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Ruy Lopez: Worrall Attack

Short–Karpov, Linares 1992 · Karthikeyan–Wei, 15th Asian Continental 2016 · 6:08 · ECO C86

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In this video

Game 1: Nigel Short (2685) vs Anatoly Karpov (2725)

Linares 1992 · 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. 6...b5The first move after the opening line0:30
  2. 24...Qc7The evaluation moves from +1.66 to +3.11, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:52
  3. 26...Re8The evaluation moves from +3.18 to +4.312:02
  4. 30...Bf8The evaluation moves from +6.42 to +7.472:22
  5. 36.Qe6White 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: Murali Karthikeyan (2518) vs Wei Yi (2694)

15th Asian Continental 2016, 27 May 2016 · 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. 6...b5The first move after the opening line3:19
  2. 20.Bxf3The queens come off4:18
  3. 32.a3The evaluation moves from −1.47 to −3.08, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:18
  4. 38...Ba3The evaluation moves from −4.35 to −6.265:50
  5. 39...Rxa3Black wins after 39 moves5:55

Evaluation

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

About these games

Instead of the usual rook move to e1, White defends the e4-pawn with 6.Qe2, which keeps the king's rook free to go to d1 and back up a later d4. Black normally answers with ...b5, ...O-O and ...d6, and the play turns on whether White can push d4 with the queen and rook behind it or whether Black can hit the centre first.

Short–Karpov, Linares 1992, follows the main plan: 8.c3, 9.d4 and 10.Rd1, then 12.e5 Ne4 and the queenside break 13.a4. Black opened the c-file with 18...c5, but the game turned at 23...Rc2, which moved the evaluation from +0.58 to +1.89. After 24...Qc7 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, and 27...Rc2 took it from +3.82 to +4.86. White won the exchange with 29.Nxc2, pushed the e-pawn through with 30.e6, 31.exf7+ and 34.fxe8=Q, and won after 36.Qe6 (+7.79).

Karthikeyan–Wei Yi, 15th Asian Continental 2016, saw White play 8.d4 before c3. Black replied 8...Nxd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 and, after 10.e5 Ne8, gained space with 11...c5 and 12...c4. The queens came off with 20.Bxf3, and the score stood at −0.02 after 21.d5. In this game the fight was about Black's passed c-pawn, not White's centre: after 28...c3 and 29...c2 it tied White down, 32.a3 moved the score from −1.47 to −3.08, and 38...Ba3 (−6.26) ended it. Black won.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Short vs Karpov, Linares 1992
  3. 2:58Game 2: Karthikeyan vs Wei, 15th Asian Continental 2016

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Qe2

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