Ian Nepomniachtchi
GM · Russia · born 1990 · peak rating 2795
A two-time World Championship challenger with lightning-fast intuition.
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Roast Ian on chess.com →Who is Ian Nepomniachtchi?
Ian Nepomniachtchi is a Russian grandmaster and two-time World Championship challenger (2021 and 2023). Known as 'Nepo', he is one of the fastest intuitive players at the top level.
Playing style
Nepomniachtchi plays at speed even in classical chess, trusting his intuition to find strong moves quickly. At his best he's electric and aggressive; his lesson for improvers is double-edged - intuition wins games, but rushing in critical moments costs them.
Signature openings
- Sicilian Defense
- Petroff Defense
- Ruy Lopez
- Grünfeld Defense
Career highlights
- World Championship challenger in 2021 and 2023
- Two-time Candidates Tournament winner
- Peak classical rating 2795
- European and World junior champion in his youth
What you can learn from Ian
Fast intuition is powerful, but slow down on the moves that matter. The difference between Nepo's best and worst games is discipline in critical positions - the same one move that decides most amateur games.
Did you know?
- Plays as 'lachesisQ' on Lichess, a nod to a Greek Fate and the queen.
- Beat a young Magnus Carlsen in their early junior encounters.
- An avid Dota 2 player away from the board.
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