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Scotch Game: Mieses Variation, 8.c4 — Part 2 of 2

Wang–Sasikiran, Asian Nations Chess Cup 2012 · Nepomniachtchi–Eljanov, 50th Capablanca Memorial Elite 2015 · 7:08 · ECO C45

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In this video

Game 1: Wang Hao (2738) vs Krishnan Sasikiran (2720)

Asian Nations Chess Cup 2012, 19 May 2012 · White won (1-0) · 35 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. 8...Nb6The first move after the opening line0:36
  2. 17...Rhe8The evaluation moves from +1.33 to +2.691:16
  3. 19.Bd3The evaluation moves from +2.93 to +1.471:24
  4. 22...c5White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:42
  5. 23...Red8The evaluation moves from +2.07 to +3.571:46
  6. 24...Bxf8The queens come off1:52
  7. 35.Rg1White wins after 35 moves2:44

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Ian Nepomniachtchi (2720) vs Pavel Eljanov (2718)

50th Capablanca Memorial Elite 2015, 21 June 2015 · Black won (0-1) · 52 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. 8...Nb6The first move after the opening line3:20
  2. 15.fxe5The queens come off3:48
  3. 28.Kd3Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here4:52
  4. 29.Rhh8The evaluation moves from −3.42 to −5.484:58
  5. 52.Kf1The evaluation moves from −4.38 to −8.956:52
  6. 52...Rxg2Black wins after 52 moves6:55

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 8.c4 White's pawn on e5 cramps Black, and the c-pawn drives the knight from d5, usually to b6. Black has doubled c-pawns and the queen blocking the f8-bishop, so the usual plan is to develop the queenside bishop, castle long and break with ...f6 or ...d6 against e5. White keeps the space and aims at the weakened c6 and a6 squares.

Wang Hao–Sasikiran: both sides castled queenside after 9.Nc3 Bb7 10.Bd2 O-O-O 11.O-O-O. Black broke with 12...f6, and White answered with f4, took twice on f6 and g7, then pushed 15.c5 and the g-pawn. The evaluation stood at −0.04 after 13.exf6, but 17...Rhe8 let it jump from +1.33 to +2.69. After 19.Bd3 it fell back from +2.93 to +1.47. From 22...c5 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, and 23...Red8 raised the score from +2.07 to +3.57. The queens came off with 24...Bxf8, and White's knight and rooks took the h-pawn. White won at 35.Rg1, with the g-pawn about to queen.

Nepomniachtchi–Eljanov went 9.Nc3 Ba6 10.b3 O-O-O, with the bishop pressing c4. After Black's ...f6 break, the queens came off with 15.fxe5, and the score was 0.00 after 13.O-O-O. Unlike Game 1, Black was the side with active rooks, and the bishop pair invaded on e3 and h2. The score reached −2.22 at 28.Kd3, and Black stayed more than two pawns ahead from there. 29.Rhh8 moved it from −3.42 to −5.48. Black's g-pawn advanced to g3, and 52.Kf1 dropped the score from −4.38 to −8.95. Black won after 52...Rxg2.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Wang vs Sasikiran, Asian Nations Chess Cup 2012
  3. 2:53Game 2: Nepomniachtchi vs Eljanov, 50th Capablanca Memorial Elite 2015

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4

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