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Sicilian Defence: Najdorf, English Attack 8...h5

Anand–Topalov, Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008 · Caruana–Nakamura, 8th Tal Memorial 2013 · 6:28 · ECO B90

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In this video

Game 1: Viswanathan Anand (2799) vs Veselin Topalov (2780)

Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008, 20 January 2008 · 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. 9.Nd5The first move after the opening line0:38
  2. 31...hxg4White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:26
  3. 39...Qc5The evaluation moves from +3.66 to +5.673:06
  4. 40.Qxc5White wins after 40 moves3:09

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Fabiano Caruana (2774) vs Hikaru Nakamura (2784)

8th Tal Memorial 2013, 17 June 2013 · Black won (0-1) · 39 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. 9.Qd2The first move after the opening line3:46
  2. 35.g5Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:52
  3. 36.c5The evaluation moves from −2.24 to −3.525:58
  4. 37...cxb4The evaluation moves from −3.02 to −4.376:05
  5. 39.Rxe4The evaluation moves from −5.18 to −10.006:12
  6. 39...Kg7Black wins after 39 moves6:15

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3, White prepares the English Attack set-up of Qd2, long castling and a g4-g5 pawn storm, and 8...h5 is aimed directly at stopping g4. White's main reply is to occupy d5 with a knight. A recapture there with the e-pawn leaves White's pawn on d5 facing Black's pawn on e5.

Anand–Topalov went 9.Nd5 Bxd5 10.exd5, and White castled long at move 12. Black exchanged dark-squared bishops with 14.Bxh6 Rxh6 and walked the king to g7. White built up with c4 and Bh3, exchanged on d7 with 25.Bxd7 and pushed the f-pawn with 26.f4 and 29.f5. The score rose from +0.40 at 23...Nbd7 to +2.05 at 28...Qd7. After 30...e4, White opened the kingside with g4, and from 31...hxg4 White stayed more than two pawns ahead. Then 35.f6+ and 36.Rxe4 won material, and 39...Qc5 took the score from +3.66 to +5.67. White won after 40.Qxc5.

Caruana–Nakamura reached the line with 6.f3 and 8.Be3, then played 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.Nd5. Unlike Game 1, Black recaptured with the knight, put the bishop on f5 and exchanged it with 18...Bxd3, while White castled short. After 25.f4 e4, Black expanded with 28...b5, and the score fell to −1.61. White's g4 and g5 advance exposed White's own king, and from 35.g5 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead. Then 37...cxb4 took the score from −3.02 to −4.37, and 39.Rxe4 took it from −5.18 to −10.00. Black won after 39...Kg7.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Anand vs Topalov, Corus Wijk aan Zee 2008
  3. 3:18Game 2: Caruana vs Nakamura, 8th Tal Memorial 2013

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3 h5

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