GM Steingrimsson Captures Icelandic Champion Title

GM Steingrimsson Captures Icelandic Champion Title
Gunnar Björnsson

GM Hedinn Steingrimsson beat GM Henrik Danielsen in a thrilling game in the last round of the Icelandic Chess Championship on Saturday. Danielsen (with black) stretched his position very far in search of a win that would have helped him clinch the title, but Steingrimsson held on. IM Bragi Thorfinnson, who drew against IM Gudmundur Kjartansson in the last round, needed a win to secure his first GM norm.

The Icelandic campion title is Steingrimsson´s second. In 1990, he won the title at age of 15 – which is still a record- when the championship was held at Hofn in Hornafjordur, which like Eidar, the current playing venue, is in the eastern part of Iceland. Steingrimsson finshed the championship with 7,5 points out of 9, followed by Thorfinnsson with 6,5 points and Danielsen with 6 points. GM Throstur Thorhallsson and IM Stefan Kristjansson shared 4th and 5th place with 5,5 points each, FM Robert Lagerman came 6th with 4 points, Gudmundur Gislason and FM Ingvar Thor Johannesson 7-8th with 3 points, followed by IM Gudmundur Kjartansson with 2,5 points and Jon Arni Halldorsson with 1,5 points.

The Icelandic Chess Championship in 2011 was one of the most exciting in recent memory with three GMs taking part. Steingrimsson´s performance equated to 2639 and helped him gain 9 Elo points and strengthen his position as the 2nd highest ranked Icelandic player, after GM Johann Hjartarson. Steingrimsson did not lose a single game and was even never close to losing one in the entire tournament. Steingrimsson´s solid performance will earn him a place in both Iceland´s National Chess Team and the European Individual Men Chess Championship next year.

Thorfinnsson also sailed through the championship without a single loss, but was agonisingly 0,5 point away from his first GM norm. Thorfinnson´s performance helped him gain 16 Elo points. He played confidently throughout, but narrowly escaped a loss against Gislason in the 8th round.
Danielsson was close to the top for the entire tournament. He is a workhorse and posted his games and analysis on chessdom.com during the championship. He arrived at Eidar, the playing venue, straight from overseas where he had been playing, and immediately left for an international tournament in Lubeck, Germany. He lost only 4 Elo points for his performance.
The Icelandic Chess Federation is grateful to the regional chess clubs and organizations hat helped make the event a success .

Website: http://skaksamband.is/?c=webpage&id=448 including, games, pictures etc.

Picture: Gunnar Bjornsson, president of ICF, Bragi Thorfinnsson, Hedinn Steingrimsson and Henrik Danielsen

Steingrimsson wins Icelandic Championship

23.04.2011 | 14:00

Hédinn Steingrímsson Wins Icelandic Chess Championship

Grandmaster Hédinn Steingrímsson came in first in the Icelandic Chess Championship in Egilstadir on Saturday. Steingrímsson beat grandmaster Henrik Danielsen in the final round. Danielsen fought hard for the win, which would have put him ahead of Steingrímsson.

This is the second time Steingrímsson wins the Icelandic Championship, the first time being in 1990 when he was only 15 years old, the youngest man to win th Icelandic national title. Steingrímsson got 7.5 points out of 9 possible. He won six of the nine games, allowing only three draws.

Bragi Thorfinnsson came in second after playing Gudmundur Kjartansson for a draw. Thorfinnsson come in half a point short of playing a t Grandmasters level.

GM Hannes Hlifar Stefánsson did not participate this year, but he has won the national title more times than anyone else or eleven times. Stefánsson has won the Icelandic Chess Championship every year since 1998 except for 2000, 2009 and 2011 when he didn't participate.

Image: www.skak.is

The final ranking this year:

Final Ranking crosstable after 9 Rounds
Rk.		Name	Rtg	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Pts.
1	GM	Steingrimsson Hedinn	2554	*	½	1	½	½	1	1	1	1	1	7,5
2	IM	Thorfinnsson Bragi	2417	½	*	½	1	½	1	½	1	½	1	6,5
3	GM	Danielsen Henrik	2533	0	½	*	½	1	½	½	1	1	1	6
4	IM	Kristjansson Stefan	2483	½	0	½	*	½	½	1	1	½	1	5,5
	GM	Thorhallsson Throstur	2387	½	½	0	½	*	½	1	½	1	1	5,5
6	FM	Lagerman Robert	2320	0	0	½	½	½	*	½	½	1	½	4
7		Gislason Gudmundur	2291	0	½	½	0	0	½	*	½	1	0	3
8	FM	Johannesson Ingvar Thor	2338	0	0	0	0	½	½	½	*	½	1	3
9	IM	Kjartansson Gudmundur	2327	0	½	0	½	0	0	0	½	*	1	2,5
10		Halldorsson Jon Arni	2195	0	0	0	0	0	½	1	0	0	*	1,5

Source: http://www.icelandreview.com

Icelandic Chess Championship : Half-time report

Icelandic Chess Championship : Half-time report

IM Bragi Thorfinsson and GM Hedinn Steingrimsson share the lead after 5 rounds (out of 10) with 4.5 points each, at the Icelandic Chess Championship, held at the resort town of Eidar, in the eastern part of Iceland (near the town of Egilsstadir.) GM Henrik Danielsen is 3rd with 4 points. GM Throstur Thorhallsson and IM Stefan Kristjansson share 4th and 5th place, with 2.5 points (or 50% score).

At half-time, it is clear that the title will be contested by the three top players, Thorfinnsson, Steingrimsson and Danielsen. Excitingly, they have yet to square up against one another, with the first match in tomorrow´s 6th round between Thorfinsson and Danielsen. Steingrimsson and Danielsen are the only contestants which have won the championship (Steingrimsson at the tender age of 15 in 1990, and Danielsen in 2009). However, it is perhaps Thorfinsson that may have the edge on them this time around, playing the white pieces in the remaining games against these two.

Despite the tranquil surroundings, the play has been everything but quiet, with no short draws in the 25 games so far, with even GM Danielsen and IM Kristjansson ending their game with just the two kings in today´s biggest contest. Chess enthusiasts can watch live broadcast of the event on the website of the Icelandic Chess Federation at: http://skaksamband.is/?c=webpage&id=480.

Play commences at 2 PM each day (GMT), except the last round this Saturday which starts at 9 AM and will feature, among others, the game between GM Steingrimsson and GM Danielsen, the tournament´s two highest ranked players.

Standings:

• 1.-2. IM Bragi Thorfinnsson (2417) and GM Hedinn Steingrimsson (2554) 4,5 pts.
• 3. GM Henrik Danielsen (2533) 4 pts.
• 4.-5. GM Throstur Thorhallsson (2387) and IM Stefan Kristjansson (2483) 2,5 pts.
• 6. FM Robert Lagerman (2320) 2 pts.
• 7.-8. Gudmundur Gislason (2291) and IM Gudmundur Kjartansson (2327) 1,5 pts.
• 9.-10. FM Ingvar Thor Johannesson (2338) and Jon Arni Halldorsson (2195) 1 pts.

Below is the remaining playing schedule of the top three players:

GM Steingrimsson:
• 6. FM Robert Lagerman (2320)
• 7. IM Stefan Kristjansson (2483)
• 8. IM Bragi Þorfinnsson (2417)
• 9. GM Henrik Danielsen (2533)

GM Danielsen:
• 6. IM Bragi Thorfinnsson (2417)
• 7. FM Ingvar Thor Johannesson (2338)
• 8. Gudmundur Gislason (2291)
• 9. Hedinn Steingrimsson (2554)

IM Bragi Thorfinsson:
• 6. GM Henrik Danielsen (2533)
• 7. Gudmundur Gislason (2291)
• 8. Hedinn Steingrimsson (2554)
• 9. IM Gudmundur Kjartansson (2327)

Website: http://skaksamband.is/?c=webpage&id=448

2011 Icelandic Chess Championship

Icelandic Chess Championship Starts this Friday!

The Icelandic Chess Championship will start this Friday, April 15 in the resort of Eidar, near the town of Egilsstadir. Ten of Iceland´s strongest player, including three GMs, will contest the highly sought-after crown, in an event featuring some of the strongest line-up for years. The 9-round championship is being held in the eastern part of Iceland for the first time in 21 years. Last time around in 1990 - in the town of Hofn by Hornafjordur – the championship was won by then 15-year old (and now GM) Hedinn Steingrimsson, a record in the history of the championship, which has been held since 1913.

In addition to GM Steingrimsson, only one other former champion, GM Henrik Danielsen, who topped the 2009 event, takes now part. Other participants include GM Throstur Thorhallsson, IMs Stefan Kristjansson, Bragi Thorfinsson and Gudmundur Kjartansson, FMs Ingvar Johannesson, Robert Lagerman and Gudmundur Gislaon, and Jon Arni Halldorsson. Eleven-time, and defending champion GM Hannes Stefansson, however, will be absent.

Chess enthusiasts can follow live broadcast, starting at 2 PM GMT, on www.skaksamband.is., the Icelandic Chess Federation´s website.

Best regards,

Gunnar Bjornsson,
President of the Icelandic Chess Federation

Vietnam Chess Championship 2010

Vietnam Chess Championship 2010
WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung and GM Le Quang Liem become the champions

The 2010 Vietnam Chess Championship for Men and Women was played from 17th to 24th December. The 16-years old WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung convincingly won the title in the Women tournament, running a full point clear of the opposition. Nguyen Thi Mai Hung is also silver medalist from the recent World Youth U16 Championship.

The Men championship with 72 participants saw a more uncertain finish. The top Grandmaster Le Quang Liem had a half point lead prior to the last round, but there he drew GM Bui Vinh, while GM Cao Sang and GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son won their games to catch Liem on the shared first place. However, Liem claimed the title on superior tiebreak score.

Both champions, and other top Vietnam players, continue the tour at the 7th Singapore International Chess Festival 2010.

Final top 10 standings (Men):

1 GM Le Quang Liem HCM 7
2 GM Cao Sang LDO 7
3 GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son KGI 7
4 GM Dao Thien Hai QDO 6.5
5 Tran Manh Tien QDO 6.5
6 GM Tu Hoang Thong HCM 6
7 FM Hoang Canh Huan HNO 6
8 FM Nguyen Duc Hoa QDO 6
9 IM Nguyen Van Huy HNO 6
10 GM Bui Vinh HNO 6
11 IM Tu Hoang Thai HCM 6
Tran Quoc Dung DTH 6
13 Tran Ngoc Thach QDO 6
14 FM Ly Hong Nguyen HCM 6
15 Pham Xuan Dat QDO 6
16 GM Nguyen Anh Dung HNO 6

Final top 10 standings (Women):

1 WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung BGI 7.5
2 WIM Pham Le Thao Nguyen CTH 6.5
3 WIM Hoang Thi Nhu Y TTH 6.5
4 WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An HCM 6.5
5 WGM Hoang Thi Bao Tram TTH 6.5
WIM Dang Bich Ngoc NBI 6.5
7 WGM Le Thanh Tu NBI 6
8 WFM Luong Minh Hue NBI 6
9 WIM Nguyen Quynh Anh HCM 6
WCM Phan Nguyen Mai Chi DAN 6
Pham Thi Ngoc Tu HCM 6

12 grandmasters to participate in Armenian Chess Championship

12 grandmasters to participate in Armenian Chess Championship
December 20, 2010 - 15:21 AMT 11:21 GMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The 71st Armenian Chess Championship will be held in Tigran Petorsian Chess House in Yerevan from January 10 to 12. With 12 grandmasters participating, the winner will be included in the national team.

Arman Pashikian, Hrant Melkumian, Tigran L. Petrosian, Zaven Andriasian, Avetik Grigorian, Samvel Ter-Sahakian, Ashot Anastasian, Artashes Minasian, Robert Hovnannisian, Tigran Kotanjian, David Petrosian and Ara Minasian will compete, armchess.am reported.