Game summary
Esipenko, Andrey and Boris Gelfand drew in 27 moves in round 4 of Nutcracker Rapid 2017 in Moscow, Russia, on 23 December 2017. The opening was the Semi-Slav Defense (D45).
- White
- Esipenko, Andrey
- Black
- Boris Gelfand
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Event
- Nutcracker Rapid 2017
- Place
- Moscow, Russia
- Date
- 23 December 2017 (2017.12.23)
- Round
- 4.2
- Opening
- Semi-Slav Defense (D45)
- Length
- 27 moves (54 plies)
All moves of Esipenko, Andrey vs Gelfand, B (PGN move text)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.a3 a6 12.b4 a5 13.Rb1 axb4 14.axb4 Re8 15.e4 e5 16.h3 Qe7 17.Qb3 exd4 18.Nxd4 Nxe4 19.Nf5 Qf6 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.Nxd6 Qxd6 22.Be3 Nf6 23.Bf3 Re6 24.Bc5 Qe5 25.Qd3 Rae8 26.Ra1 Ne4 27.Be3 Qb8 1/2-1/2
About This Game
A middlegame battle in which Esipenko, Andrey was paired against Gelfand, B at Nutcracker Rapid 2017 in Moscow RUS in 2017. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
From Semi-Slav Defense (D45) the players entered a fight over the centre with long-term structural themes. Here the struggle frequently turns on the central pawns and the resulting minor-piece play.
Lasting 27 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.
Replaying a complete grandmaster game is more valuable than it first appears. You see not just the moves, but the order in which plans are introduced, how both sides react to threats, and where the balance finally tips.
After the contest, the game was drawn between Esipenko, Andrey and Gelfand, B. Replay the full game move by move above, analyse it with the engine to find the turning points, and use Practice mode to play out the critical positions yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Who played this game?
This game was played between Esipenko, Andrey (White) and Gelfand, B (Black), at Nutcracker Rapid 2017 in 2017.
What opening was played?
The game used Semi-Slav Defense (ECO code D45). A fight over the centre with long-term structural themes.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Esipenko, Andrey and Gelfand, B.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 27 moves (54 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 Semi-Slav Defense collection, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.