More than 100 players start at the Fagernes Open

Fagernes Open 2020

Due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic the organisers of the Fagernes Open, (4 to 11 October) had to cut back, and the field is not as strong as it would have been without the virus. A number of Grandmasters, who would have liked to come, had to cancel their trip due to travel restrictions. Nevertheless, a respectable field of more than 100 players, who start in two groups, came to Norway to play over-the-board chess again. In the A-Open, 13 Grandmasters from eight federations are taking part. The tournament also functions as Norwegian National Championship, which allows Norwegian players to get norms even if they do not play against the usually required number of foreign opponents.

The A-Open is a 9 round Swiss, the venue is the Scandic Valdres Hotel in Fagernes.

The tournament is, of course, held in close consultation with the local health authorities and under special hygiene regulations. Among other things, sufficient distance between the players had to be ensured.

Number one seed is Evgeny Postny while GM Simen Agdestein and GM Frode Urkedal are the nominally strongest Norwegian players. Urkedal and Agdestein both started with two wins, whereas Postny already had to concede a draw.

Amateur vs Master

In the first round of open tournaments strong players are often paired against weaker amateurs, and this often leads to instructive games.

Black first tried his luck on the kingside but now is looking for chances on the queenside. 16...Na6 17.Nxd4 Nb4 18.Qe3 Bxe4 19.Nxe4 cxd4 20.Qxd4 Nc2 21.Qxd7+ Kf8 After 22.Rb1 Qxe5 Black could still hope, but...

22.Bg5! and Black resigned. After 22...Bxg5 23.Nxg5 Qe8 24.Rac1 Nb4 25.Qd2 a5 26.Qf4 White is two pawns up and has the much better position.

1–0

Standings after two rounds

1	GM Simen Agdestein	2552	OSS		21	20	04	2.0	1.5	4.5	6.0	2273	2973 (+3.50)
2	GM Frode Olav Olsen Urkedal	2549	1911		23	22	05	2.0	1.5	4.5	6.0	2254	2954 (+3.20)
3	FM Gunnar Lund	2302	Tromsø		34	18	08	2.0	1.5	4.5	5.5	2266	2966 (+18.60)
4	GM Ilmars Starostits	2464			35	19	01	2.0	1.5	4.5	5.5	2176	2876 (+3.20)
5	IM Frode Elsness	2454	Bærum		41	17	02	2.0	1.5	4.5	5.0	2060	2760 (+2.20)
6	GM Evgeny Postny	2603	Beer Sheva		25	11	07	1.5	2.0	4.5	6.0	2287	2480 (-2.00)
7	FM Noam Aviv Vitenberg	2298	1911		29	15	06	1.5	2.0	4.5	6.0	2264	2457 (+8.60)
8	IM Johannes Haug	2481	Offerspill		26	12	03	1.5	2.0	4.5	6.0	2215	2408 (-1.40)
9	IM Benjamin Haldorsen	2469	Offerspill		27	13	16	1.5	2.0	4.5	6.0	2184	2377 (-1.80)
10	IM Kristian Stuvik Holm	2465	Vålerenga		28	14	12	1.5	2.0	4.5	6.0	2182	2375 (-1.80)
11	FM Anders Hobber	2386	Vålerenga		42	06	14	1.5	2.0	4.5	5.0	2361	2554 (+9.20)
12	CM Ludvig Carlsson	2281			44	08	10	1.5	2.0	4.5	5.0	2264	2457 (+18.80)
13	FM Jens E Ingebretsen	2220	OSS		45	09	15	1.5	2.0	4.5	5.0	2247	2440 (+11.20)
14	FM Andre Z Nielsen	2218	Alta		46	10	11	1.5	2.0	4.5	5.0	2241	2434 (+11.00)
15	GM Benjamin Arvola Notkevich	2482	Tromsø		43	07	13	1.5	2.0	4.5	5.0	2232	2425 (-1.10)
16	Sigve Hølleland	2133	Masfjorden		24	36	09	1.5	1.5	4.0	5.0	2251	2444 (+15.80)
17	Ingrid Skaslien	1976	Vålerenga		33	05	19	1.0	2.0	4.5	6.0	2332	2332 (+28.40)
18	GM Normunds Miezis	2485	Asker		39	03	21	1.0	2.0	4.5	5.5	2236	2236 (-6.00)
19	WGM Olga Dolzhikova	2208	OSS		40	04	17	1.0	2.0	4.5	5.5	2199	2199 (-0.40)

48 players start in the A-Open

Games

Links

• Tournament page...
• Results at the Norwegian Chess Federation...