Game summary
Zatonskih, A and Hikaru Nakamura drew in 36 moves in round 2 of Kings vs Queens Rapid in Saint Louis, USA, on 11 September 2011. The opening was the Queen's Pawn Game (A40).
- White
- Zatonskih, A
- Black
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Event
- Kings vs Queens Rapid
- Place
- Saint Louis, USA
- Date
- 11 September 2011 (2011.09.11)
- Round
- 2
- Opening
- Queen's Pawn Game (A40)
- Length
- 36 moves (71 plies)
All moves of Zatonskih, A vs Nakamura, Hi (PGN move text)
1.d4 b6 2.e4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Nbd2 Nf6 6.e5 Nfd7 7.O-O c5 8.c3 Nc6 9.Re1 g5 10.h3 h5 11.Nf1 g4 12.Ng5 Bh6 13.h4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Nxd4 15.Bf4 Nc6 16.Rc1 Bg7 17.Bg6 Qe7 18.Nxf7 O-O 19.Bg5 Qb4 20.Nd6 Ncxe5 21.Nxb7 Nxg6 22.Rxe6 Nf4 23.Re7 Ne5 24.Rcc7 Rf7 25.Rxf7 Nxf7 26.Rxf7 Kxf7 27.Bxf4 Qxf4 28.Qxd5+ Kg6 29.Nd8 Rxd8 30.Qxd8 Bd4 31.Qe8+ Kg7 32.Qe7+ Kg8 33.Qe8+ Kg7 34.Qe7+ Kg8 35.Qe8+ Kg7 36.Qe7+ 1/2-1/2
About This Game
In this encounter Zatonskih, A had the white pieces against Nakamura, Hi at Kings vs Queens Rapid in Saint Louis USA in 2011. It was played in round 2. The game dates from the modern computer-influenced era.
The game opened with Queen's Pawn Game (A40), a flexible, manoeuvring struggle where both sides delay direct contact. Openings in this ECO group reward patient build-up and a good feel for pawn structure.
Lasting 36 moves, the game was settled in the middlegame. This is the phase where piece activity, pawn breaks and king safety all collide, and replaying it slowly is a good way to train your own middlegame judgement.
Nakamura, Hi is one of the grandmasters featured in the RamaChess archive, where you can browse their complete game collection, favourite openings and notable wins. Studying many games by a single strong player is one of the fastest ways to understand practical chess decisions.
Games such as this one are useful at every level. Beginners can follow the opening principles, club players can study the middlegame plans, and stronger players can examine the finer endgame and decision-making points.
After the contest, the game was drawn between Zatonskih, A and Nakamura, Hi. Step through the moves on the interactive board above, flip the board to see it from either side, and try the position trainer to sharpen your own play.
Frequently asked questions
Who played this game?
This game was played between Zatonskih, A (White) and Nakamura, Hi (Black), at Kings vs Queens Rapid in 2011.
What opening was played?
The game used Queen's Pawn Game (ECO code A40). A flexible, manoeuvring struggle where both sides delay direct contact.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Zatonskih, A and Nakamura, Hi.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 36 moves (71 plies).
Can I replay this game move by move?
Yes. Use the interactive board on this page to step through every move, or open the analyser for engine evaluation and Practice mode to play the positions yourself.
Where can I find more games like this?
Browse the full Queen's Pawn Game collection, Nakamura, Hi's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.