Game summary
Veselin Topalov and Hikaru Nakamura drew in 33 moves in round 11 of Champions Showdown G5 in Saint Louis, USA, on 12 November 2017. The opening was the Sicilian Defense (B90).
- White
- Veselin Topalov
- Black
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Place
- Saint Louis, USA
- Date
- 12 November 2017 (2017.11.12)
- Round
- 11.1
- Opening
- Sicilian Defense (B90)
- Length
- 33 moves (66 plies)
All moves of Topalov, V vs Nakamura, Hi (PGN move text)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 h5 8.Qd2 Be7 9.O-O-O b5 10.g3 Bb7 11.Bh3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Kb1 b4 14.Ne2 a5 15.Nd4 Bd7 16.Bg2 g6 17.f4 e5 18.Nf3 Qc7 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Nxe5 Be6 21.Bf4 Rd8 22.Nd3 Qc4 23.b3 Qc8 24.Be5 O-O 25.Qg5 Nd5 26.Qh6 Nc3+ 27.Ka1 f6 28.Qxg6+ Kh8 29.Nf4 Nxd1 30.Qxh5+ Kg7 31.Qg6+ Kh8 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.Qg6+ Kh8 1/2-1/2
About This Game
Topalov, V and Nakamura, Hi met over the board in this middlegame battle at Champions Showdown G5 in Saint Louis USA in 2017. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
The game opened with Sicilian Defense (B90), 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.
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.
Topalov, V 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.
When the dust settled, the game was drawn between Topalov, V and Nakamura, Hi. 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 Topalov, V (White) and Nakamura, Hi (Black), at Champions Showdown G5 in 2017.
What opening was played?
The game used Sicilian Defense (ECO code B90). Sharp, double-edged play with chances for both sides.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Topalov, V and Nakamura, Hi.
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 Sicilian Defense collection, Topalov, V's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.