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Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Bishop Check 7.Bd2

Kosten–Malakhov, TCh-FRA Top 12 2018 · Eggleston–Tari, GAMMA Reykjavik Open 2019 · 5:14 · ECO C54

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In this video

Game 1: Anthony Kosten (2448) vs Vladimir Malakhov (2691)

TCh-FRA Top 12 2018, 1 June 2018 · Black won (0-1) · 30 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. 7...Bxd2+The first move after the opening line0:34
  2. 19.Ng4The evaluation moves from +0.32 to −1.311:24
  3. 21.Rxe6Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:34
  4. 23.Qh4The evaluation moves from −2.30 to −4.131:44
  5. 25.Rce1The evaluation moves from −3.42 to −5.501:54
  6. 30...Kh8Black wins after 30 moves2:22

Evaluation

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

Game 2: David Eggleston (2401) vs Aryan Tari (2615)

GAMMA Reykjavik Open 2019, 13 April 2019 · White won (1-0) · 34 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. 7...Nxe4The first move after the opening line2:54
  2. 22...Be6White stays more than two pawns ahead from here4:02
  3. 27...Rcc6The evaluation moves from +2.14 to +5.574:28
  4. 29.Nf6The evaluation moves from +4.61 to +7.284:35
  5. 32...Qh7The evaluation moves from +7.50 to mate in 9 for White4:52
  6. 34.Rxg8+White wins after 34 moves5:00

Evaluation

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

About these games

White builds a pawn centre with c3 and d4, and after 6...Bb4+ blocks the check with 7.Bd2 instead of giving up a pawn with the knight move to c3. Black can exchange bishops and strike with ...d5, which leaves White an isolated d-pawn and free piece play. Black can also take on e4 at once, which leads to sharp tactics around the f7-square.

Kosten–Malakhov followed the main line 7...Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Qb3. White put the knights on e4 and e5 behind the isolated d4-pawn, and Black blockaded it with a knight on d5 and the bishop on e6. Black then pushed ...f6 and ...f5 to drive the knights back. The turning point was 19.Ng4: the score went from +0.32 to −1.31, and after 20.Nef6+ gxf6 21.Rxe6 fxg4 Black kept more than two pawns' advantage. With 23.Qh4 the score fell from −2.30 to −4.13, Black's queen and knights took over the kingside, and after 30.Re7+ Kh8 (−6.83) Black won.

Eggleston–Tari went 7...Nxe4 8.Bxb4 Nxb4 9.Bxf7+ Kxf7 10.Qb3+, winning back the piece and leaving Black's king unable to castle. Game 1 turned on White's isolated pawn; here the fight was about Black's exposed king. White's pieces gathered on the kingside, and the score reached +0.97 at 17.Ne5. After 22...Be6 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, and 27...Rcc6 lifted the score to +5.57. The knight sacrifice 29.Nf6 (+7.28) broke open the king, 32...Qh7 allowed a forced mate, and White won after 34.Rxg8+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Kosten vs Malakhov, TCh-FRA Top 12 2018
  3. 2:30Game 2: Eggleston vs Tari, GAMMA Reykjavik Open 2019

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2

See every video from this position →