Leif Erlend Johannessen

Leif Erlend Johannessen, born 1980, is a Norwegian chess player, and Norway's fifth International Grandmaster. He received his title in 2002. He picked up his first norm in Oslo, the second at Bermuda and finally the third in the Sigeman tournament in Malmö. Johannessen has yet to win the Norwegian championship, the closest he has come is second place in 1999 after losing the play-off 0-2 to Berge Østenstad. Johannessen did win the Norwegian blitz chess championship the same year however.

Johannessen usually plays 1.d4 when he is White. With Black, Johannessen employs a variety of defenses including the Sicilian Defence and Caro-Kann Defence against 1.e4 and the Queen's Gambit Declined, Slav Defense, or Semi-Slav Defense against 1.d4.

Johannessen, often nicknamed "Leffi", writes the column "Leffis lille lure" (Leffi's little smart one) for the official Norwegian chess magazine "Norsk Sjakkblad". Johannessen is a member of the Oslo chess club " Oslo Schakselskap".

Johannessen is also a lawyer and seems to have put in less time in chess over the last few years.

ample Game

*White: Leif Erlend Johannessen
*Black: Hikaru Nakamura
*Opening: Grünfeld Defence, Exchange Variation
*Played at Bermuda January 28 2002, round 71.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Rb1 0–0 9.Be2 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxa2 12.0–0 Bg4 13.Bg5 Qe6 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Qd7 16.d5 Na6 17.Qe2 Nc5 18.e5 Rae8 19.Rfd1 f6 20.Be3 Rc8 21.d6 b6 22.Bxc5 Rxc5 23.e6 Qc8 24.dxe7 Re8 25.Rd8 Rxd8 26.exd8=Q+ Qxd8 27.e7 Qe8 28.Qe6+ Kh8 29.Rd1 Rc8 30.Qxc8 Qxc8 31.Rd8+, Black resigns

External links

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* [http://chess.vrsac.com/search/player_e.asp?FC=1501674 Rating data]
* [http://pub.tv2.no/dyn-nettavisen/arkiv/?archiveSection=1500&archiveItem=219132 Leif Erlend (22) ble stormester] TV2 article. (Norwegian)
* [http://www.chessworld.net/chessclubs/statistics_pgn_rating_chart.asp?username=Johannessen,Leif%20Erlend Statistics at ChessWorld.net]
* [http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/309029 Watch Johannessen promoting chessboxing on Norwegian radio in November 2007]