18 July 2016
Gelfand-Inarkiev Game 4 Drawn
Boris Gelfand leads the match 5-3.
The 4th game of the Gelfand-Inarkiev match took place on July 18 in Nazran, Ingushetia, at the municipal Cultural Center. The Israeli grandmaster had White. The players went for an English Opening, and constructed a completely fresh position after six moves. White seized control over the center and gained a lasting advantage.
However, soon after the opening Gelfand employed a wrong plan, and the chances of the sides equalized. Inarkiev rejected an opportunity to end the game in a move repetition, and seized the initiative in the endgame, where he had the bishop pair.
A mutual time trouble influenced the normal course of the game at that point. Inarkiev missed a number of promising continuations, and allowed Gelfand to regroup pieces and create counterplay against Black's king. On the move 60 a draw was agreed due to a move repetition.