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Sicilian Defence: Four Knights, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5

Kasparov–Grischuk, Linares SuperGM 2001 · Gashimov–Radjabov, Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee 2012 · 8:04 · ECO B45

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In this video

Game 1: Garry Kasparov (2849) vs Alexander Grischuk (2663)

Linares SuperGM 2001, 6 March 2001 · White won (1-0) · 45 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.Ne4The first move after the opening line0:35
  2. 17...Bxd5The queens come off1:16
  3. 30...f5The evaluation moves from −0.13 to +1.062:22
  4. 40...Rb6The evaluation moves from +1.69 to +2.86, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:12
  5. 43...Rxa3The evaluation moves from +2.91 to +5.813:26
  6. 45.Bb2White wins after 45 moves3:34

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Vugar Gashimov (2761) vs Teimour Radjabov (2773)

Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee 2012, 27 January 2012 · Black won (0-1) · 53 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.Ne4The first move after the opening line4:08
  2. 29...Rxa2The queens come off5:50
  3. 39.Rcd1The evaluation moves from −1.53 to −3.78, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:38
  4. 49...Nd3The evaluation moves from −6.70 to −9.357:30
  5. 53...Kf4Black wins after 53 moves7:50

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5, White's pawn on e5 takes the f6 square from Black's knight, and the d6 square becomes a target for a white knight arriving by Ne4. Black has doubled c-pawns, but the extra central pawn gives counterplay with ...c5, ...d6 or ...f5 to attack e5. The engine gives +0.43 after 7...Nd5.

Kasparov–Grischuk continued 8.Ne4 Bb7 9.Be2 c5 10.O-O Qc7 11.Nd6+ Bxd6 12.exd6, planting a pawn on d6. After 13.f3 c4 14.Qd4 O-O 15.Bxc4, White picked up the c4 pawn, and 17...Bxd5 took the queens off at +0.12. The ending stayed level until 30...f5, which moved the score from −0.13 to +1.06. White then won pawns with 36.Rxe5 and 37.Bxa7, reaching +2.31. 39.Bg5 let the score drop from +3.99 to +1.82, but from 40...Rb6 White stayed more than two pawns ahead. 43...Rxa3 raised it from +2.91 to +5.81, and White won after 45.Bb2.

Gashimov–Radjabov went 8.Ne4 Qc7 9.f4 Qa5+ 10.c3, with White supporting e5 by f4. Instead of allowing a pawn on d6, Black broke up that centre with 11...f5 and 14...d6, and after 16.c5 dxc5 the score was −1.29 at 17...a5. Black opened the a-file with ...a4, and 29...Rxa2 took the queens off. 39.Rcd1 moved the score from −1.53 to −3.78, and Black stayed more than two pawns ahead from there. Black's active rooks and knight decided the rook ending: 49...Nd3 took the score from −6.70 to −9.35, and Black won after 53...Kf4.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Kasparov vs Grischuk, Linares SuperGM 2001
  3. 3:43Game 2: Gashimov vs Radjabov, Tata Steel GMA Wijk aan Zee 2012

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. e5 Nd5

See every video from this position →