Game summary
Hikaru Nakamura and Veselin Topalov drew in 52 moves in round 4 of 1st FIDE GP London 2012 in London, England, on 24 September 2012. The opening was the Sicilian Defense (B22).
- White
- Hikaru Nakamura
- Black
- Veselin Topalov
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Place
- London, England
- Date
- 24 September 2012 (2012.09.24)
- Round
- 4
- Opening
- Sicilian Defense (B22)
- Length
- 52 moves (103 plies)
All moves of Nakamura, Hi vs Topalov, V (PGN move text)
1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 exd5 5.d4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.Be3 c4 8.b3 cxb3 9.axb3 Ne7 10.O-O O-O 11.Re1 a6 12.Nbd2 Bf5 13.Bf1 Rc8 14.Nh4 Be6 15.Bd3 Ng6 16.Nxg6 fxg6 17.Nf1 Qf6 18.f3 Bf5 19.Bf2 Ne7 20.Rc1 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Nf5 22.c4 Bf4 23.Rc2 Qf7 24.c5 Ne7 25.b4 Nc6 26.Qb3 Rfe8 27.Rd1 Re7 28.b5 axb5 29.Qxb5 Rce8 30.Ra2 h5 31.Rda1 Kh7 32.Ra8 Rxa8 33.Rxa8 Bg5 34.Ra2 Qf4 35.Rd2 Bf6 36.Qd3 Qf5 37.Qxf5 gxf5 38.Ng3 g6 39.Ne2 h4 40.Nc3 Rd7 41.Na4 g5 42.Nb6 Rd8 43.h3 Kg6 44.Kf1 g4 45.fxg4 fxg4 46.hxg4 Kg5 47.Rd3 Kxg4 48.Kg1 Ne7 49.Ra3 Nc6 50.Rd3 Ne7 51.Ra3 Nc6 52.Rd3 1/2-1/2
About This Game
In this encounter Nakamura, Hi had the white pieces against Topalov, V at 1st FIDE GP London 2012 in London ENG in 2012. It was played in round 4. The game dates from the modern computer-influenced era.
Play followed Sicilian Defense (B22) — 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.
Running to 52 moves, the game moved through a full middlegame into an endgame. Games of this length show how a small advantage is carried from one phase to the next — useful technique to absorb.
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.
When the dust settled, the game was drawn between Nakamura, Hi and Topalov, V. 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 1st FIDE GP London 2012 in 2012.
What opening was played?
The game used Sicilian Defense (ECO code B22). Sharp, double-edged play with chances for both sides.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Nakamura, Hi and Topalov, V.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 52 moves (103 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, Nakamura, Hi's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.