Subscribe

Petroff Defence: Nimzowitsch Attack — Part 2 of 2

Topalov–Bacrot, Corus Wijk aan Zee 2006 · Nepomniachtchi–Mamedyarov, 30th ECC Open 2014 · 6:48 · ECO C42

Open on YouTube ↗

In this video

Game 1: Veselin Topalov (2801) vs Etienne Bacrot (2717)

Corus Wijk aan Zee 2006, 16 January 2006 · White won (1-0) · 44 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.

Key moments

  1. 5...Nxc3The first move after the opening line0:28
  2. 33...c5The evaluation moves from +0.62 to +3.08, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:36
  3. 35...bxc6The queens come off2:46
  4. 37...Ke7The evaluation moves from +2.33 to +5.482:56
  5. 41...axb6+The evaluation moves from +6.80 to +9.413:16
  6. 44.c5White wins after 44 moves3:29

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Ian Nepomniachtchi (2710) vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2756)

30th ECC Open 2014, 15 September 2014 · Black won (0-1) · 39 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.

Key moments

  1. 5...Nxc3The first move after the opening line3:56
  2. 20...f6The evaluation moves from −1.60 to +0.235:00
  3. 35.Ref1The evaluation moves from −1.38 to −4.07, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:12
  4. 38.Qxa7The evaluation moves from −4.03 to −5.536:28
  5. 39...Qb8+Black wins after 39 moves6:35

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 5.Nc3 Black usually trades with 5...Nxc3, and 6.dxc3 gives White doubled c-pawns in return for quick development, open lines for both bishops and the option of castling long. Black keeps a sound pawn structure and aims to finish development safely, while White looks for a kingside attack with the h- and g-pawns or a favourable endgame.

Topalov–Bacrot follows the 7.Bf4 version: 8.Qd2, 9.O-O-O and 10.h4. Bacrot answers with 9...Nc5 to trade off White's light-squared bishop and stops the h-pawn with ...g6 and ...h5. The exchange on e5 and the freeing ...e4 keep the score near zero, and it is still +0.25 at 30.Rd7. The turning point is 33...c5, which moves the evaluation from +0.62 to +3.08. The queens come off with 35.Qxc6 bxc6 (+3.38), 37...Ke7 lets the score jump from +2.33 to +5.48, and White's king takes the c5-pawn. The b-pawn advance creates a passed pawn, and White won after 44.c5.

Nepomniachtchi–Mamedyarov uses 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Be6 9.O-O-O Qd7, and Black castles short, so White storms with g4-g5-g6, a plan Game 1 never tried. Black answers in the centre with ...d5 and ...d4. After 20.g6 the score is −1.60, and 20...f6 swings it to +0.23. Then 26.Bf4 lets it fall from +3.26 to +0.68. The exchange sacrifice 28...Rxe2 29.Nxe2 Bxf3 opens White's king. From 35.Ref1 Black stays more than two pawns ahead, 38.Qxa7 drops the score from −4.03 to −5.53, and Black won after 39...Qb8+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Topalov vs Bacrot, Corus Wijk aan Zee 2006
  3. 3:38Game 2: Nepomniachtchi vs Mamedyarov, 30th ECC Open 2014

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3

See every video from this position →