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 13 · 14 Apr 2026

Wei — Esipenko

The Matchup

White
Yi WeiCredit
🇨🇳CHN
4th · 7.0

Yi Wei

3 behind leader

Last 5 games½½W½
Elo2754

One of China's brightest stars, blending fearless complications, sharp calculation, and initiative that keeps elite opponents under pressure.

Games in this event →
1–0White wins
Black
Andrey EsipenkoCredit
🇷🇺RUS
8th · 4.5

Andrey Esipenko

5.5 behind leader

Last 5 games½½LL
Elo2698

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 7: 0-1 · Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack. Read the annotated game →

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments

Petrov's Defense: Kaufmann Attack
BlackEsipenkoRUS2698
WhiteWeiCHN2754
+1
B
+1.8W

Classical factors on this position

Hover to preview on the board · click to keep selected and read details.

Select a category to see details.

Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

Hover to preview on the board · click to keep selected and read details.

Select a category to see details.

The Moves

Other lines considered

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

Tempting traps

d4d5d4
+3.1769%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD69% would play this move

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

What changed

Threatening

Immediate impact

Ba6 is active

Critical reply

Nxc5!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Allows concrete threats

e6 q is looseCheck in the air: Qh3+
c4c5c4
+3.4017%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD17% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Defending
Threatening

Immediate impact

1 checking resource

Critical reply

Nd4Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Allows concrete threats

Check in the air: Qh3+Bg3 is active

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

e2e3e2
+4.346%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD6% would play this move

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

What changed

Threatening