The world’s top rated player Magnus Carlsen (2864) faces Grandmaster colleague Borki Predojevic (2616) from Bosnia & Herzegovina in a four games rapid match in Lillehammer this Friday and Saturday (28-29th June).
Background of this match is that the two know each other from some chess events since childhood, and their first game took place in junior tournament in Hafjell close to Lillehammer back in 2002. Borki, who was then already World champion under 14, won this first game between them. Later Magnus got a revenge winning their games 1 1/2 – 1/2 in the Bosna tournament 2006 in Sarajevo.
The present match has been initiated by Steinar Bryn, who is both a chess player and Senior adviser at The Nansen Center for Peace and Dialogue in Lillehammer, where he mainly works on peace projects in the Balkan region. The games and the opening show are expected to be followed closely in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.
Magnus Carlsen
The four games will be played at the Radisson Blu Lillehammer Hotel, and with the rapid time control 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move.
The games are transmitted to the internet by this website: http://www.sjakk-live.com/Carlsen.php
It happens that this “battle of Lillehammer” starts on a very historic day for the Balkan region. 28th of June was the date of both the historic battle of Kosovo between Serbia and Ottoman Empire in 1389 and the shots of Sarajevo in 1914 which started World War 1.
The rapid match in Lillehammer coincides with this year’s Norwegian chess championship starting on Saturday 29th. The closing ceremony of the match will be part of the opening ceremony of the Norwegian championship, where also 17 games will be shown on internet.
Borki Predojevic
Schedule of the Lillehammer rapid match:
Friday
1500 – Opening ceremony, drawing of lots
1700 – Game 1
1830 – Game 2
Saturday
1200 – Game 3
1330 – Game 4
1530 – Closing ceremony
Some more background on the match
Øystein Brekke
