Game summary
Nihal, Sarin beat Boris Gelfand with the black pieces in 69 moves in round 2 of 54th Biel GM Rapid 2021 in Biel, Switzerland, on 25 July 2021. The opening was the Catalan Opening (E06).
- White
- Boris Gelfand
- Black
- Nihal, Sarin
- Result
- Black won (0-1)
- Event
- 54th Biel GM Rapid 2021
- Place
- Biel, Switzerland
- Date
- 25 July 2021 (2021.07.25)
- Round
- 2.2
- Opening
- Catalan Opening (E06)
- Length
- 69 moves (138 plies)
All moves of Gelfand, B vs Nihal, Sarin (PGN move text)
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O dxc4 7.Qc2 b5 8.a4 b4 9.Ne5 Qxd4 10.Bxa8 Qxe5 11.Bf4 Qh5 12.Bf3 Ng4 13.Bxg4 Qxg4 14.Nd2 e5 15.Bxe5 Nc6 16.Nxc4 Qe6 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rfd1 Bf6 19.e3 Ne5 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.Rac1 Qxb2 22.Qxc7 Bg4 23.Rb1 Qa2 24.Rf1 Bh3 25.Rxb4 Qe2 26.Rbb1 Rc8 27.Qb7 Rc2 28.a5 a6 29.Qe4 Bxf1 30.Rxf1 Ra2 31.Qf5 h6 32.Rc1 Qb5 33.Qg4+ Qg5 34.Qf3 Rxa5 35.Rc4 Qd5 36.Rg4+ Kf8 37.Re4 Kg7 38.Rg4+ Kf8 39.Re4 Qd6 40.Rf4 Kg7 41.Rg4+ Rg5 42.h4 Rxg4 43.Qxg4+ Kf8 44.Qc8+ Kg7 45.Qg4+ Kf8 46.Qc8+ Bd8 47.e4 a5 48.e5 Qd1+ 49.Kh2 Qd5 50.f4 a4 51.Qa6 Qd2+ 52.Kh3 Qd7+ 53.Kh2 Kg7 54.f5 Qxf5 55.Qxa4 Qxe5 56.Qg4+ Kf8 57.Qc8 Qe2+ 58.Kh1 Qd1+ 59.Kg2 Qd5+ 60.Kh2 h5 61.Qc3 Kg8 62.Qe3 Kg7 63.Qc3+ Bf6 64.Qe3 Qa2+ 65.Kh1 Qa1+ 66.Kg2 Qb2+ 67.Kh1 Qd4 68.Qf3 Qg4 69.Qe3 Bd4 0-1
About This Game
A marathon in which Gelfand, B was paired against Nihal, Sarin at 54th Biel GM Rapid 2021 in Biel SUI in 2021. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
From Catalan Opening (E06) the players entered a strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity. In these systems both players manoeuvre carefully before committing to a plan.
At 69 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.
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.
In the end, Nihal, Sarin won with the black pieces. Use the board above to replay every move at your own pace, switch to the analyser for engine evaluation of the key moments, or open Practice mode to test your own ideas from any position.
Frequently asked questions
Who played this game?
This game was played between Gelfand, B (White) and Nihal, Sarin (Black), at 54th Biel GM Rapid 2021 in 2021.
What opening was played?
The game used Catalan Opening (ECO code E06). A strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity.
What was the result?
Nihal, Sarin won with the black pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 69 moves (138 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 Catalan Opening collection, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.