "1" next year." Øystein Hole, obviously still well in contact with earth after taking his first IM-norm. "Why did I have to be born completely without any chess talent?" FM Magnus Carlsen, 12 - philosophing about the reasons for not taking his second IM-norm! "Chess after all is only chess - while girls are life!" IM Mark Bluvshtein, 14 - philosophing about the reasons for not taking his first GM-norm? "I have not read that chapter of the Ruy Lopez book yet" IM Emanuel Berg explaning why he came clearly worse as white against GM Heikki Kallio. "I am satisfied with the queen sacrifice I got to play against Agustsson in round five. But unfortunately that is the only move I am satisfied with so far" Øyvind Pedersen commenting on his tournament so far after round seven. "Before this tournament started I actually believed myself to be underrated" Marc Duesterwald still remembering the good old days. "We are eating Rudolf the Reindeer. And there will be no more Christmas" Marc Duesterwald commenting the menu (reindeer steak - yummy!) - and his results... "Who do you think is the better player, Kjetil A Lie or Øystein Hole? I think I will vote for Hole" Frustrated foreign FM number 1 to foreign FM number 2 - after losing to Kjetil A Lie from a "promising" position. (If then getting the chance to mention that he has in internal meetings 2-0 against Lie and 2-2 against Hole, in other words obviously having won all his games against Lie and none of those against Hole, the opportunistic organiser might support the conclusion even when it goes against a player from his own team.) "Are you satisfied with your result?" A very common question among chess players, especially from lower rated players desperately trying to start a conversation with a titleholder. This time asked by bulletin slave Tarjei Svensen to GM Normunds Miezis when the latter had 6/8. Compare next line to get the point of mentioning it. "Are you satisfied with your face?" GM Normunds Miezis, still having 6/8, answering the above given question. "Very nice Riga medicine - I got it from my mother before leaving home!" GM Normunds Miezis trying to get the (teetotaler) organiser to taste a new drink. "Very low. Nearly nothing. Maybe about 50" GM Normunds Miezis forced to answer the critical question about the percent of alcohol in the "medicine" from last quote. "I played terrible. But you played terrible too" GM Normunds Miezis congratulating FM Bjarte Leer-Salvesen with his draw in their internal meeting. "The best game I played in the tournament!" FM Bjarte Leer-Salvesen explaining how he managed to draw against GM Normunds Miezis. "I think we should have a fair chance tomorrow" Ida Lahlum to FM Bjarte Leer-Salvesen during their preparations for the last round, taking place at the Gausdal disco - while hearing Kim Nygren singing karaoke (!?) and watching Frode Ryan Lund dancing with a brush (!?!?). "It was so far away, in some mysterious way. My pooor little bishop at h6" Frode Ryan Lund explaining why he blundered a piece in the last round. Despite the piece (and the brush) he drew the game - and Kim Nygren won his, probably because Leer-Salvesen later entered the karaoke scene himself. "Can we do it again with the 12 same players in the IM-group next year? Maybe with opposite colours...." Anonymous Norwegian satisfied with the IM-group of this year. |