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Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation

Duda–Abdusattorov, Sinquefield Cup 2025 · Erdogmus–Gukesh, Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026 · 8:48 · ECO C48

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In this video

Game 1: Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2725) vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2771)

Sinquefield Cup 2025 · White won (1-0) · 57 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

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Key moments

  1. 4...Bd6The first move after the opening line0:24
  2. 31...Nd7The evaluation moves from 0.00 to +1.712:26
  3. 32...Rxe4White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:32
  4. 46.Rxe4The queens come off3:39
  5. 57.Rh6White wins after 57 moves4:34

Evaluation

Above the line, White is better; below it, Black. Scores are in pawns, capped at five either way.

Game 2: Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (2658) vs Gukesh D (2754)

Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026, 17 January 2026 · Black won (0-1) · 50 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

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Key moments

  1. 4...Bb4The first move after the opening line4:58
  2. 28.Rxa6The evaluation moves from +3.01 to −0.956:42
  3. 33.bxc3The queens come off7:08
  4. 41.Kf3The evaluation moves from −1.31 to −2.337:48
  5. 43.Ra4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here7:58
  6. 44.Ra8The evaluation moves from −2.39 to −4.508:02
  7. 50...Kc5Black wins after 50 moves8:35

Evaluation

Above the line, White is better; below it, Black. Scores are in pawns, capped at five either way.

About these games

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6, the move 4.Bb5 puts the bishop on the Ruy Lopez square, where it pressures the c6-knight that guards e5. Black usually answers with the symmetrical ...Bb4 or a quieter ...Bd6 and ...Bf8 regrouping. With both e-pawns fixed in the centre, the fight turns on which side makes the first central break.

Duda–Abdusattorov went 4...Bd6, and after 7...Re8 and 8...Bf8 Black's bishop stood behind a solid d6 pawn. White traded light-squared bishops on e6, exchanged with 13.Nxf6+ and broke with 14.d4 and 16.c4. Black answered with ...g5 and ...f5 and was slightly better at 24.Qe3 (−0.39). The turning point was 31...Nd7, which moved the score from 0.00 to +1.71. White followed with 32.Nxe4 Rxe4 33.Qd3, reached +2.12 at 34.cxd5, and after 36.Qxd7 had won the exchange. The queens came off with 46.Rxe4, White's rook took the b7 pawn, and White won after 57.Rh6.

Erdogmus–Gukesh went 4...Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.Nd5. Here Black made the first central move with 7...e4 and 8...Nd4, and 9...Nxb5 won the bishop pair. White won the exchange with 26.Nb6 axb6 27.Qxa8, but 28.Rxa6 swung the score from +3.01 to −0.95. The queens came off with 33.bxc3, Black's king marched to the queenside, and the score fell to −4.50 at 44.Ra8. After 47...Kxc4 Black was two pawns up, and Black won after 50...Kc5.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Duda vs Abdusattorov, Sinquefield Cup 2025
  3. 4:43Game 2: Erdogmus vs Gukesh, Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5

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