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Ruy Lopez: Anderssen Variation

Rapport–Ding, FIDE Candidates 2022 · Nakamura–Caruana, FIDE Candidates 2024 · 7:24 · ECO C77

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In this video

Game 1: Richard Rapport (2764) vs Ding Liren (2806)

FIDE Candidates 2022, 29 June 2022 · Black won (0-1) · 55 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...b5The first move after the opening line0:28
  2. 44.Rxd3The queens come off3:29
  3. 46.Rxd4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:39
  4. 54.Ba1The evaluation moves from −4.28 to −5.944:19
  5. 55...Kd3Black wins after 55 moves4:26

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Hikaru Nakamura (2789) vs Fabiano Caruana (2803)

FIDE Candidates 2024, 13 April 2024 · White won (1-0) · 35 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...Bc5The first move after the opening line4:54
  2. 33...b5The evaluation moves from +1.85 to +7.44, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here7:02
  3. 35.Nd5White wins after 35 moves7:10

Evaluation

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

About these games

With 5.d3, White protects the e4-pawn quietly instead of castling and allowing ...Nxe4 ideas, and keeps the option of c3, Nbd2 and a later d4. The centre stays closed for now, so Black can choose between ...b5 with ...Bc5 and an Italian-style setup, while White aims for a slow build-up and a well-timed central break.

Rapport–Ding went 5...b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.Bg5, and Black answered the pin with 7...h6, 12...g5 and 13...Nh5, gaining space on the kingside. After 20...cxb4 21.axb4 Rxc3 Black controlled the c-file, and 25...Nxg3+ 26.hxg3 opened the h-file. The position stayed close to equal, −0.03 at 40.Rc1, until 44.Rxd3 took the queens off (−1.39 at 45.Bf6). With 46.Rxd4 White gave the exchange back, leaving Black with a passed b-pawn against a bishop (−3.43 at 50.Ke3). Black's king walked to the centre, the score reached −5.75 at 55.Kc5, and Black won.

Nakamura–Caruana followed 5...Bc5 6.O-O d6 7.c3, Re1 and the knight manoeuvre Nbd2-f1-g3. Black struck with 10...d5, and 13.d4 exd4 16.cxd4 left White with an isolated d-pawn. The game turned on piece activity rather than a queenside pawn race as in Game 1. White pushed the h-pawn and doubled on the e-file (+0.99 at 30.h5). After 32.Nf5, the reply 33...b5 moved the score from +1.85 to +7.44, 34.Ne7+ followed, and White won after 35.Nd5.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Rapport vs Ding, FIDE Candidates 2022
  3. 4:35Game 2: Nakamura vs Caruana, FIDE Candidates 2024

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3

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