A Strong Start to 2026 — BEGINNER BLITZ!
(Rating based on chess.com or fuzz-rating)
RISING STAR:
0 – 399
IMPROVERS:
400 – 699
LEARNER:
700 – 999
The first number indicates the number of people, while the percentage shows the share of the total of 24 participants.
Rising stars
8- 33 %
Improvers
7 – 29 %
LEARNERS
9 – 38 %
Newcomers
7 – 29 %
Students
13 – 54 %
Women
3 – 13 %
After an early interruption the previous week, the tournament was resumed from round 3, with new players joining in and a total of 8 rounds played. The result was a living, breathing tournament — exactly the kind of low-pressure, high-engagement experience BEGINNER BLITZ is meant to be.
In total, 24 players participated across the event. Deep concentration at the boards, music in the background with DJ Pedro Sanmartin, and a warm, social vibe throughout the venue at Mellom.
Players competed across multiple classes, ensuring everyone had something to play for:
Overall winners
1. Iver Pedersen — 6/8 points
2. Maxime Birkeland — 6/8 points
Class winners
Best Rising Star (0–399): Didac Hernandez — 4/8 points
Best Improver (400–699): Iver Pedersen — 6/8 points
Best Learner (700–1000): Maxime Birkeland — 6/8 points
Best Female Player: Ovedie Trolid 1/8 — points
Iver Pedersen delivered a standout tournament — winning overall, taking Best Improver, and finishing with a strong 6/8 score in his debut at this level.
Prizes included 800 NOK, 500 NOK, FUZZSJAKK chess equipment, and 2x free dinner at the Asian Fusion restaurant, GLØD — with winners choosing their rewards on the spot
Player Spotlight: Didac Hernandez
Didac Hernandez claimed Best Rising Star (0–399) at BEGINNER BLITZ, continuing a very strong upward trend.
In 2025, Didac was one of the top growth players of the year, with an impressive +161 rating increase. His progress has been steady and visible, and his play keeps getting sharper with every event.
A clear example of what BEGINNER BLITZ is built for — and definitely a player to watch going forward.
A big thank you to Mikael Gundersen and Skage Reistad, our tournament director and app-developers, for keeping everything running smoothly through a dynamic event, to DJ Pedro Sanmartin for setting the tone in the room, and to Teknostallen/Mellom for letting us host this years first event.
BEGINNER BLITZ is designed for players under 1000 rating, especially those new to over-the-board chess. Flexible participation, relaxed rules, and a focus on learning over punishment define the format — and this tournament showed how well that approach works.
The standout performance of BEGINNER BLITZ 2025 came from Iver Pedersen.
With 6 out of 8 points, Iver claimed 1st place overall in a competitive and dynamic field entering the tournament with a 554 rating.
Beyond winning the tournament, Iver also took the title of Best Improver (400–699) — a rare double achievement that underlines just how strong his run was. In a format designed to be flexible and low-pressure, he stayed focused throughout, delivering results when it mattered most.
A confident debut, a clear highlight of the event, and a well-deserved win.
We’ll be keeping an eye on Iver going forward.
Prize:
800 NOK
Fuzzsjakk chessboard
⭐ Best Game: Round 8
Iver Pedersen (554) def. Eirik Husebø (921) — 1–0
Maxime Birkeland delivered another strong performance at BEGINNER BLITZ, finishing joint first on points (6/8) but placed 2nd overall after tie-break.
Competing in the Learner class (700–1000), Maxime showed consistency and resilience throughout the tournament. The result adds to an already solid record — last year he won BEGINNER BLITZ at CHESSRAVE 2025, topping a field of 76 players.
Even narrowly missing the top spot this time, it was a very strong tournament from one of FUZZSJAKK’s most reliable contenders.
Points out of a total of 7 possible