Magnus Carlsen
Norway.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2801. 18 years old. World blitz champion.
Magnus Carlsen no longer needs much introduction. 18 years old he has already become one of the greatest stars in chess - not just in Norway but in the entire world. In many countries Magnus Carlsen in fact is the most famous Norwegian. The Washington Post spoke of Carlsen as ”the Mozart of chess”, and a lot of people think Carlsen will become World Champion within a few years.
It might seem strange, but Magnus Carlsen was not a great star when he was a small child. In the Norwegian Championship in 1999 he was not among the best in U11, and he was beaten by several kids his own age. One year later he won the group, and after this he improved with amazing speed. In 2002 he became the youngest ever to participate in the top group in the Norwegian Championship, and in 2003 he had established himself as one of the strongest players in the country.
Carlsen’s international breaktrough came in Wijk aan Zee in January 2004, when he won the C-group with a performance rating above 2700. Shortly after this he became the youngest grandmaster ever. Carlsen has kept on improving, and last year he won the Aerosvit-tournament in Ukraine with 8 out of 11 points and a performance rating of 2878, his best result to date. In October he won in Nanjing Pearl Spring with 8 out of 10 points. Carlsen is ranked second in the world, and a clear favourite to win BNbank Blitz.
Hikaru Nakamura
USA.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2715.
21 years old.
Hikaru Nakamura is the highest rated player in the US, and this year’s American champion. Nakamura became a star in the US as a child, when he as a ten-year-old became the youngest player ever to achieve a title from the US Chess Federation (the title of Chess Master). When he was 15, Nakamura became the youngest American in history to gain the title of Grandmaster, beating legendary Bobby Fischer’s old record.
Despite his young age, Nakamura has won numerous strong international tournaments. In 2006 he played for the American team which won the bronze medal in the Olympiad, and this year Nakamura won the US Championship with 7 out of 9 points, well ahead of his opponents.
Nakamura is popular because of his aggressive style of play, and some very unusual opening choices. Blitz is known to be his specialty, which makes him especially dangerous in BNbank Blitz. Nakamura is a famous player on several internet sites, and has the top rating on Internet Chess Club in both rapid chess and blitz. He is definitely among the best blitz players in the world, and will probably be Magnus Carlsen’s most difficult opponent in BNbank Blitz.
Monica Socko
Poland.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2457.
31 years old.
Grandmaster Monika Socko became a very well-known name in Norwegian chess this summer, when she surprisingly won the Arctic Chess Challenge in Tromsø, ahead of several strong grandmasters. Socko is ranked as no. 25 on the women’s world ranking list, and last year she attained the highest of chess titles, that of Grandmaster.
Socko was a child prodigy, placing second in the World Championship for girls U10 in 1988 and first in the World Championship U18 in 1996. She has been no. 9 on the women’s world ranking list, with a top ELO of 2505. When Poland won the bronze medals in the 2002 Olympiad, Socko was one of the stars on the team scoring 10.5 out of 13 points, and she won the medal as the best player on board three. Socko also had the best score on her team with 7 points out of 9 when Poland won the European Team Championship in 2005.
Only months have passed since the last time Socko showed impressive play here in Norway, so no one should feel safe in BNbank Blitz!
Peter Heine Nielsen
Denmark.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2697. 36 years old.
Peter Heine Nielsen is definitely the greatest of the masters in BNbank Blitz, standing almost two meters tall. His height is not what has made him a feared opponent, however. The Danish grandmaster has many impressive results under his belt. He has qualified for the world championship on several occasions, and he has been the strongest player in Denmark for many years. In later years the Dane has also made a name for himself as a training partner, cooperating with World Champion Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen.
Like Magnus Carlsen, Nielsen was something of a youth star in his country. Nevertheless, he had to wait until 1996 to win his first national championship. With an ELO of 2687 Nielsen has now passed Bent Larsen’s record ELO, and is thereby the highest rated player in Denmark ever. Peter Heine Nielsen is currently no. 46 on the World ranking list and second among Nordic players.
Nielsen’s results in blitz are second to few. In 2004 he won the European championship, having beaten Short, Gelfand and Adams. If he is on form in BNbank Blitz, no one will enjoy their encounter with the Danish giant.
Emanuel Berg
Sweden.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2594.
27 years old.
Emanuel Berg won his first Swedish championship in June this year, and he is now ranked as Sweden’s strongest player. Berg early on established himself as one of the most talented Nordic players, and he won several Nordic children championships. Since then he has kept on improving. Berg became a grandmaster in 2004, and in 2007 he became Nordic Champion. Berg is a professional chess player, and last year he passed 2600 ELO and is therefore a super-GM. The Swede is known for his serious approach to the game, as is shown in his great knowledge of chess openings. No one doubts that he has the potential to climb further on the world ranking list.
Berg is a well-known name in Norway, and he was recently hired to play for Oslo Schakselskap in the Norwegian top league. Berg’s style is entertaining, and it will be interesting to watch his games in BNbank Blitz. If he has a good day, he will be one of the candidates to win the tournament.
Kjetil Alexander Lie
Norway.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2547.
28 years old.
Grandmaster Kjetil A. Lie from Porsgrunn is the reigning Norwegian champion. In the Norwegian championship in Bergen in July he won his first title, ahead of amongst others Simen Agdestein and Jon Ludvig Hammer. This result indicates that Lie again has taken a step forward, after some disappointing results lately.
Lie was always among the top players in his age group at the national level, but it was certainly no sure thing that he would attain the grandmaster title. In January 2000 his rating was barely over 2200 – nothing spectacular for a 19-year-old. Half a year later, things looked quite a bit different. His rating had shot up by 150 points, and it was clear that he would soon play for the national team. There have not been any more 150-point leaps, but his rating has increased a bit every year. The 2400 mark was passed in 2002; the 2500 mark in 2005.
Among Lie’s best results is runner-up in the Arctic Chess Challenge in Tromsø 2007, with a performance rating of 2675. Lie also became a Norwegian hero during last year’s Olympiad, when he beat world famous Bu Xiangzhi when Norway sensationally defeated China 2.5-1.5.
Lie is a strong blitz player, and is not easily intimidated. Those who face him in BNbank Blitz will have to play at their very best if they are to avoid defeat.
Jon Ludvig Hammer
Norway.
Grandmaster. ELO: 2588.
19 years old.
It is easy to disappear in the shadow of Magnus Carlsen, for the shadow he casts is great. Yet Jon Ludvig Hammer’s achievements have not gone unnoticed, which says much about his results. Like Magnus, Hammer is born in 1990, and is among the most talented Norwegians ever. In Magnus’ absence he has won several Norwegian championships in his age group. The 19-year-old is now ranked as Norway’s second best player, and with a 2585 ELO he is rapidly approaching the status of super-GM. Hammer will be an important part of both the Norwegian national team and the team of his club Oslo Schakselskap in the years to come.
Hammer became a grandmaster in January this year; he scored his final norm by winning the strong open Gjøvik International. In March, Hammer made another strong performance in Cappelle La Grande in France, with a tournament performance of 2676 and 8th place. Hammer is undoubtedly improving rapidly, and could be one of Magnus Carlsen’s most difficult opponents in BNbank Blitz.
Victorija Cmilyte
Lithuania.
International Master. ELO: 2480. 26 years old.
With one ELO point more than Monika Socko, Cmilyte is the highest ranked female player in BNbank Blitz. Cmilyte is ranked 24 on the women’s list, and she has been a serious contender for the women’s world championship title several times. In 2006 she made it all the way to the semi finals after having defeated amongst others Alexandra Kosteniuk and Maia Chiburdanidze. Cmilyte was ranked as the best girl in the world (U20) in 2001.
As a child, Cmilyte showed exceptional skills. She became European Champion for girls U10 in 1993 and World Champion U12 in 1995. Later she has won the Lithuanian Championship (regardless of gender) twice, ahead of several grandmasters, and she has also played with great success in many Olympiads. Cmilyte has been a regular on the Lithuanian national team since she was 13 years old, and she won the prize as the best player on board one in the Olympiad in both 2000 (with 9.5/12) and 2004 (8.5/11). She undoubtedly plays well in faster games as well, as she became the women’s world rapid chess champion in 2007. BNbank Blitz could become another success for the Lithuanian star.
Ellen Hagesæther
Norway. Woman
International Master. ELO: 2269. 31 years old.
Ellen Hagesæther is the top rated female chess player in Norway, and she has played board 1 for the Norwegian national team since 2000. She is a Woman International Master (WIM), and her ELO improves steadily towards the requirement for the Woman Grandmaster title.
Like many other talented chess players, Hagesæther grew up on the Karmøy peninsula and played for Hauge chess club. As a child, she was always among the best girls her age. Hagesæther plays solid chess with a punch, and she has improved steadily year after year. She has represented Norway in numerous championships, and she has played six Olympiads. When it comes to international championships, Ellen is one of the most experienced players in Norway.
Among Hagesæther’s best results is first place in the Nordic Championship for women in 2003. Hagesæther has been on good form lately, and in Czech Open this summer she almost scored her first Woman Grandmaster norm. BNbank Blitz will be yet another opportunity to shine for the Norwegian star.
Player number 10
Norway. Grandmaster, rating 2528. 29 years old.
Like Agdestein and Lie, Johannessen comes from a family of chess players. As the youngest son there was never any doubt that he would become a proper chessplayer. At the national level he was the clear number one in his age group, ahead of among others Kjetil A Lie. It was but a natural step in his development as a chessplayer when he achieved the title of grandmaster in 2002. Since then his progress has been slow, as a result of demanding studies. No one doubts that the 29-year-old has great potential, however.
Leif Erlend Johannessen has not managed to win the Norwegian championship yet, but he has come very close. As a 19-year-old he made it to playoffs in 1999, but lost to GM Berge Ostenstad. Two years later he once again finished second, this time behind GM Einar Gausel. In 2000 and 2005, he finished third in the championship. Even though he has not played much lately, Johannessen is one of the outsiders in BNbank Blitz Norway.
