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Simen Agdestein
S Agdestein 
Simen at the Arctic Chess Challenge, Tromso, August 2008.
Photo courtesy of Egil Arne.
 

Number of games in database: 969
Years covered: 1981 to 2023
Last FIDE rating: 2563 (2470 rapid, 2466 blitz)
Highest rating achieved in database: 2637
Overall record: +348 -173 =294 (60.7%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 154 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 King's Indian (61) 
    E80 E62 E60 E67 E77
 Queen's Indian (42) 
    E12 E15 E16 E17 E19
 Nimzo Indian (33) 
    E32 E54 E48 E20 E21
 Queen's Gambit Declined (31) 
    D37 D31 D30 D38 D35
 English (30) 
    A15 A13 A16 A11 A10
 Modern Benoni (27) 
    A61 A57 A70 A56 A58
With the Black pieces:
 Dutch Defense (62) 
    A90 A84 A85 A81 A93
 French Defense (55) 
    C05 C18 C11 C10 C09
 Ruy Lopez (44) 
    C70 C92 C99 C90 C77
 Sicilian (42) 
    B30 B22 B52 B56 B40
 Queen's Indian (33) 
    E15 E12 E16 E17 E14
 Nimzo Indian (31) 
    E32 E41 E20 E46 E52
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Speelman vs S Agdestein, 1991 0-1
   H Olafsson vs S Agdestein, 1987 0-1
   S Agdestein vs Nunn, 1985 1/2-1/2
   Karpov vs S Agdestein, 1991 0-1
   Gulko vs S Agdestein, 1990 0-1
   S Agdestein vs Short, 1995 1-0
   Carlsen vs S Agdestein, 2004 0-1
   S Agdestein vs K Holm, 2017 1-0
   S Agdestein vs Adams, 1994 1-0
   S Agdestein vs K Lie, 2017 1/2-1/2

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Gausdal Zonal (1985)
   10th Lloyds Bank Masters Open (1986)
   Espoo Zonal (1989)
   Reykjavik Open (1996)
   Arco Open (2005)
   European Junior Championship 1983/84 (1983)
   World Junior Championship (1986)
   Hastings 1991/92 (1991)
   Norwegian Championship (2006)
   VISA Nordic GP Final (1999)
   Lucerne Olympiad (1982)
   Thessaloniki Olympiad (1984)
   World Junior Championship (1987)
   Xtracon Chess Open (2017)
   Bad Wiessee Open (2000)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Taxco Interzonal 1985 by Tabanus
   Taxco Interzonal 1985 by suenteus po 147
   Wijk aan Zee Hoogovens 1988 by suenteus po 147
   SW Hanging Pawns by shibumi
   Karpov vs. Agdestein, match Gjøvik, Norway 1991 by NilsR

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 Riga Tech Open-A
   S Agdestein vs T Kantans (Aug-13-23) 1-0
   P Schreiner vs S Agdestein (Aug-12-23) 1/2-1/2
   S Agdestein vs Rakesh Kumar Jena (Aug-11-23) 1-0
   S Agdestein vs B Nitish (Aug-10-23) 1/2-1/2
   O Wartiovaara vs S Agdestein (Aug-10-23) 1/2-1/2

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Simen Agdestein
Search Google for Simen Agdestein
FIDE player card for Simen Agdestein

SIMEN AGDESTEIN
(born May-15-1967, 58 years old) Norway

[what is this?]

Simen Agdestein was awarded the IM title in 1983 and the GM title in 1985. He has won a record nine Norwegian chess championships, including the 2022 and 2023 championships. He holds records for being both the youngest (age 15, in 1982) and oldest (age 56, in 2023) champion. He was one of the nominees to the World Cup (2013), but was eliminated from the Cup when he lost to Etienne Bacrot in the first round.

Agdestein is also the former coach of Magnus Carlsen, and is the brother of Carlsen's present manager, Espen Agdestein. He has authored and co-authored several books on chess, including a biography of Carlsen.

Multitalented, he also represented Norway football (soccer, to Americans) at the international level.

Wikipedia article: Simen Agdestein

https://www.fide.com/news/2510

Last updated: 2023-07-12 20:11:43

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 39; games 1-25 of 969  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. P Cramling vs S Agdestein  ½-½231981BergsjoB82 Sicilian, Scheveningen
2. Ehlvest vs S Agdestein  1-0431981World Junior ChampionshipE84 King's Indian, Samisch, Panno Main line
3. S Agdestein vs G Siegel  0-1271981World Junior ChampionshipA56 Benoni Defense
4. S Agdestein vs Granda Zuniga 0-1361982Ch World Cadet'sD45 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
5. S Agdestein vs A Ornstein  ½-½361982Gausdal JubileeE12 Queen's Indian
6. B Svensson vs S Agdestein  1-0271982Gausdal Young MastersB09 Pirc, Austrian Attack
7. S Agdestein vs P Karlsson  1-0231982Gausdal Young MastersE12 Queen's Indian
8. E Gausel vs S Agdestein  ½-½561982Gausdal Young MastersA04 Reti Opening
9. S Agdestein vs S Odendahl  ½-½391982Gausdal Young MastersD31 Queen's Gambit Declined
10. B Ostenstad vs S Agdestein  0-1361982Gausdal Young MastersA00 Uncommon Opening
11. S Agdestein vs Dlugy  1-0271982Gausdal Young MastersD47 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
12. S Agdestein vs W Morris  ½-½201982Gausdal Young MastersD79 Neo-Grunfeld, 6.O-O, Main line
13. S Agdestein vs de Firmian  0-1401982Gausdal Young MastersA61 Benoni
14. S Agdestein vs W R Lopez  1-0271982Lucerne OlympiadE80 King's Indian, Samisch Variation
15. A Sygulski vs S Agdestein  1-0401982Lucerne OlympiadD76 Neo-Grunfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O Nb6
16. S Agdestein vs B De Bruycker  1-0371982Lucerne OlympiadA61 Benoni
17. M Campos Lopez vs S Agdestein  0-1601982Lucerne OlympiadB90 Sicilian, Najdorf
18. S Agdestein vs F Sanz Alonso  1-0381982Lucerne OlympiadE80 King's Indian, Samisch Variation
19. S Agdestein vs R Cifuentes  1-0641982Lucerne OlympiadE12 Queen's Indian
20. A Palacios vs S Agdestein  0-1271982Lucerne OlympiadA04 Reti Opening
21. G West vs S Agdestein 1-0361982Lucerne OlympiadB21 Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4
22. J Yrjola vs S Agdestein  0-1391982Lucerne OlympiadE41 Nimzo-Indian
23. S Agdestein vs J Ost-Hansen  ½-½181982Lucerne OlympiadA56 Benoni Defense
24. J Hase vs S Agdestein 0-1391982Lucerne OlympiadB50 Sicilian
25. N R Anilkumar vs S Agdestein  ½-½451982Lucerne OlympiadE73 King's Indian
 page 1 of 39; games 1-25 of 969  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Agdestein wins | Agdestein loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1 OF 7 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jun-01-03  Ken MacGillivray: Simen is a man of many talents, as well as being a chess grand master, he played football (Soccer) for the Norwegian national team. Sadly a knee injury cut short his soccer career.
Oct-06-03  MoonlitKnight: Simen Agdestein won the strong Monarch Assurance tournament on the Isle of Man ahead of 26 other GMs, eh...25 (Nigel Short withdrew). Not bad. Heia Norge!
Jan-04-04  Dick Brain: Another interesting thing about Agdestein is that he doesn't know any theory. Pretty unusual for a GM.
Jan-04-04  Benjamin Lau: So he only knows thematic moves?
Jan-05-04  Dick Brain: Apparently he plays his opening with just basic ideas like development, king safety, and control of the center without knowing specific variations.
Jan-07-04  Maroczy: Like the kid who never studies and gets A's; sorry, I don't buy it.
Jan-07-04  Bitzovich: <Dick Brain> Interesting, but why would u say that? Accroding to Most PLayed OPenings graph, he definitely has his openings...
Jan-07-04  Bitzovich: Besides, he has twice beaten Karpov (pretty decent), a famous theoretician... somehow i think he does study, but masks it ;) Image thing
Jan-07-04  Benjamin Lau: I don't buy it either. I'm sure he knows some theory, just not a whole lot. It's almost suicide to play the Alekhine's Defense without a solid grasp of theory, at least for the first maybe seven moves.
Jan-07-04  Dick Brain: <Bitzovich> I'm just repeating what he says himself. There is probably some hype involved similar to when Jerry Rice used to say he runs the 40 in 4.9 so he could lull the defense backs into complacency.
Jan-07-04  MoonlitKnight: I think that is just something he has said because he is a somewhat crazy man. He has played theoretical openings - like the dutch for instance - a lot, and he very often comes up with opening novelties. I have one of his books, so I should know.
Feb-14-04  serge the serb: Simen was born in 1967, so I highly doubt that he played with Tal in 1972
Feb-14-04  marcus13: I am sure he know opening theory, how can you become a GM whitout learning a minimum of theory.
Feb-14-04  PinkPanther: He is Magnus carlsen's trainer isn't he?
Feb-14-04  Catfriend: Yes he is
Feb-14-04  marcus13: I would like to have a coach that don't know theory. I am sure it is not true.
Feb-15-04  MoonlitKnight: Agdestein won the tournament in Cannes. He's about to pass 2600 once again.
May-12-04  Benzol: Simen Agdestein
Born 15th May 1967
May-08-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  alexmagnus: What should be that 31.Ke1?? of Tisdall against Agdestein? (the game of today)
May-08-05  MoonlitKnight: Whatever. Tisdall was lost anyhow.
Jul-14-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <he played football (Soccer) for the Norwegian national team> I remember him from a friendly football match which Norwegian national team played in Prague against Czechoslovakia in late 1980s. Norway lost the match 2:3 but Simen scored a nice goal and was one of best players in Norwegian team.
Jul-14-05  jahhaj: <Benzol> Surely the bio should mention Simen's soccer career. There can't be too many GMs who have also played soccer at national level.
Jul-14-05  Benzol: <jahhaj> You're right but I don't know very much about his soccer career.

BTW I believe Gligoric, Spassky and Kasparov played soccer. And Petrosian was an avid fan. Don't know if he played though.

Jul-15-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Jansa also played soccer quite well.
Jul-15-05  Shanes: See: http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/...

It's a good article about the multi talented Agdestein.

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