Game summary
Hikaru Nakamura beat Veselin Topalov in 84 moves in round 8 of Champions Showdown G5 in Saint Louis, USA, on 12 November 2017. The opening was the Caro-Kann Defense (B13).
- White
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Black
- Veselin Topalov
- Result
- White won (1-0)
- Place
- Saint Louis, USA
- Date
- 12 November 2017 (2017.11.12)
- Round
- 8.1
- Opening
- Caro-Kann Defense (B13)
- Length
- 84 moves (167 plies)
All moves of Nakamura, Hi vs Topalov, V (PGN move text)
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e3 Nc6 4.c3 cxd4 5.exd4 Nf6 6.Bd3 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qc8 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3 Bh5 10.O-O Be7 11.Rae1 a6 12.Qc2 Bg6 13.Ne5 Nxd4 14.Qa4+ Nc6 15.Nxg6 hxg6 16.Nf3 b5 17.Qd1 Qd7 18.a4 bxa4 19.Qxa4 O-O 20.Ra1 Bd6 21.Bg5 Qb7 22.Qh4 Be7 23.b4 e5 24.Be2 e4 25.Nd2 Nd8 26.Qh3 Ne6 27.Be3 Qc7 28.Rfc1 Nf4 29.Bxf4 Qxf4 30.Nb3 Qc7 31.Bxa6 Bd6 32.Be2 Rxa1 33.Rxa1 Be5 34.Nc5 Bd6 35.Na6 Qe7 36.Rd1 Be5 37.b5 Qa3 38.Qe3 Qb2 39.Qd2 Qxd2 40.Rxd2 Bxc3 41.Ra2 Bd4 42.Nb4 Bc5 43.Nc6 d4 44.Bc4 d3 45.h3 e3 46.fxe3 d2 47.Bb3 Bxe3+ 48.Kf1 Ne4 49.Ke2 Bg5 50.Ra7 Nc5 51.Bd1 Re8+ 52.Kf3 Re1 53.Be2 d1=Q 54.Ra8+ Kh7 55.Bxd1 Rxd1 56.b6 Rb1 57.Ra5 Ne6 58.Ra6 Bf6 59.Na5 Nc5 60.Ra7 Rxb6 61.Rxf7 Ra6 62.Nc4 Ne6 63.Rb7 Ra4 64.Nd6 Rd4 65.Ne8 Be5 66.Re7 Ng5+ 67.Ke3 Re4+ 68.Kd3 Rd4+ 69.Ke3 Rd5 70.h4 Kg8 71.Rb7 Nf7 72.Nc7 Rd7 73.Rb8+ Kh7 74.Ne6 Bxb8 75.Nf8+ Kg8 76.Nxd7 Ne5 77.Nxb8 g5 78.hxg5 Kf7 79.Kf4 Nd3+ 80.Ke4 Ne1 81.Nc6 Nxg2 82.Ne5+ Ke6 83.Nf3 Nh4 84.Nxh4 1-0
About This Game
Nakamura, Hi and Topalov, V met over the board in this marathon at Champions Showdown G5 in Saint Louis USA in 2017. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
Play followed Caro-Kann Defense (B13) — sharp, double-edged play with chances for both sides. These lines often lead to opposite-side castling and a race to attack the enemy king.
At 84 moves this was a long, demanding struggle. Marathon games like this reward stamina and precise endgame technique, and they reveal how top players keep pressing in positions many would agree to draw.
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.
Replaying a complete grandmaster game is more valuable than it first appears. You see not just the moves, but the order in which plans are introduced, how both sides react to threats, and where the balance finally tips.
After the contest, Nakamura, Hi won with the white pieces. 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 Nakamura, Hi (White) and Topalov, V (Black), at Champions Showdown G5 in 2017.
What opening was played?
The game used Caro-Kann Defense (ECO code B13). Sharp, double-edged play with chances for both sides.
What was the result?
Nakamura, Hi won with the white pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 84 moves (167 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 Caro-Kann Defense collection, Nakamura, Hi's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.