Subscribe

Sicilian Defence: Najdorf, English Attack 6...e5 — Part 1 of 2

Svidler–Morozevich, ch-RUS Superfinal Moscow 2007 · Carlsen–So, 3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015 · 7:44 · ECO B90

Open on YouTube ↗

In this video

Game 1: Peter Svidler (2732) vs Alexander Morozevich (2755)

ch-RUS Superfinal Moscow 2007, 27 December 2007 · Black won (0-1) · 38 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.
  6. 6.
  7. 7.
  8. 8.
  9. 9.
  10. 10.
  11. 11.
  12. 12.
  13. 13.
  14. 14.
  15. 15.
  16. 16.
  17. 17.
  18. 18.
  19. 19.
  20. 20.
  21. 21.
  22. 22.
  23. 23.
  24. 24.
  25. 25.
  26. 26.
  27. 27.
  28. 28.
  29. 29.
  30. 30.
  31. 31.
  32. 32.
  33. 33.
  34. 34.
  35. 35.
  36. 36.
  37. 37.
  38. 38.

Key moments

  1. 8...Nbd7The first move after the opening line0:36
  2. 32.c4The evaluation moves from −0.10 to −5.08, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:29
  3. 38...Bf6Black wins after 38 moves3:02

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Magnus Carlsen (2853) vs Wesley So (2779)

3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015, 27 August 2015 · White won (1-0) · 56 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.
  6. 6.
  7. 7.
  8. 8.
  9. 9.
  10. 10.
  11. 11.
  12. 12.
  13. 13.
  14. 14.
  15. 15.
  16. 16.
  17. 17.
  18. 18.
  19. 19.
  20. 20.
  21. 21.
  22. 22.
  23. 23.
  24. 24.
  25. 25.
  26. 26.
  27. 27.
  28. 28.
  29. 29.
  30. 30.
  31. 31.
  32. 32.
  33. 33.
  34. 34.
  35. 35.
  36. 36.
  37. 37.
  38. 38.
  39. 39.
  40. 40.
  41. 41.
  42. 42.
  43. 43.
  44. 44.
  45. 45.
  46. 46.
  47. 47.
  48. 48.
  49. 49.
  50. 50.
  51. 51.
  52. 52.
  53. 53.
  54. 54.
  55. 55.
  56. 56.

Key moments

  1. 8...Nbd7The first move after the opening line3:38
  2. 33.Nc4The evaluation moves from +2.13 to +0.575:35
  3. 37.a5White stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:55
  4. 40.Nd4The evaluation moves from +5.56 to +2.866:10
  5. 46...Kxb6The queens come off6:42
  6. 53.Ra8The evaluation moves from +3.77 to +5.367:15
  7. 56.Rg8White wins after 56 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.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3, White sets up the English Attack: Qd2, queenside castling and a pawn storm with g4 and g5. Black has fixed a pawn on e5, leaving a hole on d5 that both sides fight over, and looks for counterplay with ...b5–b4 or with pressure down the c-file against White's king.

Svidler–Morozevich, Moscow 2007, went 8...Nbd7 9.g4, and Black answered with ...Nb6, ...Nh5 and ...Rc8 before castling short. White's 16.Rg2 and 19.Bb6 kept the game level, but 25.Rh1 moved the score from +0.40 to −0.78. Morozevich then played 28...Rxc3, giving up the exchange to break open White's queenside, and followed with queen checks from b5, a4 and b4. After 32.c4 the evaluation dropped from −0.10 to −5.08, and 38...Bf6 ended the game; Black won.

Carlsen–So, Sinquefield Cup 2015, also began 8...Nbd7, but White played 9.Qd2 and castled before g4, and Black chose ...b5–b4. After 12.Nd5 Bxd5 13.exd5 White took the d5 outpost and pushed the kingside pawns to g5 and h6. The score sat near +0.20 to +0.41 until 28.Qb3 (+2.19), and from 37.a5 White stayed more than two pawns ahead. After 46.Qxb6+ Kxb6 the queens came off, and White converted the rook endgame; White won.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Svidler vs Morozevich, ch-RUS Superfinal Moscow 2007
  3. 3:10Game 2: Carlsen vs So, 3rd Sinquefield Cup 2015

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

See every video from this position →