GM Mateusz Bartel of Poland
(ELO 2602 – born 03.01.1985)
Very promising in his last junior years, Mateusz Bartel achieved his GM-title aged 19 in 2005. Noteworthy he made one of his norms in Norway, when winning the GM Swiss in Drammen 2004-05 with a fairly typical score of eight wins and one loss. Having spent much of his time and brain power on university studies for the last years Bartel is still a great chess fighter of the Polish chess school, despite some up and downs steadily improving his ELO.
Inspired by winning the European Union Championship in 2005, Bartel has now passed the 2600 border and established himself in the first rank of Polish grandmasters. Invited to play in the strong Polish team of the Olympics this year, he however made a disappointing 4.0/7 on board four. Playing hard and long to win almost all games, he is obviously eager for a strong hit back now, and might very well candidate for top three even in this tournament.
Text: Hans Olav Lahlum