From September 27 to 29, the Danish Junior Open took place in Copenhagen. Our juniors competing were Martin Etverk (U19) and Oskar Talts (U15).
At the Danish competition, both Oskar and Martin managed to play five matches over three days, which is excellent. It involved a lot of effort and adaptation, ultimately leading to rapid development. Oskar is in a challenging yet advantageous position at just 13 years old in the U15 age group; his opponents are often stronger and bigger, but this presents a great opportunity for growth. Oskar gained new fans with his speed, determination, and endurance.
Martin faced opponents who are already quite strong, and for example, the level of the semifinalists was enjoyable in every sense—it’s hard to find weaknesses in anyone, and the victories are decided by small details. In the second round, Martin played against Elad Robenshtok (ISR), who went on to win the tournament. Competing against such a strong opponent raised Martin’s game to a whole new level. This is a great learning opportunity when winning each point requires performing at your absolute best, and that might still not be enough.
The competition went very well, and watching Oskar’s and Martin’s matches provided valuable insights for both of them to focus on in training.
Martin’s Comment: The Danish tournament went well overall, and I was satisfied with every match. There were easier opponents and many stronger ones. However, I’ll definitely remember my first very evenly matched opponent, with whom I played five games and managed to tilt the match in my favor at the end. The evening card games at the hotel were also particularly memorable. I gained a lot of experience from the competition and learned to be more patient. I also received feedback on my weaknesses, so now I know what to work on. It was exciting to watch Oskar’s matches because I saw similarities to myself and could analyze his games from the side, taking away knowledge for my own game.
Oskar’s Comment: Overall, the Danish tournament went well. Some matches didn’t go exactly as I wanted, but that’s part of competitions. The most memorable match was my fourth match against a Czech player. Although I lost in a fairly even battle, there was still a lot to learn. 27th place isn’t the best, but I was also one of the youngest. I really enjoyed the evening card games, where we had a lot of fun. I left the tournament in good spirits. Now I know what I need to practice.
Thanks to everyone who supported us, and thanks to our accompanying coach Paul!