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Sicilian Defence: Najdorf, Opocensky 7...Be7 8.Be3

Carlsen–Nakamura, Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2011 · Anand–Vachier-Lagrave, London Chess Classic 2015 · 5:48 · ECO B92

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In this video

Game 1: Magnus Carlsen (2814) vs Hikaru Nakamura (2751)

Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2011, 23 January 2011 · White won (1-0) · 37 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...O-OThe first move after the opening line0:36
  2. 28.exd5White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:09
  3. 29.Bxh6The evaluation moves from +4.50 to +7.322:14
  4. 32...Nxh6The evaluation moves from +5.40 to +9.452:32
  5. 37.Re1+White wins after 37 moves2:54

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Viswanathan Anand (2796) vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2773)

London Chess Classic 2015, 11 December 2015 · Black won (0-1) · 34 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...Be6The first move after the opening line3:30
  2. 24.Qc2The evaluation moves from +0.11 to −2.90, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here4:42
  3. 34...Bg3The evaluation moves from −3.89 to −8.345:35
  4. 34...Bg3Black wins after 34 moves5:35

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be3, Black has a backward pawn on d6 and a hole on d5, but in return controls d4 and f4 with the e5 pawn and develops quickly. White's bishop on e3 watches b6 and c5, and White chooses between castling long with a kingside pawn storm and a slower fight for the d5 square.

Carlsen–Nakamura took the sharp route. After 8...O-O 9.g4, White pushed the pawns with g5, h4 and 13.f4 (+1.26), castled long, and drove on with h5 and 20.g6. Black regrouped knights to b6 and c4 and doubled on the c-file, but the counterplay came too slowly. After 27.Nd5 Bxd5 28.exd5 Qxd5 the score rose from +2.65 to +4.50, and 29.Bxh6 gxh6 30.g7 opened Black's king. After 30...Be7 it reached +7.60, and after 31.Rxh6 Nf7 32.Qg6 Nxh6 it reached +9.45. White promoted with 35.g8=Q+ and White won after 37.Re1+.

Anand–Vachier-Lagrave followed the positional line 8...Be6 9.Nd5 Nbd7 10.Qd3, and here Black attacked rather than defended. Black gave up the light-squared bishop with 14...Bxd5, then played ...Bg5-f4 and ...f5 on the dark squares. After 24.Qc2 the score dropped from +0.11 to −2.90. Black then sacrificed the exchange with 25...Rxb3, and the passed pawn ran to b2. After 30...Qxd6 the score eased from −4.82 to −2.96, but 32...Bxh2+ and 33...Rxf2 reached White's king, and after 34...Bg3 (−8.34) Black won.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Carlsen vs Nakamura, Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee 2011
  3. 3:03Game 2: Anand vs Vachier-Lagrave, London Chess Classic 2015

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3

See every video from this position →