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Although some players more or less mysteriously disappeared during the registration also in the ELO-group, that tournament in the end included 78 players –
with a fascinating age gap from 10 until 81.
The first fireworks on the top boards started when the internet chess journalist Tarjei Svensen (2082) creatively sacrificed a rook at f6 against the television
chess journalist Heidi Røneid (1675). Although Svensen had not planned the best continuation, he still got a decisive attack within a few moves after Røneid accepted the sacrifice.
First seeded FM Daniel Jakobsen Kovachev (2289) got decent counterplay from his young opponent August Berntsen-Øybø (1676) in a tense positional Sicilian duel.
Black was well inside the duel all the way into the rooks and minor piece endgame, but white had first the better pawn structure and then an extra pawn.
Working day-win in the comeback game for Kovachev, preferring the open to the GM-group after two years off.
Second seeded Johannes Kvisla (2096) also took a patient approach and also realized his extra pawn in the endgame – as black against Maria Edakina (1675).
The first round seeding was a tough one in this group, and seven out of the eight top rated players defeated their much lower rated opponents.
The surprise man on the top boards was 11 year old Tobias Lang-Nilsen (1652), successfully keeping the balance into a blocked draw endgame against Sigmund Reppen (2069).
Another surprise draw came in a complex game on board nine - as young Anders Nilsson Aure (1628) preferred a safe repetition of checks to an unknown future,
while playing with queen and rook versus two rooks and bishop against Finn Egeland (1995).
Most favorites won their games (more or less convincingly) also on the lower boards in the first rounds. Among a handful of draws, a true sensation was 72 year old Per Tveten (1593)
winning a veteran meeting against Per Omtvedt(1948). Traditionally a much stronger player, Omtvedt as black in a Sicilian dominated the first part of the game and had an initiative
with queen, rook and six pawns on each side. Tveten however defended stubbornly and turned the tide as he was allowed to pick up a pawn at e4. Still the position was not obviously
lost when a disillusioned Omtvedt saw some mate ghost and resigned after 35 moves.
Remarkably one of the most entertaining games was won by the virtually blind player Kai-Roger Johansen (1995), accurately cashing in two pieces without running
into any mate as his young opponent Amir Keadana (1628) went astray.
The fighting spirit of the group was illustrated with a five-hour game beween veterans Roar Lindblom (1858) and Terje Lie (1575) – drawn after 74 moves,
although black refused a draw to play on with knight and h-pawn versus bishop, e-pawn and g-pawn!
Today’s most unfortunate result and strongest feelings came for one of the lowest rated players in the ELO-group – losing the game as his mobile phone although
switched off made a sound in the playing venue. Hopefully that was a warning signal for other players and the last game decided by a phone in this tournament.
A rule must be a rule in an international tournament, and the organizer actually had softened it by deciding that a mobile phone in the playing venue would
lose the game only if used or making sound. Still this rule is a dilemma for organizers like Oslo Chess International, trying to combine top level chess with an including
tournament for all players...(True enough this time the position was lost and the win for the opponent anyway very well deserved.)
The ELO-group finally got a surprise on the top board “on additional time”, as Martin Bergsjø Østby (1897) won the postponed game against seventh rated Eivind Risting (2032).
Østby’s win came very well deserved as he creatively crashed in with a sacrifice on d6, and having won two pawns soon exchanged down to a won rook endgame. This outcome definitely
was a surprise following Risting’s strong form the last six months. As both players at age 14 still are somewhat unpredictable and as Østby too is a great talent, I still prefer to
call it a surprise and not a sensation. Much more excitement and many more surprises for sure will follow in the next rounds of this very mixed and colorful ELO-group!
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