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Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O — Part 1 of 2

Demchenko–L'Ami, FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019 · Carlsen–So, Sinquefield Cup 2019 · 6:38 · ECO C50

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In this video

Game 1: Anton Demchenko (2655) vs Erwin L'Ami (2619)

FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019, 19 October 2019 · Black won (0-1) · 38 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. 5...h6The first move after the opening line0:28
  2. 19.Qh5The evaluation moves from −0.24 to −2.161:24
  3. 20...Rg6The evaluation moves from −2.58 to −0.571:32
  4. 31...Nxe4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:26
  5. 38.Qg4The evaluation moves from −7.24 to −10.002:59
  6. 38...Qd2Black wins after 38 moves3:02

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Magnus Carlsen (2882) vs Wesley So (2776)

Sinquefield Cup 2019, 27 August 2019 · White won (1-0) · 43 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. 5...O-OThe first move after the opening line3:28
  2. 18.Raxd1The queens come off4:20
  3. 31...Ne7The evaluation moves from +0.45 to +2.155:28
  4. 39.Ke2The evaluation moves from +3.38 to +1.586:05
  5. 42...Kf6The evaluation moves from +1.75 to +3.23, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:22
  6. 43.d6White wins after 43 moves6:25

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 4.d3 Nf6 5.O-O White keeps the centre closed and builds slowly with c3, Nbd2, Re1, h3 and a4, often routing the d2-knight to f1 and e3 or g3 before choosing a moment for d4. Black usually mirrors with ...d6, ...h6 and ...a6, keeping the c5-bishop safe on a7 and looking for knight manoeuvres or an ...f5 or ...d5 break.

Demchenko–L'Ami followed the standard pattern: 9.a4 Ba7, 10.Re1 Re8 and 11.b4, with White aiming for queenside space. Black traded light-squared bishops and sent a knight from e7 via h5 to f4. After 16.g3 Nxh3+ Black won a pawn, and 19.Qh5 dropped the score from −0.24 to −2.16. Black gave most of that back with 20...Rg6 (−2.58 to −0.57). After 24.d4 the centre opened, and 31...Nxe4 left Black more than two pawns ahead. The rook landed on the second rank with 33...Rd2+, the knight took on g3, and after 38.Qg4 (−10.00) Qd2 Black won.

Carlsen–So reached the line via 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3. Here White chose d4 rather than a slow manoeuvre: 11.Bb5 Na7 12.d4 Nxb5 13.dxc5 forced open lines, and 17...Qxd1 18.Raxd1 traded queens. Unlike Game 1, there was no attack on the king. White kept a small edge in the endgame, and 31...Ne7 (+0.45 to +2.15) allowed 32.Nd5, leaving White with a protected passed d-pawn. White then won the b- and d-pawns, and after 42...Kf6 (+3.23) 43.d6 the passed pawn decided it. White won.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Demchenko vs L'Ami, FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019
  3. 3:10Game 2: Carlsen vs So, Sinquefield Cup 2019

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. O-O

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