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

Vachier-Lagrave–So, 5th Sinquefield Cup 2017 · Nepomniachtchi–Mamedyarov, Superbet Classic 2022 · 8:08 · ECO C50

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In this video

Game 1: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2791) vs Wesley So (2810)

5th Sinquefield Cup 2017, 2 August 2017 · 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 line0:28
  2. 18.Nxd6The queens come off1:19
  3. 40...Kd8The evaluation moves from +1.43 to +3.61, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:12
  4. 43.Bh2White wins after 43 moves3:24

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Ian Nepomniachtchi (2773) vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2759)

Superbet Classic 2022, 12 May 2022 · Black won (0-1) · 56 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 line3:51
  2. 43.Qa3The evaluation moves from −0.71 to −2.85, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:48
  3. 50...Nxb4The queens come off7:25
  4. 55.Rd7The evaluation moves from −6.09 to −7.357:48
  5. 56...Rxe6Black wins after 56 moves7:55

Evaluation

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

About these games

White keeps the centre pawns on e4 and d3, castles early and holds back a direct central fight. The usual plan is c3, h3 and Nbd2, and later a well-prepared d4 or queenside space with a4. Black develops the bishop to c5 and the knight to f6. Black then chooses between a slow ...d6 set-up and an early ...d5 break to free the position. Both games reach the line through 4.O-O and 5.d3, with the engine at +0.18.

Vachier-Lagrave–So: White plays 6.a4, 7.c3, 8.h3 and 9.Nbd2 against Black's ...d6 and ...a6, then breaks with 12.d4 and gains queenside space with 14.a5. The queens come off after 18.Nxd6, and 23...Bxb6 hands White the bishop pair. White's edge grows slowly, from +0.65 at 20.Kf1 to +1.41 at 35.Nxe6. After 40...Kd8 the score jumps from +1.43 to +3.61. Black grabs a pawn with 41...Nxb3+, but White won after 43.Bh2.

Nepomniachtchi–Mamedyarov: Black meets 6.c3 with 6...d5, pins with 8...Bg4 and follows with 14...f5 and 17...g5. Game 1 had a slow ...d6 set-up; here Black fights for the centre at once. After 29...Rxc3 and 30.Bxf5 White is better, but 36.Rf6 drops the score from +2.14 to 0.00. Then 43.Qa3 lets it fall from −0.71 to −2.85. The queens come off with 50...Nxb4, and Black's passed c-pawn runs to c2. Black won after 56...Rxe6.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Vachier-Lagrave vs So, 5th Sinquefield Cup 2017
  3. 3:33Game 2: Nepomniachtchi vs Mamedyarov, Superbet Classic 2022

The opening line

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

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