Norwegian Championship: Simen Agdestein clinches ninth title

by Press release
7/10/2023 – Simen Agdestein emerged as the winner of the 2023 Norwegian Championship Championship and took his ninth national title. Aged 56, Simen beat his own record set last year and again became the oldest Norwegian champion of all time. | Photo: Helge Brekke (tournament page)
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FIDE press release

The 2023 Norwegian Championship was held in fifteen categories from June 30 to July 8 in Vallhall Arena, Oslo. The Klasse Elite, a 9-round Swiss tournament brought together the best local players, except Magnus Carlsen, who was fighting in SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Zagreb those days.

Unlike the 2022 event, in which Agdestein had breezed past competition and won with a round to spare, the 2023 campaign was not an easy ride for the defending champion. Simen grabbed the lead after Round 4 but suffered a setback in Round 6 at the hands of IM Benjamin Haldorsen, who caught up with him.

Undaunted, Agdestein finished strong with two straight victories, scored 6.5/9 and clinched the title. GM Evgeny Romanov, IM Elham Abdrlauf and the rating favourite GM Aryan Tari finished a half-point behind the champion and tied for second place. Silver and bronze went to Romanov and Abdrlauf, respectively, thanks to superior median Buchholz.

In round 8 Agdestein scored a crucial win in a theoretically interesting fine attacking game.

Agdestein, Simen25841–0Hauge, Lars Oskar2508
Norwegian Championship Elite 2023
Oslo07.07.2023[Johannes Fischer]
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 0-0 6.e3 h6 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.Qd2 c6 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nd7 11.0-0-0 b6 12.Qe3 c5 13.d5 exd5 14.cxd5 a6 15.Bd3 Bb7 16.Bc2 b5 17.Kb1 Qa5? This is too slow. Better is 17...Re8 18.g4 Nb6 19.Rhe1 g6 with chances for both sides. After the text move White's attack is rather swift. 18.g4! Rfe8 19.g5 hxg5 20.Nxf6+ gxf6 21.Qd3 Nf8 Trying to flee with the king does not help, e.g. 21...Kf8 22.Qh7 Ke7 23.Bf5 Rf8 24.Rhe1+ Kd6 25.Bxd7 Kxd7 26.Qf5+ with a crushing attack. 22.h4 Rad8 23.Qf5 Re2 24.Qxf6 Rxc2
25.hxg5 Ng6 26.Rh7! A nice finish! 1–0

Final standings

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1.e4 5 e6 10 2.d4 14 d5 6 3.e5 4 c5 6 4.c3 4 Nc6 23 5.Nf3 11 Bd7 1:29 6.Be2 50 Nge7 44 7.Na3 3:24 Rc8 16:46 C02: French: Advance Variation. 8.0-0 14:27 cxd4 2:05 9.cxd4 49 Ng6 8:48 The position is equal. has lost popularity (9...Nf5). 10.Nc2 7:13 Be7 0 11.g3 5:44 0-0 8:08 12.h4 6:26 f6 6:15 13.exf6 5:03 Bxf6 3:44
14.Bd3N 2:19 Predecessor: 14.Bg5 Bxg5 15.Nxg5 h6 16.Nf3 e5 17.h5 Nge7 18.dxe5 Qe8 19.Ncd4 Bh3 20.Re1 ½-½ Carlsson,A-Carlsson,T SWE-chT corr 1980 14...Qb6 12:54 15.Bg5 5:35 Nge7 7:49 15...Bxd4 16.Bxg6 16.Nfxd4 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Qxd4= 16...Rxf3 17.Bxh7+ 17.Qxf3 hxg6 18.Nxd4 Rf8 17...Kxh7 18.Qxf3± 15...Qxb2? 16.Rb1 Qxa2 17.h5+- 17.Rxb7 Be8= 15...Nxd4 16.Ncxd4 Bxd4 17.Bxg6 Rxf3 18.Bxh7+ 18.Qxf3 hxg6 19.Be3 Rf8± 18...Kxh7 19.Qxf3± 16.Re1 13:20 h6 1:34 16...e5 keeps more tension. 17.dxe5 Bxg5 18.e6 Be8 17.Bf4 8:10 17.Bxf6 Rxf6 18.b4 Rcf8 17...Nf5 8:48 17...Bxd4? 18.Ncxd4 Rf6 19.Rc1+- 17...Qxb2 18.Rb1 Qxa2 19.Rxb7± 17...Nxd4? 18.Ncxd4 a6 19.Qd2+- 18.Bxf5 4:21 18.Kg2 keeps more tension. Nfxd4 19.Be3 e5 20.Nfxd4 exd4 21.Bf4 18...exf5 5 19.Qd2 2:40 Rce8 1:16 Don't do 19...Qxb2 20.Reb1 Nxd4 21.Nfxd4± 21.Rxb2? Nxf3+       Discovered Attack 22.Kh1 Nxd2-+ 20.Be5 1:30 20.Ne5= Bxe5 21.dxe5 20...Bxe5! 1:22 20...Qxb2? 21.Reb1+- 21.dxe5 59
21.Nxe5 is a better defense. Nxe5 22.dxe5 21...f4!-+ 1:31 22.gxf4 1:37
White is weak on the light squares 22.Qxd5+? is the wrong capture. Be6 23.Qe4 fxg3-+ 22...Ne7 39 22...d4!-+ Hoping for ...Bg4! 23.b4 23.Ncxd4? perishes. Nxd4 24.Nxd4 Qg6+ 25.Kf1 Bh3+ 26.Ke2 Rd8-+ 23...Bg4 23.e6 1:46 Bxe6 1:09 Strongly threatening ...Bf5. 24.Ncd4 1 Bc8 1:44 25.h5 2:32 Prevents Qg6+. Weighted Error Value: White=0.20 (precise) /Black=0.11 (very precise) ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Tari,A2646Ostenstad,B2442½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.1
Mitusov,S2434Hammer,J2630½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.2
Agdestein,S2584Djurhuus,R24021–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.3
Wallace,J2370Romanov,E2555½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.4
Urkedal,F2529Vestby-Ellingsen,M23581–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.5
Kvaloy,A2347Abdrlauf,E2522½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.6
Hauge,L2508Ingebretsen,J2342½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.7
Tallaksen,L2324Kaasen,T24840–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.8
Holm,K2480Oye-Stromberg,A23001–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.9
Al-Tarboush,W2254Elsness,F24640–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.10
Haldorsen,B2454Melaa,S22301–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20231.11
Holm,K2480Agdestein,S2584½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.1
Elsness,F2464Urkedal,F2529½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.2
Kaasen,T2484Haldorsen,B2454½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.3
Ingebretsen,J2342Tari,A2646½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.4
Hammer,J2630Wallace,J23700–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.5
Romanov,E2555Kvaloy,A23471–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.6
Abdrlauf,E2522Mitusov,S24341–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.7
Ostenstad,B2442Hauge,L25080–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.8
Djurhuus,R2402Oye-Stromberg,A23000–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.9
Vestby-Ellingsen,M2358Al-Tarboush,W22541–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.10
Melaa,S2230Tallaksen,L2324½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20232.11
Agdestein,S2584Kaasen,T24841–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.1
Haldorsen,B2454Romanov,E2555½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.2
Urkedal,F2529Holm,K24800–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.3
Wallace,J2370Abdrlauf,E25220–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.4
Hauge,L2508Elsness,F2464½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.5
Tari,A2646Vestby-Ellingsen,M23581–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.6
Oye-Stromberg,A2300Ingebretsen,J2342½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.7
Kvaloy,A2347Hammer,J26300–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.8
Tallaksen,L2324Ostenstad,B24420–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.9
Mitusov,S2434Melaa,S22301–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.10
Al-Tarboush,W2254Djurhuus,R24021–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20233.11
Abdrlauf,E2522Agdestein,S25840–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.1
Holm,K2480Tari,A2646½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.2
Romanov,E2555Hauge,L25081–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.3
Elsness,F2464Haldorsen,B2454½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.4
Hammer,J2630Ingebretsen,J2342½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.5
Oye-Stromberg,A2300Urkedal,F25291–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.6
Kaasen,T2484Mitusov,S24340–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.7
Ostenstad,B2442Wallace,J23701–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.8
Vestby-Ellingsen,M2358Kvaloy,A23470–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.9
Melaa,S2230Al-Tarboush,W2254½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.10
Djurhuus,R2402Tallaksen,L23241–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20234.11
Agdestein,S2584Romanov,E2555½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.1
Abdrlauf,E2522Holm,K24801–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.2
Tari,A2646Oye-Stromberg,A23001–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.3
Mitusov,S2434Elsness,F2464½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.4
Haldorsen,B2454Ostenstad,B24421–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.5
Hauge,L2508Hammer,J2630½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.6
Ingebretsen,J2342Urkedal,F2529½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.7
Kvaloy,A2347Kaasen,T24841–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.8
Wallace,J2370Al-Tarboush,W2254½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.9
Melaa,S2230Djurhuus,R24020–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.10
Tallaksen,L2324Vestby-Ellingsen,M2358½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20235.11
Haldorsen,B2454Agdestein,S25841–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.1
Romanov,E2555Tari,A2646½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.2
Elsness,F2464Abdrlauf,E25220–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.3
Holm,K2480Mitusov,S2434½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.4
Hammer,J2630Ostenstad,B2442½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.5
Oye-Stromberg,A2300Hauge,L2508½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.6
Ingebretsen,J2342Kvaloy,A2347½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.7
Urkedal,F2529Wallace,J23701–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.8
Djurhuus,R2402Vestby-Ellingsen,M23580–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.9
Al-Tarboush,W2254Tallaksen,L2324½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.10
Kaasen,T2484Melaa,S22301–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20236.11
Abdrlauf,E2522Haldorsen,B24541–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.1
Tari,A2646Agdestein,S2584½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.2
Mitusov,S2434Romanov,E2555½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.3
Hammer,J2630Holm,K2480½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.4
Hauge,L2508Urkedal,F25291–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.5
Kvaloy,A2347Elsness,F2464½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.6
Ostenstad,B2442Ingebretsen,J23420–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.7
Al-Tarboush,W2254Oye-Stromberg,A23001–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.8
Djurhuus,R2402Kaasen,T2484½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.9
Vestby-Ellingsen,M2358Melaa,S22300–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.10
Wallace,J2370Tallaksen,L23241–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20237.11
Romanov,E2555Abdrlauf,E25221–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.1
Haldorsen,B2454Tari,A26460–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.2
Agdestein,S2584Hauge,L25081–02023D55Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.3
Ingebretsen,J2342Holm,K2480½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.4
Kvaloy,A2347Mitusov,S24341–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.5
Elsness,F2464Hammer,J2630½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.6
Kaasen,T2484Al-Tarboush,W22540–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.7
Ostenstad,B2442Djurhuus,R2402½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.8
Vestby-Ellingsen,M2358Wallace,J2370½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.9
Melaa,S2230Oye-Stromberg,A23001–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.10
Tallaksen,L2324Urkedal,F25291–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20238.11
Tari,A2646Abdrlauf,E2522½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.1
Agdestein,S2584Ingebretsen,J23421–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.2
Holm,K2480Romanov,E2555½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.3
Al-Tarboush,W2254Kvaloy,A23470–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.4
Hammer,J2630Haldorsen,B24541–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.5
Hauge,L2508Mitusov,S24341–02023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.6
Wallace,J2370Elsness,F2464½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.7
Melaa,S2230Ostenstad,B24420–12023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.8
Urkedal,F2529Djurhuus,R2402½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.9
Oye-Stromberg,A2300Vestby-Ellingsen,M2358½–½2023Norwegian Championship Elite 20239.10
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