Boris Gelfand vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
GM Boris Gelfand (2641) · GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2735)
Boris Gelfand and Ian Nepomniachtchi have played 39 recorded games against each other, the first in Jul 2009 and the most recent in Dec 2024. Gelfand leads 6 wins to 15 - trailing overall, with 18 draws (54% of the games were decisive). Their most common battleground is the Sicilian: Rossolimo (3 games). The average game between them lasted 42 moves.
Results by color
| Split | Games | Gelfand | Draws | Nepomniachtchi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gelfand with White | 18 | 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Nepomniachtchi with White | 21 | 5 | 9 | 7 |
Results by time format
| Format | Games | Gelfand | Draws | Nepomniachtchi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Classical | 16 | 0 | 11 | 5 |
| Rapid | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Openings in their games
| ECO | Opening | Games | Gelfand | Draws | Nepomniachtchi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| A33 | English Opening | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| B30 | Sicilian | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| D06 | Queen's Pawn Game | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| A48 | Torre Attack | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Most recent 30 of 39 games
| Date | White | Black | Result | Opening | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | World Rapid 2024 |
| Sep 2023 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Sicilian | Amsterdam Levitov Rapid |
| Sep 2023 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | Catalan | Amsterdam Levitov Rapid |
| Dec 2021 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1/2-1/2 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | Wch Rapid |
| Nov 2020 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | Rat Defense | Razuvaev Memorial online |
| Jul 2020 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1/2-1/2 | Sicilian | Legends of Chess Prelim |
| Jul 2020 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | Grünfeld Defense | Legends of Chess Prelim |
| Jul 2020 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 0-1 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | Legends of Chess Prelim |
| Jul 2020 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 0-1 | Sicilian | Legends of Chess Prelim |
| Dec 2019 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Sicilian | Jerusalem FIDE GP |
| Dec 2019 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | English Opening | Jerusalem FIDE GP |
| Dec 2019 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening | Jerusalem FIDE GP |
| Dec 2019 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1/2-1/2 | Sicilian | Jerusalem FIDE GP |
| Aug 2019 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening: Symmetrical | Amsterdam Levitov Rapid |
| Aug 2019 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | Amsterdam Levitov Blitz |
| Jul 2018 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 4th Jerusalem Japhet Memorial Cup |
| Jul 2018 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 1/2-1/2 | Queen's Pawn Game | 4th Jerusalem Japhet Memorial Cup |
| May 2018 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | English Opening | 19th Poikovsky Karpov |
| Mar 2018 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | Queen's Pawn Game | Moscow Tal Memorial Blitz 11th |
| Mar 2018 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening | 11th Moscow Tal Memorial Rapid |
| Jul 2017 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1/2-1/2 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | Geneva FIDE GP |
| May 2017 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1/2-1/2 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | Moscow FIDE GP |
| Apr 2017 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 6th Zuerich Chess Challenge Blitz2 |
| Apr 2017 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 6th Zuerich Chess Challenge |
| Apr 2017 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 1-0 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 6th Zuerich Chess Challenge Blitz |
| Oct 2016 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening | 10th Moscow Tal Memorial |
| Sep 2016 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | Torre Attack | 10th Moscow Tal Blitz Memorial |
| Dec 2015 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening | ACP Masters Gp A |
| Dec 2014 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | Boris Gelfand | 0-1 | Sicilian: Najdorf | Beijing Sportaccord Blitz |
| Dec 2014 | Boris Gelfand | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 0-1 | Modern Defense | Beijing Sportaccord Blitz |
Interactive board, all 39 games, opening explorer and engine analysis.
Browse the gamesFrequently asked questions
What is the head-to-head score between Boris Gelfand and Ian Nepomniachtchi?
In 39 recorded games, Boris Gelfand has 6 wins, Ian Nepomniachtchi has 15 wins, and they have drawn 18 times.
How many times have Boris Gelfand and Ian Nepomniachtchi played each other?
Our database records 39 games between them, from Jul 2009 to Dec 2024.
What openings do Boris Gelfand and Ian Nepomniachtchi play against each other?
The most common opening in their games is the Sicilian: Rossolimo (3 games), followed by the English Opening (2). The full opening breakdown and every game are on this page.