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Ruy Lopez: Closed, Pilnik Variation

Adams–Grandelius, 41st Olympiad 2014 · Delchev–Inarkiev, TCh-ESP CECLUB Div Honor 2011 · 7:48 · ECO C90

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In this video

Game 1: Michael Adams (2740) vs Nils Grandelius (2571)

41st Olympiad 2014, 12 August 2014 · White won (1-0) · 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. 9...Na5The first move after the opening line0:40
  2. 19...Qd7The evaluation moves from +1.16 to +2.151:26
  3. 21...Bxf5The queens come off1:36
  4. 33.Nc3White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:34
  5. 48...Bf8The evaluation moves from +3.60 to +5.283:52
  6. 54.Rxd7The evaluation moves from +5.93 to +3.874:19
  7. 55.Nxd6White wins after 55 moves4:24

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Aleksander Delchev (2629) vs Ernesto Inarkiev (2686)

TCh-ESP CECLUB Div Honor 2011, 21 November 2011 · Black won (0-1) · 40 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. 9...h6The first move after the opening line5:03
  2. 31.fxg5The evaluation moves from −0.30 to −1.596:48
  3. 32.h4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:52
  4. 36.Ne6The evaluation moves from −4.18 to −6.547:12
  5. 40...Qxe6Black wins after 40 moves7:35

Evaluation

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

About these games

With 9.d3 White avoids the main lines with h3 and keeps the centre closed and flexible, supporting e4 with pawns instead of rushing d4. The usual plan is the knight route Nbd2-f1 to e3 or g3, with a d4 break held back until the pieces are ready. Black chooses between queenside play with ...Na5 and ...c5 and a slower regrouping of the pieces behind the d6 and e5 pawns.

Adams–Grandelius went 9...Na5 10.Bc2 c5, and Adams sent the knight via d2, f1 and e3 to d5. After 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 the 16.d4 break opened the centre, and 19.Bh6 (+1.16) led to 21...Bxf5, removing the queens. Black's 22...gxh6 left a broken kingside pawn structure. White kept more than a two-pawn edge from 33.Nc3, and after 48...Bf8 the score rose from +3.60 to +5.28. 54.Rxd7 traded rooks, and White won with 55.Nxd6.

Delchev–Inarkiev reached the line by a different move order, and Black chose the Breyer-style 9...h6, ...Re8 and ...Bf8. White closed the centre with 14.d4 and 15.d5. Instead of the queenside play of Game 1, Black prepared ...f6 and ...g5. After 31.fxg5 the score went from −0.30 to −1.59, and from 32.h4 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead. 36.Ne6 dropped the score from −4.18 to −6.54, and Black won after 40...Qxe6.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Adams vs Grandelius, 41st Olympiad 2014
  3. 4:33Game 2: Delchev vs Inarkiev, TCh-ESP CECLUB Div Honor 2011

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. d3

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