Faroes Open – More than a chess tournament

First impressions

I arrived in Kollafjørður, Faroe Islands, on July 11th, 2017. Coming from the humid, tropical environs of India, as a chilly blast of wind hit me, the first thing that struck me was how clean the environment felt. The freshness of the air, the water, and the uncontaminated nature, it seemed like a different world to me, as if I had stepped back in time, preserving the charms of the past, whilst not neglecting the advancements of technology. I immediately felt that I had made the right decision to come here.

Aside from the geography, the other fascinating thing about the Faroe Islands is its people. Being from India, I come from a place where a lot of importance is attached to treating guests well. Despite being accustomed to this, the kindness, generosity and the hospitality of the Faroese took me by surprise.

Faroes Open

I’ve to confess that I came to Faroes Open with no sporting ambitions. My intention was to just play nine decent games, enjoy each of those games fully, have a good time, tour around, and try to recover my expense with a prize.

I had a relatively easier first round one against one of the main organisers — Jogvan Martin Joensen. Despite the double round on the next day, I decided to go on the mountain hiking trip in around Saksun.

Saksun, Blue Lagoon. The view from one of the smaller peaks. We went much higher | Photo: wikimedia commons

As I nonchalantly hiked my way up, I completely disregarded the warning of Martin to evade the damp areas. Out of youthful defiance, or was it merely curiosity to see what happens, I stepped on the wet, slippery surface with water flowing. The result was a dramatic fall. Although there was no major injury, the rest of the journey was painful and painstaking. However, the beauty of the place and the view from the top more than made up for it. I was able to take solace by relating to Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight.

Mountain hiking trip, pre climb (Above, L to R): Herluf, GM Normunds, Martin, GM Munoz, the guide, Juergen, Narayanan and GM Julio)
(Below) One can choose to ascend onwards to the peak, descend towards the valley, or just sit and enjoy the view. Which one do you choose?  | Photo: Jógvan Martin Joensen

I did have to pay for this lovely trip, as I woke up dazed and in pain. I was quite lucky to escape the game from a completely lost position.

Attack with the Modern Italian

In recent years the Italian Game has undergone a renaissance, transforming it from the Cinderella of 1.e4 openings into a major system which offers excellent chances for White to gain the advantage.

My next game was against GM Jens Kristiansen. I managed to win after a tactical mistake cost him a pawn. The fourth round was the all important game which decided the event in my favour.

After this five-hour marathon, we had the blitz championship. I was exhausted. I missed my chance in the blitz against GM Julio even though I was up three pawns at one point. I used the aid of endless cups of coffee to stimulate my brain, but once it became clear that Julio was unstoppable, steamrolling through everyone, having the better tie break, and winning all the crucial moments, my energy levels dropped. I had to be content with the second place.

Julio, the champion, me with the runners up prize, and GM Miguel Munoz with the bronze medal, Luijten Akselsson Apol and Jon i Horni Nielsen in the front

I followed it up with an interesting win in the fifth round, I managed to get on the right side of the result in another critical encounter, this time against the third seed, the Danish GM Allan Stig Rasmussen.

After these interesting turn of events, I unexpectedly found myself with a one point lead, at 5.5/6. Having come with just touristic aspirations, I was clearly unprepared for this and I suddenly started playing a lot more nervously. My next game was against the local favourite GM Helgi Dam Ziska. I manage to hold him to a draw, although my play was rather unconvincing. GM Julio Granda Zuniga had closed in on me with a win, cutting short my lead to just half a point.

Above: The chess players enjoy indoor football | Below: Julio Granda Zuniga is physically 50 years, yet has the heart of a child. He participated in each and every event passionately, fought hard in each game and believes in living life to its fullest. | Photos: Srinath Narayanan

After another nervous draw against the Peruvian born Spanish GM Miguel Munoz, GM Julio had caught up with me with a tense victory over GM Rasmussen.

I’ve to admit that I felt a little bit rattled at this point. I could feel the heat of Julio’s breath upon my neck even as I was slightly ahead. This set up a tense climax, with me having a clear advantage due to better tie-break (direct encounter). I also had a much more favourable pairing, facing Black against the untitled Thorsteinsson, while GM Julio had to get past the veteran Danish GM Jens Kristiansen.

My normal MO in such a situation would be to prepare the hell out and let myself get killed by anxiety. However, this was the Faroe Islands, and here it’s not just about chess anymore. On the evening of the penultimate day, the organisers arranged a fishing trip which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the participants.

Holding a fishing rod for the first time, amused me

Julio with a wide grin, attaining redemption for his childhood fishing trip, where he was the only one without a catch

Danish IM Martin Haubro (above) was clearly the 'kingfisher' with the most catches, including one fresh catch (below) that was cooked the next day

I went into the last round with a refreshed mind. My game was by no means a cakewalk, despite a rating difference of more than 300 points. After 30 moves and around 3 hours, my opponent was the one who had the better position. On the other board, Julio stood worse from the beginning, yet I was pretty sure that he would win through the sheer power of his will. I expected him to make a mistake with less time for a while, yet he kept coming up with the correct moves until…

Receiving the reward from the Prime Minister of Faroe Islands, Aksel Vilhelmsson Johannesen. President of the chess club Hjalti Petersen watches in the background

Julio Granda Zuniga, 2nd place with 7.5/9

Helgi Dam Ziska, the pride of Faroe Islands, was solid and finished with 6.5/9 and 3rd place, which I think was modest considering his capability

GM Allan Stig Rasmussen, 5.5/9, 5th place was unlucky to be on the wrong end of a couple of intense games.

After the end of this wonderful event, I stayed on for three more days to experience Faroe Islands, without the distraction of playing chess. Here are some of the highlights:

Who wouldn't want to enjoy this beach?

Just one word: wow!

The waterfall has a natural rainbow.

Nature, beauty, chess, fun — Faroes Open in one shot

Again, wow!

The view from the tournament hall in Sandavagur, for Faroes Open 2018. I'll be sure to be back next year, same time for the 2nd Faroes Open. You?

Special thanks to:

Hanna Ólavsdóttir Jacobsen

Hanna is a 18 year old girl who lives in a small, beautiful town called Kollafjørður located in Faroe Islands. A third year business student, she loves playing chess and taking pictures. She has excellent potential and a long way to go in both these fields. She is also a keen observer of people, nature and everything around her. She tells beautiful stories primarily through pictures, but also in words. 

Jógvan Martin Joensen

Jógvan Martin Joensen is among the most interesting persons I’ve met. He is full of enthusiasm and energy. He has lived an interesting and adventurous life and the experience shows in his youthful wisdom. It is also reflected in the way he plays chess, aggressive and going straight for the kill. He ensured that I had a great time in Faroe Islands and was immensely helpful to me in helping prepare this report by driving me around half of the country. When he is not modest and down to earth, hosting foreign chess players, he also runs a couple of companies. He is the contact point for professionals interested in playing Faroes Open next year. Oh, did I mention? He is also among the most eligible bachelors in Faroe Islands!

Links

• Official site
• Blitz Championship results (Chess-Results)