Game Of the Week: Grischuk vs. Rodshtein

Grischuk vs. Rodshtein

Opening: A07: King's Indian Attack

Player(s): Grischuk, Rodshtein

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Let's return to the European Club Championship to take a look at an often overlooked player, Alexander Grischuk. Grischuk has not been spectacular in individual tournaments, but a few good results in team events have sent his Elo rating upwards.

After a strong +3 score for Malakhite, Grischuk is approaching 2800. In this week's featured game he takes on 25-year-old Israeli grandmaster Maxim Rodshtein. Grischuk is not thought of as a heavy puncher with the white pieces, but he compensates with great versatility, at home with 1.e4, 1.d4, or flank openings. Rodshtein quickly brought the game into rarely traveled territory, but Grischuk found a novelty that helped him grab the initiative. Let's see what he did with it.