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Sicilian Defence: Moscow Variation, 3...Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.c4 (Maroczy)

Rublevsky–Gelfand, Rubinstein Memorial 1998 · Bacrot–Morozevich, Biel GM 2017 · 7:44 · ECO B52

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In this video

Game 1: Sergei Rublevsky (2685) vs Boris Gelfand (2675)

Rubinstein Memorial 1998, 22 August 1998 · Black won (0-1) · 54 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. 6...Nf6The first move after the opening line0:30
  2. 29...Nxd3The queens come off2:16
  3. 44.Rd3The evaluation moves from −1.29 to −3.48, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:29
  4. 54...Rb4Black wins after 54 moves4:22

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Etienne Bacrot (2715) vs Alexander Morozevich (2675)

Biel GM 2017, 27 July 2017 · White won (1-0) · 40 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. 6...g6The first move after the opening line4:52
  2. 29...gxf5The evaluation moves from +1.72 to +2.55, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:38
  3. 37...Kh4The evaluation moves from +4.32 to +5.527:18
  4. 39...Qh8The evaluation moves from +5.38 to mate in 6 for White7:28
  5. 40.Qd2White wins after 40 moves7:30

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 White exchanges the light-squared bishops early and plays 5.c4, setting up the Maroczy bind: pawns on c4 and e4 that clamp the d5 square and limit Black's play. With 5...Nc6 6.Nc3 Black usually answers by fianchettoing the bishop on g7. Black's main source of play is a pawn break with ...d5, often prepared by ...e6, or pressure on the long diagonal and the queenside.

Rublevsky–Gelfand followed the bind with 10.Nde2, 11.f3 and 13.Be3, while Gelfand activated the queen with 13...Qa5 and broke with 20...e6. Gelfand's queen took the knight with 25...Qxa2, and the material was later returned through 29...Nxd3 and 31.Bxg7 Kxg7. That left a level rook endgame, at −0.05 after 31.Bxg7. Gelfand's rooks reached the second rank, and 40...Rxh2+ won a pawn. After 44.Rd3 the evaluation went from −1.29 to −3.48, and 49.Re3 pushed it to −4.60. Black won after 54...Rb4.

Bacrot–Morozevich used the modern 9.Be3, 10.f3 and 12.Qd3 setup. When Black broke with 15...d5, White answered with 16.f4 and 17.e5 rather than allowing open central play as in the first game. Bacrot then gained space on the kingside with g4 and g5, and the evaluation rose to +1.52 by 26.c5. From 29...gxf5 White stayed more than two pawns ahead. After 31.gxf6 a pawn on f6 hemmed in Black's king. After 39...Qh8 the engine found mate in six, and White won after 40.Qd2.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Rublevsky vs Gelfand, Rubinstein Memorial 1998
  3. 4:30Game 2: Bacrot vs Morozevich, Biel GM 2017

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Nc3

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