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).

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments


Queen's Gambit Declined: Charousek Variation
BlackEsipenkoRUS2681
WhiteGiriNED2760
B
+0.1W

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.

Tempting traps

b6b7b6
+1.1620%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD20% would play this move

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

Attacking
Threatening
Board structure
Nxa6!Critical

Allows concrete threats

Weak pawns for Black: b6, d5Rook on c8 uses the open c-file

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Na5c6a5
+0.3017%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD17% would play this move

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

Attacking
Threatening
Nc5 is active
Rc7c8c7
+0.2317%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD17% would play this move

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

Attacking
Threatening
Board structure

Hard to spot

Ne4f6e4
+0.092%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD2% would play this move

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

Attacking
Threatening
Board structure
Ne4 is active (outpost, king-zone pressure)
Rab8a8b8
+0.127%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD7% would play this move

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

Attacking
Threatening
Board structure