Magnus Carlsen in Norwegian Chess Festival
Carlsen, Svidler, Nakamura and Agdestein to play at Gjøvik chess festival
Report by Chessdom.com
Magnus Carlsen faces Peter Svidler (Russia), Hikaru Nakamura (USA) and Simen Agdestein in a Super rapid tournament in Gjøvik, Norway from January 2nd to 5th. The tournament has about the same format as the Mainz Classic, with a double round tournament followed by final and bronze final games. The Norwegian audience will be eager to see Magnus Carlsen on home-ground again, since he does not play a single tournament game in Norway during 2008.
The rapid contest is part of a chess festival with a big and varied program, held on occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Gjøvik chess club. The festival starts on December 29th, and the main tournament is a 9 round GM-Swiss open to players with a rating above 2100. Reigning European champion Sergei Tiviakov (NL) 2686 is the highest rated player of the preliminary list of participants. There is also a parallel group open for all players rated below 2100.
Gjøvik has been hosting some big chess events in the past, and Simen Agdestein played an important role both in 1983 when at 16 he beat Spassky in the 75th anniversary tournament and became an IM, in 1985 when he became Nordic champion and Grandmaster at 18 (just then the youngest in the world!) and in 1991 when he drew a classical mini-match with Karpov 2-2.
Here is the official website: http://www.gjovikfestival.sjakkweb.no/
Go Magnus!
Small correction: Jan Werle is the reigning European champion, not Sergey Tiviakov.
Finally the showdown we have been waiting for!
Nakamura vs. Agdestein
Go Nakamura!!