Norwegian Elite Series: Valerenga claims title, Carlsen scores 3/3

Local hero makes star appearance

The Norwegian Elite Series is the national team championship organised by the Norwegian Chess Federation (Norges Sjaakforbund). Ten teams play a single round-robin. Each team match is played on six boards.

Master Class Vol.8 - Magnus Carlsen 2nd Edition

Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.

The nominally strongest team is the team from Offerspill, which is mainly due to the fact that the team's first board, Magnus Carlsen, has such an immensely high Elo rating. Carlsen founded the Offerspill Club himself in order to gain control of the association in a dispute with the Norwegian Chess Federation during a board election, which was backed by an offer from a betting operator who wanted to enter the Norwegian market with Carlsen and chess. This did not succeed, but Carlsen's Offerspill team has been a permanent fixture ever since and is always one of the favourites, especially in the European Club Championship.

At home in Norway, the dominance is not so great. The boards are usually filled with local players. Only a few players from other countries are active in this league.

Behind Magnus Carlsen, Offerspill also has Frode Urkedal as the second grandmaster in its ranks. The Oslo Schakselskap, on the other hand, can boast five grandmasters. In addition to Simen Agdestein and the newly crowned U20 runner-up Elham Amar, the team list also includes Lars Oskar Hauge, Jon Ludvig Hammer and the Swede Leif Erlend Johannessen - the latter two as substitutes.

With his busy schedule, the world number one had little time to help his team in the Norwegian Team Championship, but at least he sat down at the board for the last three rounds last weekend and scored three points for his team.

On Friday, Magnus Carlsen faced his former coach Simen Agdestein. The evaluation was balanced for a long time, but eventually the student once again prevailed against his teacher.

Agdestein, Simen2573

0–1

Carlsen, Magnus2833

Eliteserien 24 25 Oslo2025[Schulz,A]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 Nb6 6...c6 7.h3 Ne4 8.e3 Ndf6 9.Bd3 Bd6 10.Ne5 0-0 11.0-0 Re8 12.Ne2 Nh5 13.Bh2 f6 14.Nf3 g6 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.Nc3 Bf5 17.Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Nd2 Bd3 19.Re1 Ba6 20.Qa4 0-1 (68) Keymer,V (2721)-Le,Q (2731) Biel 2024 CBM 221 [Le,Quang Liem] 7.Qc2 Nh5 8.Be5 f6 9.Bg3 c6 10.e3 Be6 11.Bd3 g6 12.a3 Be7

The position is equal. 13.Nd2 0-0 14.Nb3 Nd7 15.Na4 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Bf7 Otherwise Bxg6 follows with a decisive attack. 17.g4 a5 18.Nbc5 Rb8 19.Be2 Nxc5 20.dxc5 Be6 21.0-0-0 f5 22.Bd3 Qc7 22...fxg4?? 23.Bxg6 hxg6 24.Qxg6# 23.f4 Rbe8 24.Rh6?! White dreams of an attack on the h-file, but it is easily parried. 24.g5= 24...Rf7 25.Rdh1 Bf8 26.R6h4 Qe7 26...Bg7!? with the idea 27.g5 27.Rxh7 Bxb2+ 27...d4 27.g5 d4 27...Bd7 28.R4h3= 28.exd4 Qd7

29.g4?! 29.Qc3!? Rd8 30.Bc2 Qxd4 31.Qxd4 Rxd4 is better for Black, but still far from a win. 29...Qxd4 30.gxf5 gxf5 31.Rd1 Qe3+ 32.Kb1 Rd8

33.Rhh1? White needed to address the pressure on the e-file, for example: 33.Nb6 Qxc5 33...Rd4 34.Nc4= 34.Re1 Re8 33...Rfd7 34.Rde1 A last-ditch attempt, but White now enters a lost endgame. 34.Be2? Rd2-+ 34...Qxd3 35.Rxe6 Qxc2+ 36.Kxc2 Rd4 37.Kb3 Rxf4 38.g6 h6 39.Rf6 Rd3+ 40.Nc3 a4+ 41.Kc2 Rd7 42.Rh5 Rf2+ 43.Kc1 Bxc5 44.Rhxf5 Be3+ 45.Kb1 Rxf5 46.Rxf5 Kg7 47.Nxa4 Kxg6 48.Rf3

48...Bd4 White's knight is dominated, and the h-pawn decides the game. 0–1

It was not enough for Offerspill to win the championship. The Norwegian champions were Vålerenga (14 points) ahead of Oslo (13 points). Offerspill took third place with 13 points.

All available games - Rounds 7 to 9

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Understanding Middlegame Strategies Vol.11 - King's Indian Structures

This course will enhance your understanding of the King’s Indian Defence. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their opening strategy, reduce mistakes, and develop a winning game plan.