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Ruy Lopez: Open Variation, Main Line

Xiong–Adhiban, FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019 · Vachier-Lagrave–Caruana, Superbet Classic 2022 · 5:58 · ECO C82

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In this video

Game 1: Jeffery Xiong (2708) vs Baskaran Adhiban (2639)

FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019, 11 October 2019 · Black won (0-1) · 34 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. 10.Qd3The first move after the opening line0:41
  2. 22.Qg3The evaluation moves from −0.03 to −2.131:39
  3. 24.cxb4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:49
  4. 32...Qf6The evaluation moves from −6.76 to −8.972:32
  5. 34...Qe4The evaluation moves from −10.00 to −7.972:42
  6. 34...Qe4Black wins after 34 moves2:42

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2750) vs Fabiano Caruana (2786)

Superbet Classic 2022, 8 May 2022 · White won (1-0) · 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. 10.Nbd2The first move after the opening line3:22
  2. 20...Rxf3The evaluation moves from −1.60 to +1.444:12
  3. 27...exf3+White stays more than two pawns ahead from here4:48
  4. 28...Rg4The evaluation moves from +2.17 to +3.384:52
  5. 37...Qd3The evaluation moves from +3.37 to +5.045:38
  6. 39.Bc3White wins after 39 moves5:45

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 5...Nxe4 Black gives up the solid centre for piece activity. White regains the pawn with 8.dxe5 and keeps a pawn on e5, while Black holds a knight on e4 supported by the d5 pawn. With 9...Bc5 the bishop goes to its most active square, aiming at f2 and backing the e4 knight, whereas White aims to undermine that knight and use the space the e5 pawn gives.

Xiong–Adhiban went 10.Qd3 O-O 11.Be3, and Black exchanged the dark-squared bishops before breaking with 12...f5. After 13.exf6 Qxf6 the f-file opened and Black pushed the queenside pawns with ...a5. The turning point was 22.Qg3, which moved the evaluation from −0.03 to −2.13. From 24.cxb4 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead, and the d-pawn advanced to d4, d3 and d2. After 32...Qf6 the score went from −6.76 to −8.97, and Black won on move 34.

Vachier-Lagrave–Caruana followed 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.Bc2, and Black played the Dilworth sacrifice 11...Nxf2 12.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2 f6, giving two minor pieces for a rook and pawns and opening the f-file. The game went the other way at 20...Rxf3, which swung the evaluation from −1.60 to +1.44. From 27...exf3+ White stayed more than two pawns ahead, and after 37...Qd3 the score rose from +3.37 to +5.04. White won on move 39. Unlike Game 1, Black relied on an attack against the king rather than a passed pawn.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Xiong vs Adhiban, FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019
  3. 2:50Game 2: Vachier-Lagrave vs Caruana, Superbet Classic 2022

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5

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