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Scotch Game: Classical Variation

Kasparov–Short, Linares 1992 · Radjabov–Carlsen, Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012 · 8:48 · ECO C45

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In this video

Game 1: Garry Kasparov (2780) vs Nigel Short (2685)

Linares 1992 · White won (1-0) · 48 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.Be3The first move after the opening line0:26
  2. 18...Nd7The evaluation moves from +0.90 to +3.21, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:22
  3. 21...Ng6The evaluation moves from +3.18 to +4.241:36
  4. 41.h4The evaluation moves from +5.11 to +6.463:14
  5. 43...Nxg4The queens come off3:26
  6. 48.b3White wins after 48 moves3:49

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Teimour Radjabov (2784) vs Magnus Carlsen (2835)

Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012, 13 June 2012 · Black won (0-1) · 59 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.Nxc6The first move after the opening line4:14
  2. 13.hxg3The queens come off4:42
  3. 52.Kc2The evaluation moves from −0.76 to −1.907:58
  4. 54.Kd2The evaluation moves from −1.78 to −3.64, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here8:08
  5. 57.Ke4The evaluation moves from −3.63 to −5.028:22
  6. 59...Rf1Black wins after 59 moves8:35

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 White has traded the d-pawn for Black's e-pawn and has a knight in the centre and a free hand with the e4-pawn. 4...Bc5 develops with a direct hit on the d4-knight, and Black often follows with ...Qf6 to add pressure on d4 and f2. White either defends the knight with Be3 and c3 or exchanges it on c6, which gives Black doubled c-pawns.

Kasparov–Short followed 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bc4. After 10.Bxb6 axb6 White pushed f4-f5, and Black answered with ...g5 and ...g4, loosening the king. After 18...Nd7 the evaluation jumped from +0.90 to +3.21, and the piece sacrifice 19.Bxg4 hxg4 20.Nxg4 opened the h-file. After 22...Qxg4 23.Qh6+ and 24.Rh3 Qxh3 Black gave up the queen for a rook. White's queen and the f6-pawn kept the pressure on, and 38...Kh7 let the score rise from +3.35 to +4.72. The queens came off with 43...Nxg4, the rook took the c7- and b7-pawns, and White won.

Radjabov–Carlsen took the other path with 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 bxc6, and the queens were off by 13.hxg3. Instead of an attack, this was a long manoeuvring endgame: Black centralised the king on the queenside and gained space with ...c5-c4 and ...d5-d4. The score stayed near equal until the passed d-pawn decided matters: 53...d3+ came, and after 54.Kd2 the evaluation went from −1.78 to −3.64. Black won after 59...Rf1.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Kasparov vs Short, Linares 1992
  3. 3:58Game 2: Radjabov vs Carlsen, Mikhail Tal Memorial 2012

The opening line

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

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