Game summary
Esipenko, Andrey beat Boris Gelfand with the black pieces in 53 moves in round 1 of 35th Leon GM 2022 in Leon, Spain, on 9 July 2022. The opening was the Nimzo-Indian Defense (E51).
- White
- Boris Gelfand
- Black
- Esipenko, Andrey
- Result
- Black won (0-1)
- Event
- 35th Leon GM 2022
- Place
- Leon, Spain
- Date
- 9 July 2022 (2022.07.09)
- Round
- 1.1
- Opening
- Nimzo-Indian Defense (E51)
- Length
- 53 moves (106 plies)
All moves of Gelfand, B vs Esipenko, Andrey (PGN move text)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 O-O 6.Be2 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.a3 Bd6 9.b4 dxc4 10.Bxc4 a5 11.b5 Nbd7 12.Bb2 e5 13.Be2 Re8 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nd4 Bc5 16.Nb3 Bd6 17.Qc2 Qe7 18.Qd1 h5 19.h3 Ng6 20.Bf3 Qe5 21.g3 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 h4 23.Nd1 Qxb5 24.Nd4 Qd3 25.Qf5 Re4 26.Nf3 hxg3 27.Bxf6 gxf6 28.fxg3 Bxg3 29.Ra2 Rxe3 30.Nxe3 Qxe3+ 31.Kh1 Qf4 32.Qd5 Re8 33.Rg2 Re3 34.Nd2 Qh6 35.Qf5 Be5 36.Nf3 Kg7 37.Qd7 Bd6 38.h4 Qh5 39.Qg4 Qxg4 40.Rxg4 Kh6 41.Nd4 Kh5 42.Rg2 Rh3+ 43.Kg1 Bc5 44.Rf5+ Kh6 45.Rxc5 bxc5 46.Nf5+ Kh7 47.Rc2 Nxh4 48.Nxh4 Rxh4 49.Rxc5 a4 50.Rxc7 Rh3 51.Rxf7+ Kg6 52.Rb7 Rxa3 53.Rb4 Ra2 0-1
About This Game
A full-length game in which Gelfand, B was paired against Esipenko, Andrey at 35th Leon GM 2022 in Leon ESP in 2022. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
The game opened with Nimzo-Indian Defense (E51), a strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity. In these systems both players manoeuvre carefully before committing to a plan.
Running to 53 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.
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.
When the dust settled, Esipenko, Andrey 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 Esipenko, Andrey (Black), at 35th Leon GM 2022 in 2022.
What opening was played?
The game used Nimzo-Indian Defense (ECO code E51). A strategic battle of pawn structure and piece activity.
What was the result?
Esipenko, Andrey won with the black pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 53 moves (106 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, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.