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

Caruana–Ding, Norway Chess 2024 · Carlsen–So, Norway Chess 2026 · 7:18 · ECO C55

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In this video

Game 1: Fabiano Caruana (2805) vs Ding Liren (2762)

Norway Chess 2024, 29 May 2024 · White won (1-0) · 31 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. 25...Qc6The evaluation moves from +0.35 to +1.851:56
  3. 28...Rxf8The evaluation moves from +1.44 to +5.19, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:12
  4. 30...Rb8The evaluation moves from +7.09 to +8.462:22
  5. 31.Rxe6White wins after 31 moves2:24

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Magnus Carlsen (2840) vs Wesley So (2754)

Norway Chess 2026, 24 May 2026 · Black won (0-1) · 58 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 line2:48
  2. 39...Qxb2+The evaluation moves from −1.41 to −1.925:30
  3. 40.Kh3Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:32
  4. 41...exd4The queens come off5:40
  5. 51.Nxa5The evaluation moves from −3.17 to −4.516:28
  6. 57...Kxd5The evaluation moves from −4.00 to −5.217:00
  7. 58...Ke5Black wins after 58 moves7:05

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 White protects the e4-pawn and postpones the d4 break, so the game becomes a slow manoeuvring contest rather than an open fight. Both games continue 4...Bc5, and Black's bishop eyes f2 while both sides set up a pawn chain of c3 and d3 for White against ...d6 and ...a5 for Black. White then chooses between castling with Nbd2, Re1 and h3, or pinning the f6-knight with Bg5.

Caruana–Ding followed the first plan with 5.O-O, 6.Nbd2, 8.h3 and 9.Re1. After 12.Bxc6 bxc6 Black had doubled c-pawns, and 15.d4 opened the centre. The position stayed level, with +0.26 after 24.Bf4, until Black took a pawn with 24...Qxa4. After 25...Qc6 the score rose from +0.35 to +1.85. White sacrificed with 26.Nxg7 and 27.Bxh6+, took the exchange with 28.Bxf8, and after 28...Rxf8 the score jumped from +1.44 to +5.19. The queen reached g5 at +6.31, and White won after 31.Rxe6.

Carlsen–So used the pin 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4. Black answered by attacking on the kingside instead of defending: 10...g5, 11...Kg7 and 12...g4, with knights going to h5 and f4. The fight centred on the f-file. The score drifted to −0.84 by 34.Qxe4+, and 37...Rxf3 won a pawn, followed by 39...Qxb2+. Black stayed more than two pawns ahead from 40.Kh3. The queens came off with 41...exd4, leaving a knight endgame. After 51.Nxa5 the score went from −3.17 to −4.51, and after 57...Kxd5 it went from −4.00 to −5.21. Black won after 58...Ke5.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Caruana vs Ding, Norway Chess 2024
  3. 2:33Game 2: Carlsen vs So, Norway Chess 2026

The opening line

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

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