First prize to Ingebretsen

After a strong finish with 4.5 points from the last 5 games Norwegian IM Jens Evang Ingebretsen took first prize in the GM-group. The 22-year-old made 7 points in 9 rounds with a rating performance of 2577.

GM Diptayan Ghosh of India was leading during most of the tournament, but finishing with 4 straight draws turned out to be insufficient for first place. Ghosh took second place with 6.5 points, same as IM Tarun Kanyamarala (Ireland), GM Normunds Miezis (Latvia) and FM Ritvik Krishnan (India) on places 3 to 5 respectively. See the full standings here.

Top-5 in the GM-group:
Ghosh, Kanyamarala, Ingebretsen, Miezis and Krishnan
(Photo: Tom Eriksen)

Tournament winner Ingebretsen
(Photo: Thyra Kvendseth)

In the Open group Edvard Reinertsen had secured first place with one round to go. After a draw in the last round Reinertsen finshed on 7.5 points, a whole point ahead of runner-ups Misha Galinsky and Amanda Mai Irgens Eiding. On 6 points we find Abishan Arulmaran, Mykhailo Kuzmenko and Mikael Ruud. Apart from the Ukrainian Kuzmenko the mentioned players are all Norwegian.

Top-3 in the Open: Reinertsen, Galinsky and Eiding
(Photo: Tom Eriksen)

Ritvik Krishnan made an IM-norm

There was only one title norm made in this years edition of Fagernes Chess International.

This went to 19-year-old FM Ritvik Krishnan of India who took an IM-norm with 6.5 points and a rating performance of 2463. This gave a strong 5th place in the overall standings.

Ritvik Krishnan
(Photo: Anniken Vestby)

Fagernes Blitz

Fagernes Blitz was played Friday 4th April 2026 with 27 participants.

GM Aksel Bu Kvaløy of Norway took clear first place with 8.5 points from 9 rounds. FM Andrew Jing was second with 7 points, and CM Ivan Kukushkin (BUL) third with 6½. CM David M. Simonsen (NOR) and FM Martin Øksendal (NOR) on 6 points took respectively fourth and fifth place.

 Ariv Debmisra (USA) on 4.5 points got a prize as the best player rated under 2000.

Kukushkin, Kvaløy, Jing and Debmisra 
(Photo: Henrik Sjøl)

Possible title norms

List of title norm candidates before round 9:

FM Martin Holten Fiskaaen (NOR):	Needs a win as black against IM Tarun Kanyamarala (IRL) for an IM-norm.
FM Ritvik Krishnan (IND):	Needs a win as white against IM Nikoloz Petriashvili (GEO) for an IM-norm.
FM Bagwe Gaurang (IND):	Needs a win as white against IM Tor Fredrik Kaasen (NOR) for an IM-norm
CM Giga Goderdzishvili (GEO):	Needs a win as white against FM Evsuld Myagmarsuren (NOR) for an IM-norm.
FM Charvi A (IND):	Needs a win as black against Shaurya Chaudhary (IND) for a WIM-norm.

Fagernes Slow Blitz

Fagernes Slow Blitz was played Friday 3rd April 2026, after round 7 of the main tournament. 37 players joined to play 7 rounds of blitz.

The A-group was won by FM Ritvik Krishnan from India with 6 points, a whole point ahead of FM Martin Holten Fiskaaen (Norway), FM Andrew Jing (USA) and FM Evsuld Myagmarsuren (NOR).

Krishnan and Fiskaaen
(Photo: Henrik Sjøl)

In the B-group Mikael Ruud finshed at the top of the table with 6 points, despite an early loss. Sebastian Sigvaldsen was second with 5.5 points, while Edvard Reinertsen finished third with 5 points. These three are all Norwegian.

Sigvaldsen, Ruud and Reinertsen

(Photo: Henrik Sjøl)

Teamtalkingchess

The Teamtalkingchess Tournament at Fagernes was won by Bxf4 with 8 team points. Teamtalkingchess is a Norwegian speciality. You find the rules here.

The winning team consisted of IM Aksel Bu Kvaløy, FM Martin Holten Fiskaaen, FM Evsuld Myagmarsuren and CM David M. Simonsen. The same team (under another name) also won the teamtalkingchess in 2025.

Baronene was second and Burger Kings third, with 6 and 5 team points respectively.

Bxf4 won the Teamtalkingchess
(Photo: Henrik Sjøl)