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Sicilian Defence: Najdorf, 6.h3 e6

Anand–Topalov, FIDE Candidates 2014 · Svidler–Vachier-Lagrave, Biel Masters 2016 · 7:44 · ECO B90

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In this video

Game 1: Viswanathan Anand (2770) vs Veselin Topalov (2785)

FIDE Candidates 2014, 23 March 2014 · White won (1-0) · 57 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. 7...Nfd7The first move after the opening line0:34
  2. 21...Bxf2The evaluation moves from +0.48 to +1.641:36
  3. 36...Be4White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:52
  4. 39...exf5The evaluation moves from +2.66 to +3.733:06
  5. 54...Kb8The evaluation moves from +6.70 to +9.914:22
  6. 57.e6White wins after 57 moves4:34

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Peter Svidler (2759) vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2798)

Biel Masters 2016, 28 July 2016 · Black won (0-1) · 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. 7...h6The first move after the opening line5:07
  2. 31.Nxd7The evaluation moves from 0.00 to −1.696:58
  3. 33.b3The evaluation moves from −1.14 to −7.42, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here7:08
  4. 36...Qc3+The evaluation moves from −7.51 to −8.947:25
  5. 37...Nb1+Black wins after 37 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 6.h3 against the Najdorf, Black's 6...e6 sets up a Scheveningen-style centre with pawns on d6 and e6, and White answers 7.g4, the Keres-style pawn thrust that aims g5 at the knight on f6 to gain kingside space. White usually follows with Bg2, castles queenside and attacks on the kingside, while Black looks for central counterplay with ...d5, ...e5 or ...f5.

Anand–Topalov, FIDE Candidates 2014, began 7...Nfd7, retreating the knight before g5 could hit it. White pushed h4 and 11.g5, castled long with 17.O-O-O, and met 13...f5 by keeping the position under control. After 26.Re5 the score was −0.01, and 26...Rxe5 27.fxe5 left White with a strong pawn on e5 and +1.17. From 36...Be4 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, won a pawn with 38...dxc4 39.Bxf5 exf5 40.Qxf5+, and walked the king up to b6 in the queen ending. The score jumped from +6.70 to +9.91 at 54...Kb8, and White won after 57.e6.

Svidler–Vachier-Lagrave, Biel 2016, went 7...h6 to slow the g-pawn. After 9.h4 and 10.g5 hxg5 11.hxg5 the rooks were traded on the h-file, and Black struck in the centre with ...e5, ...d5 and ...d4, a central break against the long-castled king rather than Game 1's ...f5. At 22.a3 White stood at +1.13, but 31.Nxd7 took the score from 0.00 to −1.69 as Black's queen and knight closed in. From 33.b3 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead, 34.a4 dropped the score from −3.92 to −7.39, and Black won after 37...Nb1+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Anand vs Topalov, FIDE Candidates 2014
  3. 4:43Game 2: Svidler vs Vachier-Lagrave, Biel Masters 2016

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e6 7. g4

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