Game summary
Boris Gelfand and Esipenko, Andrey drew in 52 moves in round 5 of Nutcracker Rapid 2017 in Moscow, Russia, on 24 December 2017. The opening was the English Opening (A18).
- White
- Boris Gelfand
- Black
- Esipenko, Andrey
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Event
- Nutcracker Rapid 2017
- Place
- Moscow, Russia
- Date
- 24 December 2017 (2017.12.24)
- Round
- 5.2
- Opening
- English Opening (A18)
- Length
- 52 moves (104 plies)
All moves of Gelfand, B vs Esipenko, Andrey (PGN move text)
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 Ne4 6.Nf3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 Be7 8.d4 c5 9.Be2 Nc6 10.O-O O-O 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Bg5 Qa5 13.Qc2 Bg4 14.Bf4 h6 15.Rab1 Qc7 16.Bg3 Qd7 17.Rfd1 b6 18.h3 Be6 19.Bh4 Rac8 20.Qd2 Qc7 21.Re1 Ne7 22.Ba6 Rb8 23.Bg3 Nf5 24.Bf4 Qd7 25.Bb5 Qc8 26.Nd4 a6 27.Bf1 b5 28.Rbc1 Qd7 29.Rcd1 Rbc8 30.Nb3 Bb6 31.Bd3 Rfd8 32.Bb1 Rc4 33.Bd3 Ra4 34.Bh2 Rc8 35.Kh1 Qa7 36.Rf1 Qc7 37.Bxf5 Bxf5 38.e6 Qb7 39.exf7+ Qxf7 40.Qxd5 Be6 41.Qd6 Bc7 42.Qd2 Bxh2 43.Kxh2 Qc7+ 44.Kg1 Qxc3 45.Rfe1 Qxd2 46.Rxd2 Bf7 47.Re7 Re8 48.Ra7 Be6 49.Re2 Bf7 50.Rd2 Be6 51.Re2 Bf7 52.Rd2 Be6 1/2-1/2
About This Game
Gelfand, B and Esipenko, Andrey met over the board in this full-length game at Nutcracker Rapid 2017 in Moscow RUS in 2017. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
The game opened with English Opening (A18), a flexible, manoeuvring struggle where both sides delay direct contact. Openings in this ECO group reward patient build-up and a good feel for pawn structure.
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.
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.
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 Gelfand, B and Esipenko, Andrey. 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 Gelfand, B (White) and Esipenko, Andrey (Black), at Nutcracker Rapid 2017 in 2017.
What opening was played?
The game used English Opening (ECO code A18). A flexible, manoeuvring struggle where both sides delay direct contact.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Gelfand, B and Esipenko, Andrey.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 52 moves (104 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 English Opening collection, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.