Subscribe

Petroff Defence: Classical Attack — Part 2 of 2

Kasparov–Timman, Euwe Memorial Amsterdam 1994 · Niemann–So, 9th Sinquefield Cup 2022 · 7:18 · ECO C42

Open on YouTube ↗

In this video

Game 1: Garry Kasparov (2800) vs Jan Timman (2620)

Euwe Memorial Amsterdam 1994 · White won (1-0) · 30 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.
  6. 6.
  7. 7.
  8. 8.
  9. 9.
  10. 10.
  11. 11.
  12. 12.
  13. 13.
  14. 14.
  15. 15.
  16. 16.
  17. 17.
  18. 18.
  19. 19.
  20. 20.
  21. 21.
  22. 22.
  23. 23.
  24. 24.
  25. 25.
  26. 26.
  27. 27.
  28. 28.
  29. 29.
  30. 30.

Key moments

  1. 6...Nc6The first move after the opening line0:30
  2. 23...Rcd8The evaluation moves from +1.22 to +4.19, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:46
  3. 30.Qg5+White wins after 30 moves2:19

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Hans Moke Niemann (2688) vs Wesley So (2771)

9th Sinquefield Cup 2022, 8 September 2022 · Black won (0-1) · 59 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.
  6. 6.
  7. 7.
  8. 8.
  9. 9.
  10. 10.
  11. 11.
  12. 12.
  13. 13.
  14. 14.
  15. 15.
  16. 16.
  17. 17.
  18. 18.
  19. 19.
  20. 20.
  21. 21.
  22. 22.
  23. 23.
  24. 24.
  25. 25.
  26. 26.
  27. 27.
  28. 28.
  29. 29.
  30. 30.
  31. 31.
  32. 32.
  33. 33.
  34. 34.
  35. 35.
  36. 36.
  37. 37.
  38. 38.
  39. 39.
  40. 40.
  41. 41.
  42. 42.
  43. 43.
  44. 44.
  45. 45.
  46. 46.
  47. 47.
  48. 48.
  49. 49.
  50. 50.
  51. 51.
  52. 52.
  53. 53.
  54. 54.
  55. 55.
  56. 56.
  57. 57.
  58. 58.
  59. 59.

Key moments

  1. 6...Bf5The first move after the opening line2:49
  2. 43.Nf3The evaluation moves from −1.56 to −2.98, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:42
  3. 44...dxe4The queens come off5:50
  4. 55.Nf7+The evaluation moves from −3.82 to −4.686:42
  5. 57.Nd6The evaluation moves from −3.79 to −5.716:52
  6. 59...Kf4Black wins after 59 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 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3, White develops quickly and prepares to castle, then challenges Black's advanced knight on e4 with moves such as Re1 and c4. Black keeps the knight supported by the d5-pawn and develops behind it. The result is a nearly symmetrical structure with pawns on d4 and d5, in which White's small lead in development, about +0.37, is the main asset.

Kasparov–Timman followed 6...Nc6 7.O-O Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c4, pressing against d5 at once. After 10...dxc4 11.Bxc4, White pushed 12.d5 and later lifted a rook with 15.Re5. With 18.Bxf6 gxf6, White broke up Black's kingside, and the score reached +1.39 by 21.Ng3. Black took the d5-pawn with 21...Qxd5, but after 23.Nxf5 Rcd8 the evaluation jumped from +1.22 to +4.19. The combination 24.Re5 Bxe5 25.Ne7+ Kg7 26.Nxd5 won Black's queen (+6.28), and White won after 30.Qg5+.

Niemann–So went 6...Bf5, and Black traded the light-squared bishops with 11...Bxd3. Black then rerouted the knights through d6, a6, c7 and e6 and held the d5-point. White's 24.g4 ended in Black giving up a knight for White's bishop. The game stayed near −0.65 until 42.Ke2, when the score dropped from −0.44 to −1.51. After 44.Qxe4+ dxe4, the queens were off, and Black's bishop outplayed White's knight against the pawns. 57.Nd6 took the score from −3.79 to −5.71, and Black won after 59...Kf4. Where Game 1 was decided by a middlegame attack, here Black's simplification led to a long endgame grind.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Kasparov vs Timman, Euwe Memorial Amsterdam 1994
  3. 2:28Game 2: Niemann vs So, 9th Sinquefield Cup 2022

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3

See every video from this position →