Alexander Ipatov
GM Alexander Ipatov is the 2015 Turkish National Chess Champion. He conquered his title one round before the end of the tournament, after leaving his closest competitors 1,5 points behind. GM Ipatov continues his string of successes, which include Turkish National title in 2014 and World Junior Chess Championship in 2012.
The current standings after round 12 have Ipatov with 11.5 points, ahead of GM Dragan Solak, solidly in second place with 10 points. The battle for third place will be decided today in the final round, with 4 players vying for that spot – GM Kivanc Haznedaroglu with 8 points is currently in third place, ahead of GM Baris Esen, IM Azis Mert Erdogdu and Mustafa Yelken, currently sharing fourth place with 7.5 points.
Follow the final round here / Standings and statistics
Here is a list of all Turkish National Champions by year:
Year Winner
1962 Nevzat Süer
1963 Nevzat Süer
1964 Nevzat Süer
1965 Nevzat Süer
1966 Siracettin Bilyap
1967 İsmet İbrahimoğlu
1968 Nevzat Süer
1969 Nevzat Süer
1970 İsmet İbrahimoğlu
1971 İsmet İbrahimoğlu
1972 Ferit Boysan
1973 Nevzat Süer
1974 İlhan Onat
1975 İlhan Onat
1976 Feridun Öney
1977 Ergun Gümrükçüoğlu
1978 Turhan Yılmaz
1979 Turhan Yılmaz
1980 Ergun Gümrükçüoğlu
1981 Suat Soylu
1982 İlhan Onat
1983 Adnan Şendur
1984 Can Yurtseven
1985 Ateş Ülker
1986 Turhan Yilmaz
1987 Suat Atalık
1988 Suat Atalık
1989 Turhan Yılmaz
1990 Cem Karadağ
1991 Hakan Erdoğan
1992 Hakan Han
1993 Can Arduman
1994 Can Arduman
1995 Ali İpek
1996 Can Arduman
1997 Can Arduman
1998 Can Arduman
1999 Umut Atakişi
2000 Tamer Karatekin
2001 Umut Atakişi
2002 Can Arduman
2003 Kıvanç Haznedaroğlu
2004 Turhan Yılmaz
2005 Umut Atakişi
2006 Mikhail Gurevich
2007 Suat Atalık
2008 Mikhail Gurevich
2009 Mustafa Yılmaz
2010 Oğulcan Kanmazalp
2011 Emre Can
2012 Dragan Solak
2013 Dragan Solak
2014 Alexander Ipatov
2015 Alexander Ipatov
More about Alexander Ipatov
Alexander Ipatov, born in Ukraine 16th of July 1993. He is two times vice-champion of the Ukraine among boys under 10 years (2003), under 14 (2007), under 16 and 20 (2008, he was just 14 at the time). He is Master of Sports (the Ukraine) and a participant of two World championships under 10 years (2003, 11th place), under 14 years (2007, 8th place). His first major feat was the 2nd place at the International Chess tournament Le Mans (France, 2008).
However, Alexander Ipatov first got on the radar of international top chess when he joined as commentator of Chessdom.com for Corus 2010. At the time he had 2497 ELO, but bravely took on the task that has previously been given to renowned chess players as World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, the French national team player GM Christian Bauer, the current Russian champion Natalia Pogonina, GM Aveskulov, IM Perunovic, etc, where the young Ipatov showed great understanding of middle and endgames, winning many fans internationally.
Soon after, while commenting the World Chess Championship live in Sofia, he won the strong Sofia Blitz Championship and from there his success followed one after the other. A few months later IM Ipatov won a medal and GM norm at Cappelle La Grande and the same year came his final GM norm in Nakhchivan with equal points as Vallejo, Sokolov, and Almasi.
Early in 2012 he was attracted by the Turkish Chess Federation and the same year he brought the first gold from World Junior Championships to the country, following it up with wins in the 2014 and 2015 Turkish National Championships.
