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In the ELO-group, the expected top meeting between second seeded Johannes Kvisla (2096) and FM Daniel Jakobsen Kovachev (2289) was drawn in an about
balanced middle game position, after 20 not too exciting Grünfeld Indian moves. Although a little bit disappointing at first sight, this first board
draw might well open an exciting run for the first place.
As Geir Moseng (1983) somewhat later also made a draw in a sound game against the solid veteran Ole Smeby (2042), no player in the ELO-group ever reached 4.0/4.
Instead, as all the next six games got a winner, nine players are now sharing the lead at 3.5/4!
Kvisla, Kovachev and Moseng following their draws tonight were caught by third seeded Tarjei Joten Svensen (2082), patiently squeezing a win out of
another endgame advantage as black against Konstantin Govatsmark (1843). Svensen following this is one out of three players having won all their
three played games, in addition to a walk over draw.
One of the two others players in that category, the virtually blind Kai-Roger Johansen (1995), tonight impressed everyone including his young opponent
Lucas Ranaldi (1831). Slowly opening the position for his pair of bishops, Johansen succeeded winning a complex double minor piece endgame,
despite starting up a pawn down.
Italian Sonia Sirletti (1843) also won a long game with style tonight. After winning an exchange in the middle game against young Shaun Ondo (1730),
Sirletti instructively realized the win in the endgame with rook and three kingside pawns versus bishop and three kingside pawns.
Also in the top group at 3.5/4 is the 67 year old Swedish veteran Mats Wahlstedt (1980), as he against surprise man Olav Erikstad (1832) creatively
demonstrated that different colored bishops do not guarantee any draw in a bishop endgame.
12 year old Daniel Nordquelle (1814) sharing the lead after four rounds is a small sensation. Still it is a well deserved sensation,
as Daniel today crushed Jan Gunnar Fredriksen (1977) within 20 moves.
An even more dangerous threat against the top rated players might be the Norwegian U13 champion Andreas Garberg Tryggestad (2019), methodically transforming his
better pawn structure from the middle game into a won pawn endgame as black against Sigurd Kjelsbøl Huse (1720) today.
Overall following this fourth round, a very hard spurt for the moneyprizes can be expected in the ELO-group too.
The big sharks all steams upward now, as fourth seeded Sigmund Reppen (2069), fifth seeded Fredrik Beer-Jacobsen (2046) and
seventh seeded Eivind Risting (2032) all won their games tonight…
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