Game summary
Nihal, Sarin and Boris Gelfand drew in 33 moves in round 2 of 54th Biel GM 2021 in Biel, Switzerland, on 28 July 2021. The opening was the Reti Opening (A04).
- White
- Nihal, Sarin
- Black
- Boris Gelfand
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Event
- 54th Biel GM 2021
- Place
- Biel, Switzerland
- Date
- 28 July 2021 (2021.07.28)
- Round
- 2.2
- Opening
- Reti Opening (A04)
- Length
- 33 moves (66 plies)
All moves of Nihal, Sarin vs Gelfand, B (PGN move text)
1.Nf3 c5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 Nc6 4.c4 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Nc3 e5 7.Nxd5 Qxd5 8.e3 Be7 9.Bc4 Qd6 10.Qc2 Be6 11.a3 O-O 12.h4 h6 13.Bxe6 Qxe6 14.Qc4 Qf5 15.d3 Rad8 16.Rd1 Rd7 17.Ke2 h5 18.Rhg1 Rfd8 19.g4 hxg4 20.Qxg4 Qxg4 21.Rxg4 f5 22.Rg6 Bf6 23.h5 Rd5 24.Rdg1 Kf7 25.Ng5+ Ke7 26.Nh7 Rxd3 27.Rxg7+ Bxg7 28.Rxg7+ Ke6 29.Ng5+ Kf6 30.Rg6+ Ke7 31.Rg7+ Kf6 32.Rg6+ Ke7 33.Rg7+ Kf6 1/2-1/2
About This Game
This middlegame battle sees Nihal, Sarin take on Gelfand, B at 54th Biel GM 2021 in Biel SUI in 2021. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
The game opened with Reti Opening (A04), 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 33 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.
Gelfand, B 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 Nihal, Sarin and Gelfand, B. 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 Nihal, Sarin (White) and Gelfand, B (Black), at 54th Biel GM 2021 in 2021.
What opening was played?
The game used Reti Opening (ECO code A04). A flexible, manoeuvring struggle where both sides delay direct contact.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Nihal, Sarin and Gelfand, B.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 33 moves (66 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 Reti Opening collection, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.