– I think it’s fun to tease people. Johan-Sebastian Christiansen feels a slight discomfort, but he himself has seen the situation. Because actually he promised that he would never play chess in Croatia again, and in any case not for the Solin-Cemex chess club. Nevertheless, Christiansen is ready for a new round of the Croatian elite series now in October. Johan-Sebastian Christiansen Born 10 June 1998, 26 years old. Norway’s second-best chess player behind Magnus Carlsen. Has 2650 in official rating with FIDE as of October 2024. Was Grandmaster in 2018. Lives from playing chess. Was surprised at the team meeting It all started in October two years ago. Then Christiansen and the rest of the players at Solin-Cemex would only play one last match. If they played a draw against one of the worst teams in the series, the title in the top division of the Croatian chess series was secured. Christiansen never got to play that match. Because at the team meeting the night before the last match, it occurred to the Norwegian that the match should be an agreed game. – At the team meeting we sat there, we had to wait for the negotiations with the other team to be completed. They came in and said yes, it will be 3-3, Christiansen told VG at the time. The 26-year-old said that he did not think this was right, and according to him he abstained from drinks and champagne that evening and went to his room. The following day, Christiansen was benched – the match still 3-3. Tempting offer Christiansen was clear in several mediums that this was one of the worst things he knew and the matter went around Europe. The Norwegian promised TV 2 that he would never play in Croatia again. But now he will play for Solin-Cemex’s biggest rival SK Mornar Split. – It is our team and that team that are the big favourites. The match will be very special. I will probably get some ugly looks from the players, says Christiansen and continues: – If this had been a football match, I would probably have expected some good pressures, but I don’t think there is much they can do on the chessboard. I hope so, says Christiansen with a broad grin to news. news has made several attempts to get in touch with the chess club Christiansen played for in 2022, Solin-Cemex, but has not received a reply. In 2022, the then club secretary of Solin-Cemex Igor Juretic said the following to VG: – Our opponent in the last round could not move down at this time, so naturally enough they accepted this way of playing the last round. Note that this practice is not unusual in European club chess, Juretic wrote to VG. – You have said you will never play there again. Why do you do that, Christiansen? – I didn’t really want to play there again after what happened, but then I got the offer, says Christiansen to news. CHESS OLYMPICS: Christiansen recently played for Norway in the Chess OLYMPICS in Hungary. Here together with Magnus Carlsen. Photo: Maria Emelianova The offer came from friend and training partner Ivan Saric, who would like to have Christiansen on the team to strengthen them in this year’s tournament. Saric’s team, SK Mornar Split, still in second place, one point behind Solin-Cemex in the same tournament last year. – Now I play for a more proper team. Then I let go of all the nonsense that was last, but it’s a bit special to go back. – Was it a lucrative offer? – No comment, says Christiansen. Does not believe in change President of the Norwegian Chess Federation Anniken Vestby thinks it is good that Johan-Sebastian Christiansen dares to return to Croatia, even if he made a deal with the culture and what he saw as cheating back in 2022. – I will be very happy when I read such things, says Vestby to news about the settlement Christiansen made and that he is now traveling back. Vestby believes that what Christiansen experienced is not a problem at all in the Norwegian elite chess series, and she goes so far as to say that it has never happened in Norway. DOUBTFUL: Christiansen does not think that anything has actually changed with the culture of agreed gambling. Photo: Erlend Havsgård Martinsen / news Christiansen believes there is a cultural difference in some other countries, and that fixed bets are more accepted elsewhere than in Norway. He gets broad support from Balkan expert Jon Kværne. He has a master’s degree in Balkan studies, has worked at the Norwegian embassy in Serbia and he has extensive experience as an EU observer and report writer in the region. He says that it is the policy he follows most closely. You can see that there is a lot of cheating. – Most people assumed that people in politics are there to benefit themselves and not the people, says Kværne. Precisely that makes him think it is natural to imagine a contagion effect on this down in society. Also within sport and sports. The elite series in Croatia has its first day of play on Saturday 5 October. Reporter, Jørgen Terland Gundersen, challenges professional player, Johan-Sebastian Christiansen, to the new game, ladder game chess. Here one has to keep one’s tongue straight in one’s mouth, and for a long time it turns out to be more difficult for the professional player. Hello! Hello! Do you have any tips for something you think I should write about? Please send me a tip. Published 05.10.2024, at 08.54
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Back for the first time after the “match-fixing scandal”: – Someone who is not very happy with me
