Game summary
Esipenko, Andrey and Boris Gelfand drew in 38 moves in round 6 of Nutcracker Rapid 2018 in Moscow, Russia, on 22 December 2018. The opening was the Sicilian Defense (B33).
- White
- Esipenko, Andrey
- Black
- Boris Gelfand
- Result
- Draw (½-½)
- Event
- Nutcracker Rapid 2018
- Place
- Moscow, Russia
- Date
- 22 December 2018 (2018.12.22)
- Round
- 6.1
- Opening
- Sicilian Defense (B33)
- Length
- 38 moves (75 plies)
All moves of Esipenko, Andrey vs Gelfand, B (PGN move text)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c4 b4 12.Nc2 O-O 13.g3 Be6 14.Bg2 a5 15.O-O Bg5 16.b3 g6 17.f4 Bh6 18.Kh1 exf4 19.gxf4 Qh4 20.Qe1 Qxe1 21.Raxe1 Ra7 22.e5 dxe5 23.Nf6+ Kg7 24.Bxc6 Kxf6 25.fxe5+ Kg7 26.Nd4 Rc8 27.Bd5 Bxd5+ 28.cxd5 Bd2 29.Re2 Bc3 30.Nc6 Rd7 31.e6 fxe6 32.dxe6 Rdc7 33.Nxa5 Re7 34.Rf3 Rce8 35.Rfe3 Kf6 36.Rf3+ Kg7 37.Rfe3 Kf6 38.Rf3+ 1/2-1/2
About This Game
A middlegame battle in which Esipenko, Andrey was paired against Gelfand, B at Nutcracker Rapid 2018 in Moscow RUS in 2018. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
Play followed Sicilian Defense (B33) — 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 38 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.
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.
In the end, the game was drawn between Esipenko, Andrey and Gelfand, B. 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 Esipenko, Andrey (White) and Gelfand, B (Black), at Nutcracker Rapid 2018 in 2018.
What opening was played?
The game used Sicilian Defense (ECO code B33). Sharp, double-edged play with chances for both sides.
What was the result?
The game was drawn between Esipenko, Andrey and Gelfand, B.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 38 moves (75 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, Gelfand, B's complete game archive, and thousands more grandmaster games in the RamaChess archive.