Norway’s Magnus Carlsen propelled his team forward at the Chess Olympiad in Tromsø on Monday when he beat Nikola Djukic of Montenegro after 44 moves. Commentators and teammate Simen Agdestein called Carlsen’s moves “magical,” with the Norwegian team gaining another three points.
Jon Ludvig Hammer also won his match while Agdestein and Leif Erlend Johannessen tied. Hammer and Carlsen were favoured as they went into their matches playing white.
“What Magnus did here today, was magical,” Agdestein told state broadcaster NRK when it was all over. Carlsen was in control the whole way and Agdestein called his moves”just incredible, time and time again.”
Carlsen himself toned down the hype, claiming he hadn’t displayed any great moves. “It went well, I felt calm, no panic even though it was even for a while,” he said. Carlsen revealed a bit about how he sits and thinks through positions in NRK’s studio afterwards, to amazed commentators. There often are just a few “small nuances,” Carlsen said, “but they mean we go from equal positions to me being better off.”
After three rounds at the Olympiad, Norway top team had two wins and one remis.
newsinenglish.no staff
