Tim Grutter: ‘I don't like total chaos’

Tim Grutter won the second edition of the Amsterdam Chess Open in 2024. The 21-year-old chess player from Amersfoort recently completed his bachelor's degree in Economics at the University of Amsterdam and is now in the midst of a busy summer of chess. He will defend his ACO title at the end of October, and as a preview, we present an interview recorded a few weeks ago during the UniClass Science Park Amsterdam Chess Tournament.

Grutter with the trophy in 2024.

We are sitting on the terrace of café De Oerknal, part of the sports complex at UvA Science Park. The weather is pleasant and the atmosphere is good, as both the interviewee and the interviewer have just won their fifth-round games. Grutter's win was half a point more than expected – the experienced IM Li Riemersma blundered a back-rank mate in what was a dead drawn position – and he is repeatedly asked: “Is the live board correct?” Grutter would ultimately finish in a tie for fourth place with 6.5/9.

The reason for the conversation is Grutter's commitment to participating in the Amsterdam Chess Open again this year (the weekend of October 24-26, 2025) and the fact that he will do so as the title holder. Last November, he was still twenty and a FIDE master, yet he still finished ahead of six players, including two masters and a grandmaster. After a strong start with four wins followed by two draws, he had the highest tiebreak and was allowed to hold up the trophy.

Grutter once finished second in the Dutch Championships under sixteen, which qualified him for the European Championship. That was in Bratislava, Slovakia, and "a really great experience," he says. He also had a successful second half of 2024 with tournament victories in Geraardsbergen and Brasschaat (both Belgium), and then also in Amsterdam.

Grutter now holds the IM title and also a bachelor's degree in Economics. Although he studied at the University of Amsterdam's Roeterseiland campus, some of his exams took place in the same hall where he participated in the Science Park tournament in July. He doesn't plan to resume his academic career until January, which will give him the opportunity to play a lot of chess this summer and fall.

Grutter playing in last year's ACO.

Grutter, who plays in the highest Dutch league for his club Kennemer Combinatie, grew up in Amersfoort and started playing at the Hoogland chess club. He was quite good from an early age. We call this talent, but sometimes it helps to start something early and be enthusiastic. "My father taught me to play chess when I was four, and I joined Hoogland when I was around five," he says. "After that, I quickly moved on to the youth team in Amersfoort." He still lives in Amersfoort, plays the club competition there, and also coaches.

Do you remember what you liked about chess in those early days?

"I think it really helped that I won a lot in the beginning. So yes, if you win a lot of games, you'll stick with it, of course. I also played a lot of chess at home with my father [a decent club player with a 1900-rating - PD], I sparred with him a lot, so that helped. We still play sometimes."

"At some point, the stronger players were invited to 'star training,' and eventually, I also got one-on-one lessons from one of those coaches. That also helped me a lot, and now I'm basically doing the same thing in reverse. I'm a coach now and I teach the youth in Amersfoort, which is fun. The step method, yes, I swear by it. I used it myself, up to step five. You can also hammer in those patterns in a different way, so to speak, but I think it works really well. And I still sometimes use step six to do some puzzles.

To what extent has online chess been helpful to you?

"I've always played a lot online, of course, a lot of blitzing, so to speak, ever since I was about ten. I started out playing mostly over the board, and later a lot online, on both Chess.com and Lichess."

Do you do anything else there, like watching videos or solving puzzles?

"Not really videos, but I do puzzles. I really like Puzzle Rush, so I do that. Recently I got 52 in three minutes, which wasn't bad; I was happy with that. I only play for three minutes."

Do you play anonymously?

"On Lichess, I also have an anonymous handle, but on Chess.com, everyone can see it."

Isn't that problematic, because you're revealing your openings?

"I don't always play the same as when I play over the board. Sometimes I do, but yeah, I usually just vary a bit. So, with Titled Tuesday, all the games are entered into the database, so that even helps a little sometimes. Your opponents prepare for Titled Tuesday games, but I don't play that at the board at all. I usually don't check those online games that much myself because people do the strangest things there."

Do you play Titled Tuesday often?

"I used to participate about once every two weeks or so, but not these days. That's because of the fair play measures, which I think are a good thing, but the barrier to play is a bit higher. You have to set up your phone as a second camera and play via Proctor [Chess.com's special chess browser designed to prevent cheating - PD]. Normally, a few minutes before five, I'm like: I'm going to play. You click "participate" and you're playing. Now it's a bit more difficult. But I still really enjoy it. It's a great opportunity to play against e.g. Carlsen or Nakamura."

Who was your strongest opponent ever?

"Nakamura, but I lost to him. I did beat Shankland once, and also Eljanov."

Back to last year; how did your tournament at the Amsterdam Chess Open go?

"I had four points, then two draws, and we ended up sharing first place with quite a few people. I started with four wins, but they were very difficult. I actually got off to a very good start in the first two rounds, especially against players who were lower rated. Then, in the third round, I had to play against streamer Anna-Maja Kazarian. In front of the camera, yes, that was really fun. I ended up winning with a bit of luck in the endgame. Then, in the fourth round, I had to play against Esper van Baar, and that was a solid win."

"The fifth round, on Sunday morning, was a thrilling draw against the Indian Sharan Rao, and in the final round, I played a quick draw against Midas Ratsma. Looking back, I thought: maybe I should have played for it, because, well, I was playing white and my rating was about a hundred points higher. But yes, I chose the cautious option, and that was rewarded with first place. But in hindsight, I would have liked to have played for it."

Grutter and Ratsma starting their last-round game.

And how do you look back on the tournament in general?

"I found it quite relaxed. It was just two rounds every day, and that's nice anyway; no nonsense with three rounds in one day."

There are also many people who think two is already a lot.

"Yes, it's tough, but I actually thought it was fine. The advantage of two games is that if you play a bad game, you immediately have the chance to recover, so to speak."

The advantage of two games is that if you play a bad game, you immediately have the chance to recover.

"One game a day is also nice, of course. If you're done, you can relax, have a drink and so on, and there's more time for preparation. With two games a day, you don't really have time to prepare for the afternoon round."

You don't think that's a problem?

"No. For a weekend tournament, I just prepare a few things beforehand. Then I know what I will play."

Do you remember all that?

"No," Grutter smiles. "I often forget the preparation. But in any case, I think it's useful to just review your openings a bit before a tournament."

The rate of play is often a bit faster at a weekend tournament too.

"Yes, it's usually without that extra half hour or fifteen minutes, and I'm fine with that.

I don't necessarily need that extra half hour. I also like it when a game is decided in a time scramble."

What did you think of the organization?

"It was well organized, you know. The lottery between rounds was fun, the location was nice, the playing hall was great, and I also liked the streamers; they're a nice addition to the tournament. I also liked that there were four groups, so some of my students could participate and that way I could follow them a bit. They're between nine and thirteen and all national sub-top players, I'd say."

Do you have any tips for your pupils or other participants to be well-prepared for a tournament? "Tips from the tournament winner?"

"Well, at a weekend tournament like this, I would just look at openings in general, so I wouldn't look at all the opponents specifically, but just what I play with White and what I play with Black. And just go over that in general terms. And what I often do before games is just solve a few puzzles. So just warm up a bit, on your phone if you're on the train or if you're still at home or something. Just a few puzzles. That way you're a bit warmed up, so to speak."

"At a tournament like this, it's also important to manage your energy well. Two games a day can be quite tough. So then you're talking about standard things like eating well, sleeping well."

That also includes, for example, maybe playing a tactical, quick draw somewhere in the middle to save energy? Or don't you do those kinds of things?

"Well, in the last round, I did," Grutter laughs. "But no, not in principle, no. I would just go for it every game. If you need a rest, you can also just take a bye."

Do you feel like you have a certain chess style?

"I don't like total chaos. I'm not very good at that, so I like to stay in control, to play controlling. At the same time, I like to play somewhat dynamic positions; I play the King's Indian, and with White, I'm a 1.e4 player. So I'd say: controlling, but not very positional."

And is there a particular player you try to emulate in terms of openings or style?

"I think Fischer is a very nice player; I've always been a fan of him. And of course, the way Carlsen plays endgames—I also like endgames and I enjoy trying to exploit my advantage. The way Carlsen does that is, of course, brilliant. And I think Dubov has a very nice style. That's not necessarily my style, but he always has really nice games. I enjoy those too. Or Richard Rapport, I like him too, yes. Great players."