One of the most creative and knowledgeable players of the last forty years, Ivanchuk has beaten every world champion of his era, reached the 2002 FIDE championship final and won the 2016 World Rapid Championship.
Ivanchuk burst onto the elite scene in the late 1980s, winning Linares 1991 ahead of Kasparov and Karpov. Since then he has played almost every opening with both colours and has been a top-ten player for long periods across three decades.
02
Chess as art
Ivanchuk is famous for deep originality and for living completely inside the game. He reached the final of the 2002 FIDE knockout championship, won the World Rapid title in 2016 and has inspired many players with his love of chess for its own sake.
Did you know?
♞Fact #1Tap to revealIvanchuk won Linares 1991 ahead of Kasparov and Karpov.
♝Fact #2Tap to revealHe plays an unusually wide range of openings with both colours.
Three lessons from Ivanchuk for your own games
1Know many kinds of positions
2Love the game for its ideas
3Creativity is a practical weapon
Vassily Ivanchuk’s games
Watch the featured game replay itself, or pick any game below. Every game opens move by move with engine analysis.
Kasparov, Garry
Ivanchuk, Vassily
Featured game · clash of legends
Ivanchuk, Vassily – Kasparov, Garry
Linares 14th, 1997 · 36 moves · King’s Indian Sämisch