Icelandic chess!
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Jul 20, 2018
0
#10
the match between fischer and spaski in iceland made chess very popular there
Interesting. I wonder if that's the only reason for Icelandic chess excellence?
Aug 1, 2018
0
#12
Thanks for the post, Ed
Beeing an Icelander living abroad it always make me proud of my heritage when Iceland is recognized. In chess, or like more recently, in the world cup.
Beeing an Icelander living abroad it always make me proud of my heritage when Iceland is recognized. In chess, or like more recently, in the world cup. ed1975 wrote:
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/gm-s-per-capita-worldwide-1-iceland2?page=2
According to the above link, Iceland has more GMs per capita than any other country. One wonders where this apparent abundance in chess skill comes from? Perhaps there is little else to do in the cold winter evenings. Anyway, I thought I would celebrate Icelandic chess by posting some examples of top Icelandic players’ great games. There are also many examples of Icelandic players drawing elite players, but I thought I would concentrate on the wins here. One also gets the impression that the Icelandic Chess Championship is typically a fairly strong event.
Friðrik Ólafsson is probably the best-known Icelandic chess player. He is a six-time Icelandic Chess Champion and a two-time Nordic Chess Champion. In 1959, Friðrik qualified for the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship. He also played in the Interzonal in 1962.
Jóhann Hjartarson is a six-time Icelandic Chess Champion and a two-time Nordic Chess Champion. Jóhann qualified for the World Championship Candidates Tournament in 1988.
Jón Loftur Árnason is a three-time Icelandic Chess Champion and was World U17 Chess Champion in 1977. He has defeated world championship contenders and super-grandmasters of the calibre of Short, Korchnoi, Shirov, Adams, Dreev, Vaganian and Larsen. He has also drawn former world champions Petrosian, Smyslov, Tal, Karpov, and Khalifman.
Hannes Hlífar Stefánsson is an eleven-time Icelandic Chess Champion, which makes him the record holder for most Icelandic Championship victories. Hannes won the World U16 Chess Championship in 1987.
Margeir Pétursson was Icelandic Chess Champion in 1986 and 1987, and Nordic Chess Champion in 1987. He competed in the July 1985 Interzonal, the 1990 Interzonal, and participated in the FIDE World Chess Championship 1998.
Héðinn Steingrímsson is a three-time Icelandic Chess Champion and was World U12 Chess Champion in 1987.
Helgi Ólafsson is a six-time Icelandic Chess Champion.
Guðmundur Sigurjónsson is a three-time Icelandic Chess Champion.
**
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/gm-s-per-capita-worldwide-1-iceland2?page=2
According to the above link, Iceland has more GMs per capita than any other country. One wonders where this apparent abundance in chess skill comes from? Perhaps there is little else to do in the cold winter evenings. Anyway, I thought I would celebrate Icelandic chess by posting some examples of top Icelandic players’ great games. There are also many examples of Icelandic players drawing elite players, but I thought I would concentrate on the wins here. One also gets the impression that the Icelandic Chess Championship is typically a fairly strong event.
Friðrik Ólafsson is probably the best-known Icelandic chess player. He is a six-time Icelandic Chess Champion and a two-time Nordic Chess Champion. In 1959, Friðrik qualified for the Candidates Tournament for the World Chess Championship. He also played in the Interzonal in 1962.
Jóhann Hjartarson is a six-time Icelandic Chess Champion and a two-time Nordic Chess Champion. Jóhann qualified for the World Championship Candidates Tournament in 1988.
Jón Loftur Árnason is a three-time Icelandic Chess Champion and was World U17 Chess Champion in 1977. He has defeated world championship contenders and super-grandmasters of the calibre of Short, Korchnoi, Shirov, Adams, Dreev, Vaganian and Larsen. He has also drawn former world champions Petrosian, Smyslov, Tal, Karpov, and Khalifman.
Hannes Hlífar Stefánsson is an eleven-time Icelandic Chess Champion, which makes him the record holder for most Icelandic Championship victories. Hannes won the World U16 Chess Championship in 1987.
Margeir Pétursson was Icelandic Chess Champion in 1986 and 1987, and Nordic Chess Champion in 1987. He competed in the July 1985 Interzonal, the 1990 Interzonal, and participated in the FIDE World Chess Championship 1998.
Héðinn Steingrímsson is a three-time Icelandic Chess Champion and was World U12 Chess Champion in 1987.
Helgi Ólafsson is a six-time Icelandic Chess Champion.
Guðmundur Sigurjónsson is a three-time Icelandic Chess Champion.
**