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Philidor Defence: Hanham Variation — Part 1 of 2

Topalov–Morozevich, FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013 · Kravtsiv–Jobava, FIDE World Cup 2013 · 6:38 · ECO C41

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In this video

Game 1: Veselin Topalov (2767) vs Alexander Morozevich (2736)

FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013, 16 July 2013 · White won (1-0) · 42 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. 5.Bc4The first move after the opening line0:26
  2. 18...c5The evaluation moves from +1.10 to +2.55, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:22
  3. 30...b6The evaluation moves from +3.45 to +5.002:22
  4. 42.Qg3White wins after 42 moves3:19

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Martyn Kravtsiv (2607) vs Baadur Jobava (2696)

FIDE World Cup 2013, 13 August 2013 · 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.

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Key moments

  1. 5.g3The first move after the opening line3:44
  2. 29...Bxd5The evaluation moves from −1.43 to −0.075:35
  3. 36.Qb6Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:08
  4. 37.Qd4The evaluation moves from −2.43 to −6.516:12
  5. 39...d4Black wins after 39 moves6:25

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7, Black reaches the Hanham setup by way of the Pirc move order. Black holds the e5 pawn with the knight on d7 and usually follows with ...Be7, ...c6 and castling, which gives a solid but cramped position. White keeps more space and develops freely, and much depends on whether Black keeps the tension on e5 or later releases it with ...exd4.

Topalov–Morozevich, FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013, followed the main line 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.a4 c6. Black gave up the centre with 11...exd4, and after 13...Nxb3 14.cxb3 White had a free hand on the kingside with f4 and Nf5. The turning point was 18...c5, which left d6 weak and moved the score from +1.10 to +2.55. Topalov followed with h4-h5, 24.Nxd6 and 25.e5. After 26.Rxd6 the score fell from +4.76 to +2.66, but 30...b6 raised it from +3.45 to +5.00. The e-pawn reached e6, 39.Rxd7 cleared the way, and White won after 42.Qg3.

Kravtsiv–Jobava, FIDE World Cup 2013, went 5.g3 instead. Black regrouped with ...Re8, ...Bf8, ...g6 and ...Bg7. After 12.d5 cxd5 Black played on the c-file, and 18...e4 gained space; by 19...h5 the score was −1.24. After 27.Qg2 it moved from −0.21 to −1.73 as the black queen invaded, then 29...Bxd5 brought it back to −0.07. After 37.Qd4 it moved from −2.43 to −6.51, and Black won after 39...d4. Unlike Game 1, Black kept the e-pawn instead of exchanging it and won with active pieces.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Topalov vs Morozevich, FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013
  3. 3:28Game 2: Kravtsiv vs Jobava, FIDE World Cup 2013

The opening line

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7

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