The Gausdal Chess Classic took place from April 8th-16th 2008. The GM group A was a ten-player round robin, the GM group B a nine-round Swiss open to all GM, IM, WGM, WIM, FM and WFMs, and for other players having at least 2150 in FIDE Elo on the list. The rate of play was 40 moves in 2 hours, 20 moves in 1 hour and ½ hour for the rest. The prize fund for the GM A was 1st EUR 1300, 2nd EUR 1000 and 3rd EUR 700. In the GM B it was EUR 1000 (+ a troll), 700, 400, 250, 200, 150, 100 for places 1-7.
The winner: GM Gregory Kaidanov of the USA
The winner, a full point ahead of the field, and with a 2727 performance, was US grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov. Second was Indian GM Geetha Narayanan Gopal, with 6.0/9 and a performance of 2633. The only female player, Irina Krush of the US, scored a somewhat disappointing 3.5/9, which was 2445 performance.
The playing hall in Gausdal
Second in Group A: Indian GM Geetha Narayanan Gopal
The only female player in Group A: US IM Irina Krusk
The winner of the GM B tournament: Aloyzas Kveinys from Lithuania
Outside it is winter in this northern part of Europe
