---
title: Game of the Week XLIX- Gelfand,Boris (2663) - Adams,Michael (2700)
description: A small twist in the opening can change the flow of the game.
image: https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=png&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=durarbayli:ublog:QnxjkB5R:3ShDEx5A.png&w=880&sig=12dea4742361ba0409f46d765d6a572149b09174
---

**The opening phase of the game has been a common focus of the Game of the Week series, but it is still exhilarating to find a fresh, deep idea in an opening that always makes me appreciate the research aspect of the game.**

**The majority of the games in this series have had some unique opening ideas in them. One of them outshines all others. The unexpected pawn sacrifice in a fairly well-known position that happened out-of-the-blue in the [Van Foreest vs. Ganguly game](https://lichess.org/@/Durarbayli/blog/game-of-the-week-xliii-van-foreestjorden-2691-surya-shekhar-ganguly-2617/GJfCBy44) could be, as Ray Robson put it, one of the most creative opening novelties to be played in recent years.**

**Obviously, crazy novelties as in the game mentioned above do not happen so often; however, sometimes, even a tiny twist on a typical opening with deep prep behind it could create a lively position that brings great joy for a spectator. This brings us to the Game of the Week...**

## **Game of the Week is- Gelfand vs. Adams**

https://lichess.org/study/GWPZqTsb/E0Poh9GT

This is the continuation of the Game of the Week series. All the previous weeks could be found [here](https://www.chess.com/blog/gameofweek). Thank you for reading! If you find any noteworthy games that you think should appear on **Game of the Week**, please send me a message on lichess.org.
Please note that **Game of the Week** will cover games played from Saturday to Saturday of each week, and any games played on Sunday will go to the next week. See you next Sunday! 
Contributors: Grandmaster [Vasif Durarbayli](https://lichess.org/@/Durarbayli) Edited by [Della Almind](https://lichess.org/@/QueenDella)