It is extremely tight at the top of the standings in the well-attended Janus Open chess tournament in Eiði, now that six rounds have been completed.
Only half a point separates the top ten players in the standings. Sjúrður Thorsteinsson from Tvøroyri, representing Havnar Chess Club, shares the lead with two Icelandic players with two rounds remaining. Sjúrður has defeated both Rógvi Egilstoft and Martin Poulsen and drawn against Luitjen Akselsson Apol.
More photos can be found at: https://myndir.janusopen.fo
The Icelandic frontrunners are Jón Kristinn Thorgeirsson and Símun Thorhalsson, who are ranked number 25 and 41 respectively on the Icelandic rating list.
The Faroese champion Høgni Egilstoft Nielsen, who has the highest rating in the tournament, lost earlier today to Símun Thorhalsson and has therefore dropped half a point behind the leaders.
Five Faroese players are close behind the three leaders. They are the brothers Høgni and Rógvi Egilstoft, Eyðun Nolsøe, Carl Eli Samuelsen, and Hans Kristian Simonsen.
The final two rounds will be played tomorrow, Sunday. Play begins at 1:30 p.m., with the eighth and final round starting at 5:00 p.m.
It is possible to follow the games move by move on the top boards. A link to the tournament can be found on the Faroese Chess Federation’s website – faroechess.com.
Standings in Janus Open II (after 6 rounds)
1–3. Símun Thorhalsson (2192), Iceland – 5½ points
1–3. Jón Kristinn Thorgeirsson (2270), Iceland – 5½ points
1–3. Sjúrður Thorsteinsson (2132), Faroe Islands – 5½ points
4–10. IM Dagur Ragnarsson (2363), Iceland – 5 points
4–10. IM Høgni Egilstoft Nielsen (2391), Faroe Islands – 5 points
4–10. Rógvi Egilstoft (2313), Faroe Islands – 5 points
4–10. Páll Gauti Jónsson (2133), Iceland – 5 points
4–10. Eyðun Nolsøe (2161), Faroe Islands – 5 points
4–10. Carl Eli N. Samuelsen (2166), Faroe Islands – 5 points
4–10. Hans Kristian Simonsen (2121), Faroe Islands – 5 points
A total of 135 players are taking part.
Chess tradition in the Sundalag area
As previously mentioned, a participation record has been set in this tournament. A total of 135 players competed yesterday and today. Never before have so many people gathered to play chess in the Faroe Islands as in Eiði this weekend.
Well over thirty players are from the northern area covered by the chess club Rókur in the Sundalag region. Several of these are more or less beginners.
There has been no chess club in Eiði for many years. However, Eiðis Chess Club, which went dormant nearly half a century ago, was the oldest chess club in Eysturoy. It was founded as early as 1956. During the 1960s, players from Eiði took part three times in the so-called Wood Tournament, which in the 1950s and 1960s was effectively the national league competition for Faroese chess clubs. Eiðis Chess Club participated in the Wood Tournament in 1964, 1966, and 1967.
Eiðis Chess Club also took part in founding the Faroese Chess Federation in 1970 and was among the six clubs that made up the top division—then called the A Division—when the national league began in the winter of 1970/71.
Many of the players from Eiði at the time had the first name Hans as part of a double first name. This was picked up by comedians on the V4 radio entertainment programme when they broadcast from Eiði one Saturday evening in the early 1970s. All the players were named: Hans Egil, Hans Edvard, Hans Erland, Hans Jákup, Hans Julian, Hans Esbern—and perhaps there were others as well.
Chess activity in Eiði declined in the mid-1970s. Around the same time, another club emerged in Oyri. Talvfelagið Rókur was founded in 1974 and quickly gained momentum. In 1978, Bergur Johannesen became Faroese youth champion, and the following year the club organized the Faroese Individual Championship in the new comprehensive school in Oyrarbakki.
In 1979, chess also became a new sport within the sports club Streymur in Hvalvík–Streymnes. There, things really took off, and many strong players emerged. Streymur won the Faroese youth team championship as early as 1980 and again in 1982, and in 1986 they made a breakthrough in the top division, winning the Faroese championship after a hard-fought battle with Havnar Chess Club. The winning team consisted of Gunnar Joensen, Martin Brekká, Finnbjørn Zachariassen, and Hanus Brekká. Talvfelagið Streymur is no longer active.
Today, all chess activity in the Sundalag area is gathered under the club Rókur. The club plays its home matches alternately in Oyrarbakki and Eiði, occasionally also at Margáir in Streymnes. The club is currently ranked fifth in the second division, so it may still be some time before they return to the top division.
Interest nevertheless appears to be strong. At present, activity seems particularly lively in Eiði, although in team competitions there are several players from the southern part of the Sundalag area.
Founding years
The following overview shows when the chess clubs in Eysturoy, Norðstreymoy, and the Sundalag area were founded:
Eiðis Chess Club (1956)
Gøta Chess Club (1964)
Kollafjørður Chess Club (1967)
Stranda Chess Club (1972)
Tofta Chess Club (1973)
Rókur Chess Club of Oyri (1974)
Hósvík Chess Club (1975)
Streymur Chess Club (1979)
Runavík Chess Club (1982)
