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Sicilian Defence: Richter-Rauzer, 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 — Part 2 of 2

Giri–Topalov, Norway Chess 2014 · Smirin–Guseinov, 44th Olympiad 2022 · 7:14 · ECO B67

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In this video

Game 1: Anish Giri (2752) vs Veselin Topalov (2772)

Norway Chess 2014, 8 June 2014 · White won (1-0) · 43 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.f4The first move after the opening line0:38
  2. 30.f5The evaluation moves from −0.64 to −2.552:19
  3. 31...Kh8The evaluation moves from −2.26 to +1.082:26
  4. 32...exf5White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:32
  5. 40...Rg4The evaluation moves from +4.52 to +8.463:12
  6. 43.Rd8+White wins after 43 moves3:24

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Ilia Smirin (2601) vs Gadir Guseinov (2668)

44th Olympiad 2022, 5 August 2022 · Black won (0-1) · 45 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.f3The first move after the opening line4:02
  2. 23.Qd2The evaluation moves from −0.88 to −2.495:08
  3. 26.Rh2Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:22
  4. 27.Qxd6The evaluation moves from −2.66 to −4.525:28
  5. 29...Rxb6The queens come off5:40
  6. 31.Bd3The evaluation moves from −3.59 to −5.325:48
  7. 45...Kg5Black wins after 45 moves7:00

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6.Bg5 and 7.Qd2, White prepares to castle queenside with 8.O-O-O and keeps the option of Bxf6, doubling Black's f-pawns. Black's 7...a6 and 8...Bd7 delay ...Be7, leave the king in the centre for now and prepare ...b5 and ...b4 against the white king. The result is a race between attacks on opposite wings.

Giri–Topalov went 9.f4 b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6, giving Black the bishop pair but a broken pawn chain in front of the king. Topalov pushed ...b4 and brought the knight to c4 by ...Na5-c4, and Giri gave up the bishop with 17.Bxc4. By 23...Bb7 Black stood at −1.20. 30.f5 raised that to −2.55, but 31...Kh8 swung the score to +1.08. After 32...exf5 33.Nxe5 fxe5 34.Nxd6, the knight reached 35.Nxb7, and White stayed more than two pawns ahead from 32...exf5 onwards. 40...Rg4 lifted the score from +4.52 to +8.46, and White won after 43.Rd8+.

Smirin–Guseinov took a slower route: 9.f3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 kept Black's pawns intact, and White pushed h4-h5 and g4. Guseinov stormed with ...b5-b4, ...a5-a4-a3 and added ...e5. 23.Qd2 dropped the score from −0.88 to −2.49, and 27.Qxd6 Bxb3 made it −4.52. The queens came off with 29...Rxb6. After 31.Bd3, at −5.32, Black's bishop collected White's kingside pawns, and Black won after 45...Kg5.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Giri vs Topalov, Norway Chess 2014
  3. 3:33Game 2: Smirin vs Guseinov, 44th Olympiad 2022

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Bd7

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