1. The secret about how the Lahlum has got Magnus to play all those Gausdal
tournaments, finally has been revealed!
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2. The two highest rated players met only in the sixth round of this
tournament, but the two tallest players actually met in the first round: GM Kaido Kulaots
getting the white pieces somewhat later defeated Håkon Bentsen.
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3. Arnaud Hauchard, later to gain weight but lose ELO during his Gausdal stay,
became the first GM to win a game in this tournament. His young opponent Johannes Kvisla
despite playing white never looked too optimistic about his chances.
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4. Øystein Bøyum Fossum obviously had enough chairs for his fourth round game
against GM Stellan Brynell, but soon was to run short of good moves... Concentrated WFM Jessie Gilbert did
better in her game - for this round.
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5. Norwegian start rockets Frode Urkedal (12) and Øyvind Bentsen (32) were
still doing fine at the beginning of round four, but both lost some speed in the
second half of the tournament. Urkedal is favourite to get the IM-title first, but Bentsen
still having a space advantage finished well ahead on the list this time...
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6. Various players on various levels on concenration in the playing room
during round four. GMs Arnaud Hauchard and Heikki Westerinen playing white in
the first two games both went on to win this round, but still failed to reach the prize list
in the end.
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7.GM Lars Karlsson playing 1.f4 went on to win the party lion battle against
Lars Breivik in round four. Only cider in the glass during the round of course - but both
players knew how to celebrate the result later on...
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8. Lightfoot GM Magnus Carlsen is back for another move against GM Vladmir
Burmakin, obviously already having the feeling of becoming pushed backwards...
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9. Tonight we all play the teamtalkingchesstournament "Snurre Open", not to
hurt the Lahlum who actually considers it an excellent idea to play chess with 3-4
players on each team, playing against each on six boards with free right of speech and movement
within the team... On the left from the wall "Random Balls" including FM Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen,
Kristian Aandal, Bertil Svendsen and FM Geir Sune Tallaksen, winning 4-2 in their opening match.
On the right from the wall "Bad Santas" Odin Blikra Vea and Askild Bryn, while Øystein Bøyum
Fossum already prefers to hide his identity.
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10. Meantime the team "Treuenigheten" (unfortunately being almost impossible to
translate), started up with a convincing 6-0 against "Vi veit ikke helt vi"
("We do not know for sure, we", which was what they answered when the arbiter asked their name.)
"Treuenigheten" used their team very well with a 1-4-1 formation, in which Johannes Kvisla and
FM Jon Ludvig Hammer concentrated on one game each, while Magnus swept up all the four games in
between. On the opponent team can be seen Ellen Carlsen, Joar Pettersen and Espen Haugsdal.
The onlooker enjoying his cider while looking somewhat sceptical about Hammer's chances is
Lars Breivik.
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11. Needless to say this match was very tense, but "Random Balls" on the left
side of this board went on to lose 2½-3½ against "The Night Before". Closest to
the wall Kristian Aandal looking much more concentrated than during any of his games in
Bygger'n Master is about to produce a sensation by defeating GM Stellan Brynell, whether
Brynell was distracted by having WIM Heather Richards and WFM Jessie Gilbert playing by his
side is unkonwn... FM Geir Sune Tallaksen and Bertil Svendsen try to improve their score with girls,
while GM Lars Karlsson about to win his game as white does not seems too worried
about the problems of the rest of his team.
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12. Johannes Kvisla trying all the more desparetely to get some attention from
teammates GM Magnus Carlsen and FM Jon Ludvig Hammer
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13. 2½-2½ between "Treuenigheten" and "Random Balls".
Then Magnus suffered his hardest set back of this Gausdal week, overpressing a better rook
endgame against endgame expert Geir Sune Tallaksen...
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14. And then the first place is to be decided... Even when GM Lars Karlsson can
be satisfied with his position againt FM Jon Ludvig Hammer, "Treuenigheten" wins 4-2 against
"The night before" - as even combined Swedish-English forces of WFM Jessie Gilbert,
WIM Heather Richards and GM Stellan Brynell fail to stop a still fast running Magnus.
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15. Meaning that "Random Balls", represented by a joyful Kristian Aandal, a
seriously worried FM Geir Sune Tallaksen and a self confident Bertil Svendsen can reach
the second place if winning a lot against "Vi veit ikke helt, vi", now represented by
Joar Pettersen, Ellen Carlsen and Maria Pitz Jacobsen.
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16. 6-0 is a qualified lot - meaning that "Random Balls", including from the
left FM Geir Sune Tallaksen, Kristian Aandal, FM Torbjørn Ringdal Hansen and Bertil Svendsen,
actually finished second in the teamtalkingchess - winning five chocolates and this picture!
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17. Sjur Ferkingstad for some moments looked lonely having no team for the
teamtalkingchess.... Back to the main tournament.
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18. The Norwegian IM-norm chances suffered a hard setback in round six, as FM
Øystein Hole and Øyvind Bentsen both wasted their chances by losing as black against
GM's Vladmir Burmakin and Arnaud Hauchard. This proved the end of Bentsen's norm chances
(for now), while Hole finishing off the tournament with 2,5/3 hit back just in time!
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19. Finally they are seated across each other: First seeded GM Magnus Carlsen has
entered to play white against second seeded GM Kaido Kulaots apparently trying to hypnotize him.
The game became a firework fulfilling all expectations, but still ended in a terror balance draw.
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20. Fighting in the playing room, friendship in the restaurant, that is
Gausdal... Most other guests have finished all three courses at this late stage, but
GM Kaido Kulaots still needs some more time to make Lars Breivik and Bertil Svendsen
understand why he did not win against Magnus today...
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21. How could I ever play Bogo-Indian against a lower rated opponent... Frode
Urkedal later had to sacrifice a rook to get a draw against Joachim Thomassen. The game
behind took a sensational course as Odin Blikra Vea as black against Sigmund Reppen went
on to win a slightly better endgame, while Øystein Boyum Fossum playing with his back against
the wall succeeded drawing another much lower opponent despite a dubious piece sacrifice.
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22. The tournament's youngest player, 11 year old Anders Hobber, made a
sensational start when defeating 2200-player Lars Breivik, but following wasted chances
later still had to play on the second last board in round seven. Although Anders is looking so
far so good after three moves, opponent Terje Lie making a nice ELO-norm went on to win
convincingly as black.
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23. A relaxed Magnus having done the opening is taking his first walk to check
out the situation of his main competitiors in round seven. Magnus' lead increased into a full
point this round as he instructively exploited oppoent GM Dejan Antic's time trouble mistakes,
while GM Kaido Kulaots on the second board failed to win despite an extra pawn against GM Arnaud
Hauchard. GM Vladimor Dobrov hitting jackpot with a preparation on the third board
against GM Ralf Åkesson later accelerated to finish unshared second.
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24. Maybe best the tournament will soon be over now... Anonymous participant
still only having played 1.e4 1½ hour after the start of round nine. He
eventually was woken up by some helpful friend, after which the game soon
was drawn
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25. And the winner of 8000 NKR, one EURO and not to forget one Troll according
to my notes seems to be... IA IO Hans Olav Lahlum makes tries to start the prizegiving.
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26. The cash I have to give my parents, the troll I better give my youngest
sister - but I will keep the ELO-points and all the nice memories :-)
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27. GM Magnus Carlsen and IA IO Hans Olav Lahlum summing up the situation: The
tournament had just started, everything went that fine - and now it is already all over :-(
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28. But let us both keep smiling. After all you have the best chess
performance ever done by a Norwegian and will play chess again in that Danish tournament
next week, while I might succeed balancing the economy of this tournament and make another
one in April...
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29. This is truly painful. He has some 300 ELO-points more than me, he wears a
suit more handsome than mine, he has kept more of his hair than me, I need this scene to be
about as tall as him - and I have forgotten my tie as well as his name! Kaido something,
wasn't it? I better keep smiling, give him the money and get him out of here as soon as possible!
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30. I think we have met somewhere before and you actually delayed this
prizegiving by playing on that obviously drawn queen endgame - but congratulations
with the third IM-norm anyway...
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31. Cleaning up the playing local after the last round might be a demanding
job, especially as some players will still not accept this tournament is over! Always helpful Øyvind Bentsen
and Tarjei Svensen help FM Jon Ludvig Hammer (in the middle) to find the bus?!
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32. Ooops. I hope this picture is not from this Gausdal tournament, maybe it is
from some prizegiving in Spain :-). Anyway time to end this picture selection for now -
if playing the next tournament at Gausdal 23 april - 1 May 2006 YOU might be a star of
the picture selection then!!
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