Chess: Another Norwegian Teenager Emerges as a Threat

A 19-year-old Norwegian turned in an impressive performance at the 17th European Team Championships in Serbia, which ended on Saturday.

A Norwegian teenager had been expected to do well at the tournament, but the surprise was that he turned out to be Jon Ludvig Hammer and not Magnus Carlsen, who does not turn 19 until the end of November, reports the New York Times

Carlsen, a prodigy who will be No. 2 in the world on the next list, was supposed to play for Norway, but he withdrew to spend more time preparing for the Tal Memorial tournament in Moscow, which begins on Nov. 5. Carlsen’s father, Henrik, explained that his son wanted to play in the team event, but after talking it over with his coach, Garry Kasparov, the former world champion, they decided it would be “too hectic.”