Game summary
Boris Gelfand beat Esipenko, Andrey with the black pieces in 57 moves in round 1 of 35th Leon GM 2022 in Leon, Spain, on 9 July 2022. The opening was the Sicilian Defense (B30).
- White
- Esipenko, Andrey
- Black
- Boris Gelfand
- Result
- Black won (0-1)
- Event
- 35th Leon GM 2022
- Place
- Leon, Spain
- Date
- 9 July 2022 (2022.07.09)
- Round
- 1.5
- Opening
- Sicilian Defense (B30)
- Length
- 57 moves (114 plies)
All moves of Esipenko, Andrey vs Gelfand, B (PGN move text)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.O-O Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Ng6 7.Be2 Be7 8.c4 O-O 9.Nc3 b6 10.Nb3 Bb7 11.Be3 Qc7 12.f4 Rad8 13.g3 d6 14.Rc1 Qb8 15.Bf3 Rfe8 16.Qe2 Bf6 17.Rfd1 Nf8 18.Qd2 Be7 19.Bg2 Nd7 20.Nd4 Nf6 21.Qe2 Bf8 22.Nb3 Qa8 23.g4 Qb8 24.g5 Nd7 25.h4 Nc5 26.h5 g6 27.h6 Be7 28.Qg4 Rf8 29.Qg3 Rfe8 30.Nd4 Nxd4 31.Bxd4 e5 32.Be3 exf4 33.Bxf4 Ne6 34.Be3 Rc8 35.Nd5 Bxd5 36.cxd5 Rxc1 37.Rxc1 Nc5 38.Qf4 Nd3 39.Qf1 Nxc1 40.Qxc1 Qc8 41.Qd1 Bf8 42.Bd4 Qd8 43.Qd2 Be7 44.Be3 f6 45.Bh3 fxg5 46.Be6+ Kh8 47.Bd4+ Bf6 48.Qc3 Rf8 49.e5 dxe5 50.Bxe5 Bxe5 51.Qxe5+ Qf6 52.Qxf6+ Rxf6 53.Kg2 Rxe6 54.dxe6 Kg8 55.Kf3 Kf8 56.Kg4 Ke7 57.Kxg5 Kxe6 0-1
About This Game
This full-length game sees Esipenko, Andrey take on Gelfand, B at 35th Leon GM 2022 in Leon ESP in 2022. The game dates from the contemporary engine era.
From Sicilian Defense (B30) the players entered 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 57 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.
After the contest, Gelfand, B won with the black pieces. 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 Esipenko, Andrey (White) and Gelfand, B (Black), at 35th Leon GM 2022 in 2022.
What opening was played?
The game used Sicilian Defense (ECO code B30). Sharp, double-edged play with chances for both sides.
What was the result?
Gelfand, B won with the black pieces.
How long was the game?
The game lasted 57 moves (114 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.