Game summary
Hikaru Nakamura beat Veselin Topalov in 14 moves in round 3 of Champions Showdown 60m in Saint Louis, USA, on 11 November 2016. The opening was the Nimzo-Indian Defense (E35).
- White
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Black
- Veselin Topalov
- Result
- White won (1-0)
- Event
- Champions Showdown 60m
- Place
- Saint Louis, USA
- Date
- 11 November 2016 (2016.11.11)
- Round
- 3.2
- Opening
- Nimzo-Indian Defense (E35)
- Length
- 14 moves (27 plies)
All moves of Nakamura, Hi vs Topalov, V (PGN move text)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.dxc5 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 Bf5 11.Bxb8 Nxc3 12.Qxf5 Ne4+ 13.Ke2 Qxb8 14.Qxd5 1-0
About This Game
In this encounter Nakamura, Hi had the white pieces against Topalov, V at Champions Showdown 60m in Saint Louis USA in 2016. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
The game opened with Nimzo-Indian Defense (E35), a strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity. In these systems both players manoeuvre carefully before committing to a plan.
The game was a sharp, short fight of 14 moves. Decisive encounters like this one often hinge on a single tactical oversight or a well-prepared opening idea, making them excellent study material for spotting mistakes early.
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.
Working through a full game like this trains pattern recognition. The more complete games you study, the more quickly you will spot familiar structures and ideas in your own play.
In the end, Nakamura, Hi won with the white 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 Nakamura, Hi (White) and Topalov, V (Black), at Champions Showdown 60m in 2016.
What opening was played?
The game used Nimzo-Indian Defense (ECO code E35). A strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity.
What was the result?
Nakamura, Hi won with the white pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 14 moves (27 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, Nakamura, Hi's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.