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Scotch Game: Classical, 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7

Carlsen–Leko, Pearl Spring Nanjing 2009 · Dzhumaev–Korneev, 7th Agzamov Memorial 2013 · 7:14 · ECO C45

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In this video

Game 1: Magnus Carlsen (2772) vs Peter Leko (2762)

Pearl Spring Nanjing 2009, 28 September 2009 · White won (1-0) · 44 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. 7.Bc4The first move after the opening line0:32
  2. 26...Rb8White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:02
  3. 29...Nxh4The evaluation moves from +2.84 to +4.112:16
  4. 33...Bxd5The evaluation moves from +4.54 to +6.162:36
  5. 44.Rbe6White wins after 44 moves3:29

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Marat Dzhumaev (2557) vs Oleg Korneev (2609)

7th Agzamov Memorial 2013, 18 April 2013 · Black won (0-1) · 44 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. 7.Qd2The first move after the opening line4:00
  2. 30.Qg4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:48
  3. 39...Qe4The evaluation moves from −2.65 to −3.586:35
  4. 42...Nxd3+The queens come off6:50
  5. 44...Nxg2Black wins after 44 moves7:00

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 4...Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3, White props up the d4-knight with a pawn and bishop, while Black's queen and bishop both aim at it and f2. With 6...Nge7, Black develops the king's knight behind the queen, keeping the f-pawn free and preparing ...d5 or ...Ne5. The fight is over the d4-square: White wants to keep a knight or a pawn there with a broad centre, Black wants quick development and pressure before White's pieces are coordinated.

Carlsen–Leko began with 7.Bc4 Ne5 8.Be2 Qg6 9.O-O d6, and 10.f4 gave up the e4-pawn after 10...Qxe4. Following 11.Bf2 Bxd4 12.cxd4, White had a pawn centre, and 15.d5 gained space while Black castled and tucked the king away with 16...Kh8. The score stayed close until White broke through on the queenside: 25.Rxa6 and 26.Nxb5 won pawns, and after 26...Rb8 the evaluation reached +2.24. Black's knight raid ending in 31.gxh4 failed, 33...Bxd5 left the score at +6.16, and White won after 44.Rbe6.

Dzhumaev–Korneev took a sharper route with 7.Qd2 and 8.Nb5. Black traded bishops with 8...Bxe3, struck with 9...d5 and kept up the pressure once White castled queenside with 11.O-O-O. After a series of exchanges, a queen-and-knight position arose, where 26...Qxh2 won a pawn. Black was more than two pawns ahead from 30.Qg4, with the evaluation dropping from −1.93 to −3.16. The queens came off with 42...Nxd3+, and after 44...Nxg2 Black won. Unlike Game 1, White never gained a central space advantage.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Carlsen vs Leko, Pearl Spring Nanjing 2009
  3. 3:38Game 2: Dzhumaev vs Korneev, 7th Agzamov Memorial 2013

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7

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