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Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, 5.d3 d6 6.O-O — Part 2 of 2

Nepomniachtchi–Carlsen, FIDE World Championship Match 2021 · Erigaisi–Liang, Chennai Grand Masters 2025 · 8:04 · ECO C54

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In this video

Game 1: Ian Nepomniachtchi (2782) vs Magnus Carlsen (2855)

FIDE World Championship Match 2021, 10 December 2021 · Black won (0-1) · 49 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. 6...a5The first move after the opening line0:30
  2. 23.g3The evaluation moves from 0.00 to −5.59, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:44
  3. 26...Nf5The evaluation moves from −5.82 to −4.062:02
  4. 32.Kxg2The queens come off2:29
  5. 48.Ka8The evaluation moves from −5.30 to −7.873:49
  6. 49...Qc5Black wins after 49 moves3:56

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Arjun Erigaisi (2776) vs Awonder Liang (2696)

Chennai Grand Masters 2025 · White won (1-0) · 49 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. 6...Bb6The first move after the opening line4:26
  2. 30...dxe4The evaluation moves from +0.30 to +1.896:18
  3. 36...Qe7The evaluation moves from +1.76 to +4.09, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:48
  4. 49.Re8+White wins after 49 moves7:50

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 4.c3 and 5.d3, White keeps the centre closed and plays slowly: castle, put a rook on e1, bring the queen's knight round to the kingside or to d2, and only later push d4. Black mirrors this with ...d6 and keeps the bishop on the a7–g1 diagonal aimed at f2, choosing between quiet waiting moves and an early ...d5 or ...Ng4. The pawns on e4/d3 and e5/d6 leave few open lines, so play is about manoeuvring and timing the central break.

Nepomniachtchi–Carlsen, from the 2021 World Championship match, began 6...a5 and 7...Ba7. White's knight went Na3–c2–e3, and Black traded the dark-squared bishops and then struck with 19...d5. The position stayed level until 23.g3, which moved the evaluation from 0.00 to −5.59. Black answered 23...dxe3 24.gxf4 Qxg4+ and kept a decisive edge, though 26...Nf5 let it fall from −5.82 to −4.06. The queens came off with 32.Kxg2, and Black's h-pawn ran to promote with 45...h1=Q. Black won at move 49.

Erigaisi–Liang, from the Chennai Grand Masters, went 6...Bb6 7...Ng4. White met the knight with 8.Re2 and 9.h3, then played 11.Nbd2 and 12.d4, and 16.Nxb6 cxb6 gave White the bishop pair. Unlike Game 1, White held the initiative: 22.e5 gained space, and the kingside opened after 28.g4. The score rose from +1.76 to +4.09 at 36...Qe7 and to +6.26 at 46.Qh4. White won after 49.Re8+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Nepomniachtchi vs Carlsen, FIDE World Championship Match 2021
  3. 4:05Game 2: Erigaisi vs Liang, Chennai Grand Masters 2025

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. O-O

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