Game Of the Week: GM Nils Grandelius vs. GM Alexander Ipatov

GM Nils Grandelius vs. GM Alexander Ipatov

Opening: B60: Sicilian Richter-Rauzen

Player(s): Grandelius, Ipatov

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The fourteen player main event at Wijk aan Zee can be expected to serve up plenty of intriguing games. But if the top guys ever play it close to the vest, the action in the B and C groups can take up the slack. The B group is a strong international event in its own right, and in some ways the chess is more interesting, if not as well-played.

These grandmasters might take a few more chances in their opening repertoires, which can produce original play with head-spinning complications. We have a good example in the round five game between Swedish Grandmaster Nils Grandelius and World Junior Champion Alexander Ipatov, a native Ukrainian now playing for Turkey. If this sounds at all familiar, it is indeed a GOTW rematch, as Ipatov defeated Grandelius on his way to the World Junior title back in August. Let's see if Grandelius gets his revenge.