Dmitry Andreikin won the friendly match with Ian Nepomniachtchi with a score of 3.5-2.5. The last three games ended in a draw. On the final day, one rapid game was played because the main game ended in a draw in less than three hours. Nepomniachtchi won this game.

Andreikin (l.) and Nepomniachtchi after their last game | Photos courtesy of the Russian Chess Federation

The second half of the friendly match between Dmitry Andreikin and Ian Nepomniachtchi wasn't as exciting as the first. All three games ended in draws, and so Andreikin won the match with the smallest possible margin.

On Saturday the Russian champion answered his opponent's Semi-Slav with an early Qb3, and the experimental 13.Rh5!? didn't give him much. The pawn sac 18.d5, however, was a good practical decision as White got some compensation. Still, if Nepomniachtchi had played c6-c5 somewhere he would have had good winning chances.

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The start of game 4, where Nepomniachtchi would get some chances with Black

The fifth game was the dullest, or should we say "most correct" game of all six. In a 5.Bf4 Queen's Gambit Declined, Andreikin equalized easily and also responded well to Nepomniachtchi's attempt to sharpen the game.

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Nepomniachtchi and Andreikin analyzing the final position of game 5

In the final game, Nepomniachtchi took a lot of risk (and why not?). His Dutch Defence backfired because with simple and logical developing moves Andreikin got a clear advantage. Perhaps he should have tried to continue the game with the queens still on the board. As it went, Black could hold the ending easily.

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Because this game lasted less than three hours, the players returned to the stage fifteen minutes later and played one rapid game with reversed colours. It seemed fair that Nepomniachtchi, who had several chances to equalize the match, won this game.

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The friendly match between Andreikin and Nepomniachtchi took place October 30th-November 5th, 2012 at the International Center for Chess Education in Moscow, Russia. It was a memorial for Yuri Razuvaev, who passed away earlier this year. The match was sponsored by Oleg Skhortsov, the same man who was behind the Aronian-Kramnik match back in April.

Andreikin - Nepomniachtchi 2012 | Score