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Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, 5.O-O

McShane–Adams, ch-GBR KO 2019, London · Naiditsch–Caruana, GRENKE Chess Classic 2013 · 6:58 · ECO C68

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In this video

Game 1: Luke McShane (2677) vs Michael Adams (2701)

ch-GBR KO 2019, London, 4 December 2019 · White won (1-0) · 36 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...Bd6The first move after the opening line0:28
  2. 28...Qd5The evaluation moves from +0.12 to +2.34, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:12
  3. 29...cxd5The queens come off2:16
  4. 33...d4The evaluation moves from +3.65 to +7.192:36
  5. 35...dxc3The evaluation moves from +5.82 to +7.692:46
  6. 36.g7White wins after 36 moves2:49

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Arkadij Naiditsch (2716) vs Fabiano Caruana (2757)

GRENKE Chess Classic 2013, 15 February 2013 · Black won (0-1) · 49 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...Qf6The first move after the opening line3:16
  2. 25.Neg4The evaluation moves from +3.17 to +0.894:42
  3. 39...Kg7Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:55
  4. 44.Ng4The evaluation moves from −3.30 to −5.636:18
  5. 48...Kxe5The evaluation moves from −5.72 to −8.446:40
  6. 49...Kd4Black wins after 49 moves6:45

Evaluation

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

About these games

By taking on c6 with 4.Bxc6, White gives up the bishop pair to double Black's c-pawns. Once the centre pawns are exchanged, White has a four-against-three kingside majority that can create a passed pawn in an endgame, while Black's queenside majority is crippled. After 5.O-O White prepares d4, and Black relies on the two bishops and open lines to keep the position dynamic.

McShane–Adams continued 5...Bd6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 f6. Adams castled long with 13...O-O-O, and McShane advanced with 16.f4 and 17.f5, then planted a knight on e6 with 18.Ne6. The position was level at 20.Nxd8 (0.00). After 25...f5 the score rose from +0.12 to +1.61, and 28...Qd5 lifted it from +0.12 to +2.34; White stayed more than two pawns ahead from there. After 29...cxd5 only a rook each remained, and 30.g4 (+2.47) set the kingside pawns rolling. 33...d4 took the score from +3.65 to +7.19, and White won after 36.g7.

Naiditsch–Caruana went 5...Qf6 6.d4 exd4 7.Bg5. Caruana kept the bishops and expanded on the queenside with ...c5, ...b5 and 15...c4, while Naiditsch attacked on the kingside, reaching +3.20 at 20.Nh6+ before following up with g4 and g5. The attack did not break through, and after 27...Qxb2 the score stood at −1.40 by 30.Rd7+. 36...Qg5 let it drop from −5.72 to −2.01, but after 39...Kg7 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead. 44.Ng4 (−3.30 to −5.63) and 48...Kxe5 (−5.72 to −8.44) settled matters, and Black won after 49...Kd4. Unlike Game 1, the doubled c-pawns here supported active queenside play instead of a lost endgame.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: McShane vs Adams, ch-GBR KO 2019, London
  3. 2:58Game 2: Naiditsch vs Caruana, GRENKE Chess Classic 2013

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O

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