Last weekend, World Champion Magnus Carlsen played for his club Offerspill on 1st board in the top flight of the Norwegian League, and was miraculously held to a draw by Norwegian IM Geir Sune Østmoe. The game made International headlines as Magnus, who is currently pursuing the goal of 2900 Elo, lost all the Elo he gained after winning Tata Steel just a few days prior.

IM Østmoe and GM Carlsen were opponents several times in the early 2000s, when both were youth players competing for chess glory in Norway; this week, I am joined by IM Østmoe to talk about the crazy game he played, the last few days of internet fame, his recollections of Norwegian chess across the last two decades (including playing and befriending a young Magnus), and his thoughts on what Magnus is going to do next.

Geir also has a long career as a chess composer, a ...