Game summary
Esipenko, Andrey beat Boris Gelfand with the black pieces in 40 moves in round 1 of 35th Leon GM 2022 in Leon, Spain, on 9 July 2022. The opening was the Nimzo-Indian Defense (E51).
- White
- Boris Gelfand
- Black
- Esipenko, Andrey
- Result
- Black won (0-1)
- Event
- 35th Leon GM 2022
- Place
- Leon, Spain
- Date
- 9 July 2022 (2022.07.09)
- Round
- 1.6
- Opening
- Nimzo-Indian Defense (E51)
- Length
- 40 moves (80 plies)
All moves of Gelfand, B vs Esipenko, Andrey (PGN move text)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 O-O 6.Be2 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.a3 Bd6 9.b4 a5 10.b5 Ne4 11.Bb2 Nd7 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.a4 f5 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Qb3 Qe6 16.Ba3 Kh8 17.Bxd6 cxd6 18.Rac1 Ndf6 19.Rc2 Rae8 20.Nxe4 fxe4 21.Nd2 Qf7 22.Qa3 Re6 23.Qc1 Re7 24.Rc3 h6 25.Qa3 Qe6 26.Qc1 Bc8 27.Rc7 Nh7 28.Qc6 Rxc7 29.Qxc7 Qg6 30.Qxb6 Bh3 31.g3 Bxf1 32.Bxf1 Qf5 33.f4 exf3 34.Qxa5 Ng5 35.Qb4 f2+ 36.Kg2 Ne4 37.Nxe4 Qxe4+ 38.Kh3 Qf5+ 39.Kg2 Qf3+ 40.Kh3 Rf5 0-1
About This Game
Gelfand, B and Esipenko, Andrey met over the board in this middlegame battle at 35th Leon GM 2022 in Leon ESP in 2022. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
The game opened with Nimzo-Indian Defense (E51), a strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity. In these systems both players manoeuvre carefully before committing to a plan.
Lasting 40 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, Esipenko, Andrey won with the black 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 Gelfand, B (White) and Esipenko, Andrey (Black), at 35th Leon GM 2022 in 2022.
What opening was played?
The game used Nimzo-Indian Defense (ECO code E51). A strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity.
What was the result?
Esipenko, Andrey won with the black pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 40 moves (80 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 Nimzo-Indian Defense collection, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.