Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
28 Mar — 16 Apr 2026
Location
Paphos, CY
Field
8 players
Format
Double round-robin
Time control
Classical
Rounds
14 · 14 played
Decisive
32%
Avg. rating
2749

Round 11 · 11 Apr 2026

GiriEsipenko

The Matchup

White
🇳🇱NED
2nd · 6.0

Anish Giri

2799 Performance · 2 behind leader

Last 5 games½½WW½
World#8FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2753Age31

Dutch chess's perennial contender, valued for creative opening ideas, rapid adaptation, and razor-sharp theoretical preparation.

Games in this event →
½–½Draw
Black
🇷🇺RUS
6th · 3.5

Andrey Esipenko

2695 Performance · 4.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½L½½½
World#33FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2698Age24

A direct, tactical Russian grandmaster with a gift for turning small opening edges into sharp, double-edged battles.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Previous games in this event

Round 4: 0-1 · Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation. Read the annotated game →

Classical over-the-board (indexed)

Lifetime FIDE classical score unavailable (missing FIDE ID or cache not warmed).

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Key Moments


Queen's Pawn Game
BlackEsipenkoRUS2681
WhiteGiriNED2760
B
+0.3W

Classical factors on this position

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Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

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The Moves

Other lines considered

From the crossroads before this move — engine and player perspectives.

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Nf3g1f3
+0.3750%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD50% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Nc3b1c3
-0.0215%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD15% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

d5Critical

Loses piece activity

White controls e4, d5Black has holes on d7

Hard to spot

e4e2e4
+0.375%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD5% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

Board structure
More active pieces for White