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Henrik Danielsen

Number of games in database: 555
Years covered: 1980 to 2023
Last FIDE rating: 2469 (2528 rapid, 2473 blitz)
Highest rating achieved in database: 2545
Overall record: +223 -150 =164 (56.8%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 18 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Bird's Opening (45) 
    A02 A03
 Uncommon Opening (33) 
    A00 B00
 King's Indian Attack (28) 
    A07 A08
 English (23) 
    A15 A13 A16 A10 A18
 Queen's Pawn Game (21) 
    D02 A46 A40 E10 A45
 King's Indian (20) 
    E67 E94 E60 E62 E66
With the Black pieces:
 Caro-Kann (46) 
    B18 B14 B12 B11 B10
 Queen's Pawn Game (23) 
    A41 E00 A46 A45 D05
 Scandinavian (22) 
    B01
 Pirc (21) 
    B07 B09 B08
 Dutch Defense (15) 
    A81 A88 A85 A90
 King's Indian (15) 
    E62 E94 E92 E66 E77
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   H Danielsen vs P H Nielsen, 2003 1-0
   H Danielsen vs R Theissl Pokorna, 2003 1-0
   H Danielsen vs T Luther, 1999 1-0
   H Danielsen vs S B Hansen, 2005 1-0
   H Danielsen vs C Hansen, 1997 1-0
   H Danielsen vs R Hardarson, 2001 1-0
   H Danielsen vs O B Vea, 2005 1-0
   H Danielsen vs M Tandrup, 2005 1-0
   H Danielsen vs D Ragnarsson, 2012 1-0
   Navara vs H Danielsen, 2015 0-1

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Hans Christian Andersen Mind Games (2012)
   Farum Open (1993)
   Copenhagen Open (1993)
   10th Nordic Cup (1985)
   Reykjavik Open (2012)
   Reykjavik Open (2015)
   Politiken Cup (2013)
   Reykjavik Open (2014)
   Politiken Cup (1997)
   Reykjavik Open (2006)
   Reykjavik Open (1994)
   Politiken Cup (2012)
   European Championship (2010)
   Reykjavik Open (2013)
   Reykjavik Open (2016)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Davison's favorite games by Davison
   Bird's Opening Game Collection by Dr.KnowNothing
   Bird's Opening Game Collection by doug27
   Flying with the Bird by FrankTheTank
   Flying with the Bird by ndc

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 Icelandic Chess Championship
   H Danielsen vs A Domalchuk-Jonasson (May-25-23) 1/2-1/2
   L Ptacnikova vs H Danielsen (May-24-23) 0-1
   D Ragnarsson vs H Danielsen (May-23-23) 1/2-1/2
   H Danielsen vs G Kjartansson (May-22-23) 0-1
   V Stefansson vs H Danielsen (May-21-23) 1-0

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Henrik Danielsen
Search Google for Henrik Danielsen
FIDE player card for Henrik Danielsen

HENRIK DANIELSEN
(born Jan-23-1966, 59 years old) Denmark (federation/nationality Iceland)

[what is this?]

Grandmaster (1996). In 1997, he took 2nd in the Danish Championship. Icelandic Champion in 2009. =2nd at the Reykjavik Open (2012).

Wikipedia article: Henrik Danielsen

Last updated: 2021-02-02 11:30:14

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 23; games 1-25 of 555  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. H Danielsen vs K Rasmussen  0-1371980International Junior TournamentD15 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav
2. D Rej vs H Danielsen  1-0411980International Junior TournamentB16 Caro-Kann, Bronstein-Larsen Variation
3. H Danielsen vs S Rasmussen  ½-½311980International Junior TournamentA28 English
4. H Kuijf vs H Danielsen  1-0701980International Junior TournamentB11 Caro-Kann, Two Knights, 3...Bg4
5. H Danielsen vs O W Hartvig  1-0231980International Junior TournamentB13 Caro-Kann, Exchange
6. P Stigar vs H Danielsen  0-1321980International Junior TournamentE19 Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3
7. H Danielsen vs J Duche  ½-½421980International Junior TournamentD96 Grunfeld, Russian Variation
8. H Danielsen vs J Kennedy  1-0231980International Junior TournamentB04 Alekhine's Defense, Modern
9. R Jensen vs H Danielsen  ½-½191980International Junior TournamentA14 English
10. H Danielsen vs W N Watson  0-1231981Danish Junior Championship (International)E94 King's Indian, Orthodox
11. B Light vs H Danielsen 1-0171982Danish Junior Championship (International)B14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack
12. Plachetka vs H Danielsen  1-0421985Politiken CupE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
13. A Blees vs H Danielsen  ½-½541985Politiken CupD42 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3
14. H Danielsen vs E Heyken  1-0421985Politiken CupD51 Queen's Gambit Declined
15. S Bjarnason vs H Danielsen  ½-½331985Politiken CupD42 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3
16. H Danielsen vs K Berg  0-1311985Politiken CupE94 King's Indian, Orthodox
17. H Danielsen vs B Stein  ½-½101985Politiken CupA46 Queen's Pawn Game
18. H Danielsen vs T Sorensen  1-0191985Politiken CupA43 Old Benoni
19. G Jacoby vs H Danielsen  ½-½71985Politiken CupA42 Modern Defense, Averbakh System
20. H Danielsen vs Z Bator  1-0631985Politiken CupD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
21. H Danielsen vs F Ludvigsen  1-021198510th Nordic CupD55 Queen's Gambit Declined
22. B Ziska vs H Danielsen  0-125198510th Nordic CupC47 Four Knights
23. H Danielsen vs R Kuczynski  1-039198510th Nordic CupD48 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, Meran
24. R Nokka vs H Danielsen  0-137198510th Nordic CupB14 Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack
25. H Danielsen vs F Hellers  1-044198510th Nordic CupD02 Queen's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 23; games 1-25 of 555  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Danielsen wins | Danielsen loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-12-05  Halldor: GM Henrik Danielsen was now getting an Icelandic citizenship. He has been the headmaster of the Chess School of Hrókurinn, http://www.hrokurinn.is/ ('The Rook chessclub') in Reykjavik and plays for the club. He has been living in Iceland for some years, he's just under 40 years old, 2520 ELO, and the 6th strongest active Icelandic GM now (Fischer not included, since he doesn't play).

The list of the strongest active Icelandic players now: 1. Johann Hjartarson (2.640 ELO) 2. Margeir Petursson 3. Hannes Stefansson 4. Helgi Olafsson 5. Jon Loftur Arnason 6. Henrik Danielsen

May-02-06  DanRoss53: Probably the highest rated player in the world that currently uses Bird's Opening (A02) on a regular basis.
Jan-29-07  Themofro: <DanRoss53> Yes he is, i beleive that IM Tim Taylor is the next highest. Although of all time it would of course have to be Larsen. It's a pity that no one plays it nowadays that much, I play the Bird's all the time and love it. Still, it being unknown makes my opponents unprepared! lol, jking.
Feb-26-07  ganstaman: I think he's my new hero. Playing both the Dutch and the Bird, and teaching us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFfQ...

And you can view the other videos of this user as it's a series of videos. I haven't seen them all yet, and I still don't know why he calls the Bird the Polar Bear System, but as long as he teaches his ideas I'll let him call it whatever he wants.

Feb-26-07  Themofro: Yeah he's emerging as one of my favorites too, theres this game which CG doesn't have, but I'm trying to get posted which is just plain awesome. Black plays the recipe variation against the Bird's, Danielssen takes back with the queen. Then we go into a series of pawn moves for white, finally we reach a position at move 14, where the only peice white has developed is his queen at f3, and he's just made 8 (!) consecutive pawn moves, so what does he move?? His queen!! Completely shuts down his opponent's (who's a GM by the way) kingside, Danielssen ends up winning on like move 23 i think. It's one of the most bizarrely awesome games ever, trying to get CG to post it.
Feb-26-07  Strelz: www.videochess.net is where he has all sorts of chess related substance in a few languages. I think he was just sponsoring a school chess competition between kids in Iceland and Namibia.
Mar-07-07  Themofro: <Strelz> Thanks for the link. Really kool that he's doing that. Being a Bird's player i especially like the series of videos he has on the Bird's opening, which he calls the polar bear system, lol, anyone know why?
Mar-20-07  atripodi: Thanks Strelz, Danielsen's site is amazing, and updated virtually every day. The game <Themofro> is talking about is, I believe Danielsen-Luther.
May-14-07  FICSwoodpusher: The polar bear strikes again:

[Event "rated blitz match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2007.05.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "lrzal"]
[Black "AlexMax"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1706"]
[BlackElo "1620"]
[ECO "A03"]
[TimeControl "300"]

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 c6 3. c3 Bg4 4. Ne5 Bf5 5. d3 f6 6. e4 fxe5 7. exf5 exf4 8. Qh5+ Kd7 9. Bxf4 Nf6 10. Qe2 Ke8 11. Qe6 Qd7 12. Nd2 Qxe6+ 13. fxe6 c5 14. d4 c4 15. Nf3 Nc6 16. Ng5 h6 17. Nf7 Rg8 18. Rg1 g5 19. Bg3 Ne4 20. Be2 Nxg3 21. hxg3 Rg6 22. O-O-O g4 23. Rgf1 Bg7 24. Rde1 b5 25. Bd1 b4 26. Ba4 Rc8 27. Rf5 Rf6 28. Rxd5 Kf8 AlexMax resigns 1-0

Jun-03-07  Themofro: <atripodi> Yes that is indeed the game i was talking about. It is covered in Timothy Taylor's most excellent book "Bird's Opening" and also by Danielsen himself on his website. I have sort of combined their analysis along with a small bit of my own commentary and posted that analysis of the game in the Bird's Opening (A02) page, it's since crept down about halfway down the page. It's a superb GM vs. GM game, that ends in a 23 move route despite not that bad at all play by black. hope you enjoy it, cheers!.
Jun-12-07  geraldo8187: does anybody else call the bird the polar bear?
Jun-13-07  OneArmedScissor: <geraldo187>

I hate polar bears... They ate my family last winter.

Jun-13-07  babakova: I just like how he pronounces it... "poolar beer" - makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
Jun-17-07  FICSwoodpusher: I played the following blitz game today:

[Event "rated blitz match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2007.06.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "lrzal"]
[Black "elberra"]
[Result "*"]
[WhiteElo "1753"]
[BlackElo "1801"]
[ECO "A03"]
[TimeControl "300"]

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 g6 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nbd2 Nf6 6. c4 e6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O a6 9. Ne5 Nb4 10. Bb1 c5 11. a3 Nc6 12. Ndf3 cxd4 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Nxd4 c5 15. Nc6 Qc7 16. Ne5 Bb7 17. cxd5 Nxd5 18. e4 Nb6 19. Qe1 Bxe5 20. fxe5 Qxe5 21. Ra2 Qd4+ 22. Kh1 e5 23. b3 c4 24. Be3 Qd6 25. b4 Rad8 26. Bc5 Qe6 27. Bxf8 Rxf8 28. Rd2 Rc8 29. Bc2 Nd7 30. Qf2 Rf8 31. Qa7 Bc8 32. Rfd1 Nf6 33. Rd6 Qg4 34. Rxf6 Qg5 35. Rf2 Be6 36. Qxa6 Qe3 37. Rff1 Qc3 38. Bb1 Qb3 39. Rc1 Qb2 40. Qa4 Kg7 41. Rc2 Qd4 42. Rcf2 c3 43. Qd1 Qa7 44. a4 Qb6 45. b5 Qc5 46. Bc2 Bc4 47. Bd3 Be6 48. Rc2 Qb4 49. Qf3 f6 50. Qe3 Rd8 51. Qa7+ Rd7 52. Qe3 Qxa4 53. Rxc3 *

I won on time. I wonder whether white should play c4 or c3 here. I think that even though it appears that the black c pawn will not move for some time, c3 should be played.


click for larger view

Jun-22-07  Halldor: This webside http://www.videochess.net was made as a part of a chess teaching plan for Namibia and Greenland on behalf of the chessclub Hrókurinn in Reykjavik. Henrik Danielsen has been traveling for the chessclub in these countries, and he has been working on making this chessmaterial for children on this new webside. The plan is to broadcast there weekly live programmes on chess teaching.

Jun-27-08  ravel5184: chessgames.com! Please post the game Henrik Danielsen vs Thomas Luther! I will be eternally grateful if you do!
Jul-01-08  Swifty31: I like his website thanks for the link. Im going to learn the Polar Bear System and start playing it for white on fics. I think its a good system for blitz chess, probably not so much for long tournament games though.
Jul-02-08  ravel5184: I love his website! Especially the "Chess Art" puzzles.

Anybody looking for REALLY GOOD chess, visit the following: http://www.chesskids.com/ckbook/fir...

I guarantee you'll get a slightly harder game than you would get playing against a slice of cheese.

Sep-05-08  BirdBrain: To woodpusher...you can play c3, but more aggressive against Black in my opinion is to get in Bb5 and cripple his queenside pawns. The bishop can be reserved for battle with Bd3 plans also, or Be2, but then White gets the opportunity to attack the doubled pawns, and when Black switches to that side of the board, White's true intentions come to light - attack Black's king. And of course, if Black does not respond (which they most likely will do) to protecting the doubled pawn, then White is up a pawn with a solid position, which should lead to a win.
Sep-13-08  blacksburg: birdbrain and woodpusher,

from watching his videos, i think danielsen plays Bb5, Bxc6, doubling the pawns, whenever black allows him to.

Sep-18-08  blacksburg: <I guarantee you'll get a slightly harder game than you would get playing against a slice of cheese.>

is it bad to lose to a slice of cheese? jeez, i need to work on my game.

Oct-20-08  sergeidave: <<ganstaman> ...and I still don't know why he calls the Bird the Polar Bear System...> In one of his youtube comment replies, he mentioned "I'm the Polar Bear!". So, I guess he means that this system he has developed, which is based on the Bird, is HIS system. And since HE calls HIMSELF "the Polar Bear", that's why the system is called "The Polar Bear System". :)
Oct-20-08  sergeidave: By the way, the whole bunch of live blitz games videos he has posted (with live commentary) are simply amazingly instructive! And he plays the "PBS", the Dutch, the Caro-Kann and the Scandinavian as much as possible!! Folks, they are a must-watch!

Also, he recognizes that 1.f4 may not be the best move but (he quotes Bent Larsen) it's not a bad move either, rather a normal move, which makes it even more interesting to study in today's chess world filled with 1.d4 openings and Sicilian defenses!

Feb-10-09  MaxxLange: I looked at a couple of his videos, and I'm not sure exactly what he means by the "Polar Bear System" - just playing the Bird to try for a reversed Leningrad Dutch, with a repetoire for handling assorted Black counters that don't permit this?
Feb-10-09  parisattack: <MaxxLange: I looked at a couple of his videos, and I'm not sure exactly what he means by the "Polar Bear System" - just playing the Bird to try for a reversed Leningrad Dutch, with a repetoire for handling assorted Black counters that don't permit this?>

That is the impression I brought away from them. But they are sort of interesting if you like the Bird - I played it long ago, too sterile/fixed for me these days.

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