(Oslo SS, Norway - born 30.11.63 - FIDE-ELO 2480)
Gausel won the "Cappelle la Grande" this year, with 7,5 / 9 and ratingperformance of 2726 !!
"I am really impressed by Gausel now. He
got everything - except talent" one of his long-time opponents
remarked a few years ago. Indeed not considered as any outstanding talent at least before
aged 18, Gausel by playing many tournaments and working very serious with his chess
inbetween them, still raised his strength up against against 2300 in his last year as a
junior, and finishing 15. in a much-disputed Junior World Championship then.
Probably the Norwegian spending most time upon chess in the 1980- and 1990s, he finally
became the countrys third GM in 1995 - just a few month after his long time friend and
training partner Jonathan Tisdall. Later needing much time for his work as a colourful
chess correspondent both in Norways second newspaper and on the internet, Gausels later
results have been solid around a 2500-average.
He showed his capacity again in the nordic Zonal of 1998, but after defeating Jesper Hall and Jonny Hector lost a trip to Las Vegas with his final match against Ralf Åkesson. Happy to leave the books around move 10-15 with some kind of edge from an unforseeable opening, Gausel at his best may be used as a model for the ultimate chess machine. Very much a catch-all-player now he usually avoid the sharpest variations if unable to decide about them, in the end often to trust a heavy engame-technique. Playing less frequently for two years however, has strained his relations with the clock somewhat. Sometimes suffering from myserious black-outs when left in time-trouble then may be his main weakness.
