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Scotch Game: Classical, 5.Nb3

Carlsen–Bacrot, Pearl Spring 2010 · Shankland–Abdusattorov, London Chess Classic 2025 · 6:04 · ECO C45

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In this video

Game 1: Magnus Carlsen (2826) vs Etienne Bacrot (2716)

Pearl Spring 2010, 20 October 2010 · White won (1-0) · 38 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...Bb6The first move after the opening line0:28
  2. 27.Rh3White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:04
  3. 27...Kg7The evaluation moves from +2.09 to +4.582:06
  4. 32...Bd6The evaluation moves from +4.01 to +5.582:32
  5. 38.gxf4White wins after 38 moves2:59

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Sam Shankland (2664) vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2732)

London Chess Classic 2025, 26 November 2025 · Black won (0-1) · 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...Bb4+The first move after the opening line3:26
  2. 28...c5The evaluation moves from −0.62 to −3.13, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:10
  3. 31.Qe4The evaluation moves from −4.72 to −7.315:22
  4. 34.Rf5The evaluation moves from −7.54 to −9.275:38
  5. 36...Qc6+Black wins after 36 moves5:50

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 attacks the d4-knight, 5.Nb3 retreats it with tempo against the bishop, keeping the e4-pawn as White's central asset and avoiding early exchanges. Black can drop the bishop back to b6 and develop with ...Nf6 and ...0-0, or check on b4 first to provoke c3. White aims for quick development, often castling long or building a pawn centre with f4, while Black looks for counterplay against e4.

Carlsen–Bacrot went 5...Bb6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Qe2, and after 13.0-0-0 the kings were on opposite wings. The e5 break with 17.e5 and 19.Bxf6 gxf6 wrecked Black's kingside pawns, and White was at +1.12 by 15.Bc4 and +1.92 by 25.Qd2. With 27.Rh3 White moved more than two pawns ahead, and 27...Kg7 took the score from +2.09 to +4.58. 29.Ng5+ fxg5 30.Rf3+ (+4.07) and 33.Rxh7+ won the queen. White won after 38.gxf4.

Shankland–Abdusattorov chose 5...Bb4+ 6.c3 Be7, and instead of castling long White built a centre with 7.f4 and castled short. Black answered with ...Nh6 and the ...f5 break, and the game stayed near equal, +0.14 at 25.Bxg5. The turning point was 28...c5, which moved the score from −0.62 to −3.13 and kept Black more than two pawns ahead from then on. ...d5-d4 followed (−4.39 at 30.Ra4), then 32.c4 (−5.22 to −7.74) and 34.Rf5 (−7.54 to −9.27) let Black's pieces reach the white king. Black won after 36...Qc6+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Carlsen vs Bacrot, Pearl Spring 2010
  3. 3:08Game 2: Shankland vs Abdusattorov, London Chess Classic 2025

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nb3

See every video from this position →