Svein Johannessen (17 October 1937 – 27 November 2007) was a Norwegian chess player. He became Norway's second

International Master FIDE titles are awarded by the international chess governing body FIDE (''Fédération Internationale des Échecs'') for outstanding performance. The highest such title is Grandmaster (GM). Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating and ...

, after

Olaf Barda Olaf Barda (17 August 1909 – 2 May 1971 in Oslo), born Olaf M. Olsen, was a Norwegian chess player. He was the first Norwegian awarded the chess title of International Master, which he received in 1952. Barda won the Norwegian Chess Champio ...

, in 1961. He won four

Norwegian Chess Championship The Norwegian Chess Championship (NM i sjakk) is an annual tournament held in Norway during the month of July, in order to determine the national chess champion. The tournament is held at different venues each year as part of the ''Landsturnering' ...

s, in 1959, 1962, 1970 and 1973. According to ChessBase, Johannessen had a wide opening repertoire. He played most of the regular opening moves with White with some frequency, 1.d4, 1.e4, 1.c4 and 1.Nf3. With Black against 1.e4 he frequently entered the "open" games with 1...e5, but often played the

Sicilian Defence The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the following moves: :1. b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4, e4 b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5, c5 The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4. Ope ...

as well. Against 1.d4 Johannessen also played several things including the Old Indian Defense and Queen's Gambit Accepted.

References

FIDE rating card for Svein Johannessen
*

Literature

*Øystein Brekke: ''Sjakkmesteren Svein Johannessen'', Norsk Sjakkforlag, Drammen 2009 Norwegian chess players Chess International Masters 1937 births 2007 deaths 20th-century chess players {{norway-chess-bio-stub