Q. Is this a comeback?
A. You could say that. I have had a break as I have been a professional for 8 years. I haven’t had time because I have been busy with other things. I hope that I can play a little more now, but it will be more as a hobby so I can enjoy the game in a different way.

Q. Why the break, have you already reached your limit?
A. Yes I topped back in 95 and felt that I wouldn’t get any further. I then read economy and started teaching.

Q. Will we see you at the Danish championships next year?
A. There’s very good chances but I wont promise, hopefully the Olympic team as well. I will try and play at least 4 tournament a year, time permitting.

Q. Your have just written a book, Foundations of chess strategy. What’s it about?
A. Thinking patterns. The similarity between chess and leadership strategy and how it works.
Together with John Nunn and Gambit publishers we felt it was an interesting new angle to compare business and chess together. The first chapters are about the different types of players and later in the book show how the same position can be looked at differently by these different types. There are also games from various Gm’s.

Q. Do you have your next book planned?
A. I have just released, Tactics in chess for Danish children and Gambit books have contacted me to do a book on endgames.

Q. What do you think of the tournament?
A. Flot, fantastic conditions and the organisers have done a really good job. I hope the tournament becomes a tradition, you should all be proud ! I teach about leisure management at school and one can see that the three main factors work together here, I mean the commercial, voluntary and political aspects.

Q. Your son is playing in the other side tournament, is this the new generation ?
A. Martin plays well but we won’t press him, it’s up to himself. But the whole family well be her from tomorrow so that’s really nice we are all together.

Q. Talking of the new generation, how can it be you are still no.3 in Denmark when you play so little?
A. There is a big gap, we have been many from the 70-80 period and now Davor Palo and many others are coming, just look at the BP group. But there is this huge hole.

Q. You are known to be a safe positional player and don’t take to many risks, is that true?
A. Yes , this is probably why my rating hasn’t changed in many years. I don’t take any risks so it’s difficult to win against strong opposition, so I often draw such games. The new players of today play differently, they are well prepared by using computers and they try risky lines. It gives exciting games with chances to both sides.

Q. How much has Bent Larsen meant to you?
A. He has meant a lot, it’s a shame that I never played on the same Olympic team with him, I’m sure that I would have learned a great deal from his experience. I can’t say I have copied his style, he plays completely differently, but he has been an inspiration.

I would like to thank Lars Bo and let’s hope we see more to him in the coming years.

Colin Watson