My name is Stefan Karlsson (male), I'm from Sweden and I'm 30 years old.

I've got the rating 2560, 10th place on the official RIF-rating, 1999-09-29.

I started to play renju autumn 1985. I met a teacher at my Gymnasium School. The teacher was the present President of RIF, Tommy Maltell. We continued to meet and we were both members of the local Renju Club in Jönköping. Tommy taught me renju and helped me climb my first steps on the high renjuladder.

My very best result so far was made recently in the 6th World Championships in Beijing, China, where I had the 3rd place. 

My previous results in  World Championship finals:

10th 1993 in Arjeplog, Sweden
11th 1995 in Tallinn, Estonia
10th 1997 in S:t Petersburg, Russia

My best result in European Championship is 4th 1998 in Tallinn, Estonia.

1994 in Linkoping
1995 in Harnosand
1996 in Jonkoping
1998 in Jonkoping

I was no. 3 1999. I've won the Swedish Cup 4 times and the Swedish WC-qualifaication 2 times (1995 and 1999). Above these I have quite many wins in different national tournaments. My best results in international tournaments (individual EC and WC excluded):

12th place 1986 in a Gomoku-tournament in Leningrad,Russia
6th place 1989 in Kyoto Open, Japan
3rd place 1993 in Tallinn Open, Estonia
4th place 1994 with Swedish team in S:t Petersburg,Russia
5th place 1995 in Russian High League in Elets, Russia
4th place 1996 with Swedish team in WC S:t Petersb,Russia
2nd place 1998 in Stockholm Summer Trophy, Sweden
2nd place 1998 in Karepa, Estonia
1st place 1999 in Baltc League in Tallin, Estonia
2nd place 1999 in Karepa, Estonia

About internet-tournaments, I had the 4th place in E-mail World Championships 1997 and I had the 2nd place in the first really international "on-line-tournament" that was played in December 1998.

The best player I have ever played with? Hmmm....it is actually not so difficult to answer. I have never met Shigeru Nakamura, so the "easy" answer will be Ando Meritee. I've played many games with him and he is very strong. He has control of the position in a way that noone else I've met have. I have met several Japanese players that have some equal qualities as Ando, but they are not so complete as him.

Renju is a fantastic board game. I think it is that fascinating because the rules are so simple, but the game is still complex and contains "deep dimensions". Renju demands both the logical side and the creative side from the person who wants to become a great player. You must both be able to concentrate, count a lot and also possess an ability of intuition, to create moves and positions.

I'm lucky to have a fiancée who also like this fantastic game very much and we will for sure take part in many renju tournaments in future. About expectaitions for me as a player, it would of course be very nice to have even better place than no. 3 in World Championships. We'll see what future will bring us.

In May 2000 I will hopefully play the Team World Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, for the Swedish team together with four other Sweds. I hope we will be able to make a great result there!