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Italian Game: Two Knights, Modern Bishop's Opening — Part 1 of 2

Carlsen–Nakamura, London Chess Classic 2011 · Gujrathi–Gukesh, FIDE Candidates 2024 · 6:28 · ECO C55

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In this video

Game 1: Magnus Carlsen (2826) vs Hikaru Nakamura (2758)

London Chess Classic 2011, 5 December 2011 · White won (1-0) · 41 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...Bc5The first move after the opening line0:24
  2. 29...Rfb8The evaluation moves from +0.09 to +1.192:16
  3. 34...Ra8The evaluation moves from +1.29 to +3.37, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:42
  4. 38...Kg7The evaluation moves from +4.31 to +6.513:02
  5. 41.Be4+White wins after 41 moves3:14

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (2727) vs Gukesh D (2743)

FIDE Candidates 2024, 13 April 2024 · 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. 4...a6The first move after the opening line3:38
  2. 28.Rxa1Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:22
  3. 29.c5The evaluation moves from −2.03 to −3.525:28
  4. 31.Re2The evaluation moves from −6.16 to −9.605:38
  5. 35...Rf1The evaluation moves from −8.05 to mate in 5 for Black6:00
  6. 38...Nh7+Black wins after 38 moves6:15

Evaluation

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

About these games

With 4.d3 White avoids the sharp lines that follow an early Ng5 or d4 and simply protects e4, keeping the c-pawn free for c3 and a later d4. Black usually develops the bishop to c5 and puts a pawn on d6, so both sides manoeuvre behind a closed centre. The fight turns on who can prepare a pawn break: d4 or f4 for White, ...d5 or ...f5 for Black.

Carlsen–Nakamura followed the slow plan 4...Bc5 5.c3 d6 6.Bb3, with the knight touring 7.Nbd2, 8.Nf1 and 9.Ng3. After 17.f4 Black built queenside play with ...c5 and ...b5, and the a- and b-files opened. White answered with 26.d4, and the position was still level at +0.09 after 29.Bd1. After 29...Rfb8 the evaluation rose to +1.19. The exchange sacrifice 31.Rxf6 gxf6 broke up Black's kingside, and after 34...Ra8 White was +3.37. The d-pawn went to d5, 37.Nxf6+ followed, and after 38...Kg7 the score was +6.51. White won after 41.Be4+.

Gujrathi–Gukesh went 4...a6 and ...h6 against 6.a4 and 7.Be3. After 10...Bxe3 11.fxe3 White gained the f-file but had doubled e-pawns, and Black used the a-file: 17...Ra5, 18...Qa8, 21...Ra2. The evaluation slid to −1.35 at 24.Nh4, and after 28.Rxa1 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead. 29.c5 made it −3.52, and Black's queen went to e1 and then 31...Qg1+. After 32.Kg3 (−8.05) White's king was driven to h4, and 35...Rf1 left mate in 5. Black won after 38...Nh7+. Unlike Game 1, where White's f- and d-pawn breaks decided matters, here Black's pieces attacked White's king directly.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Carlsen vs Nakamura, London Chess Classic 2011
  3. 3:23Game 2: Vidit vs Gukesh, FIDE Candidates 2024

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3

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