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Sicilian Defence: Richter-Rauzer, Classical — Part 1 of 2

Topalov–Nisipeanu, Bucharest Match 2006 · Demchenko–Popov, 68th ch-RUS HL 2015 · 6:34 · ECO B63

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In this video

Game 1: Veselin Topalov (2801) vs Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2693)

Bucharest Match 2006, 9 April 2006 · 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. 26...Qxh4The evaluation moves from +0.73 to +2.43, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:02
  3. 43.a7White 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: Anton Demchenko (2589) vs Ivan Popov (2647)

68th ch-RUS HL 2015, 28 June 2015 · 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. 9.h4The first move after the opening line4:02
  2. 24.hxg6The evaluation moves from −1.31 to −3.99, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:12
  3. 27...Rxd5The queens come off5:30
  4. 37...f5Black wins after 37 moves6:20

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 e6 7.Qd2 Be7 8.O-O-O O-O the kings sit on opposite wings, so both sides race to attack. White aims for f4, e5 or a kingside pawn storm with h4 and g4, using the pin on f6 and the half-open d-file against the d6 pawn. Black usually swaps on d4, brings the queen to a5 and counters on the queenside with ...b5 or strikes in the centre with ...e5.

Topalov–Nisipeanu followed the main line 9.f4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Qa5 11.h4 e5. After 13.Bxf4 Topalov took on d6 with 14.Bxd6 and 15.Rxd6, winning a pawn, and the score reached +1.59 by 18...Nd7. Nisipeanu sought counterplay against the white king, regaining material with 21...Qxg3 while White replied 22.Qxa7. The turning point came at 26...Qxh4: the evaluation moved from +0.73 to +2.43, and after 27.e5 White kept a lead of more than two pawns. The rook took g7 with check on move 31, the rooks came off on move 34, and the a-pawn ran through; White won after 43.a7.

Demchenko–Popov went 9.h4 a6, and Black answered the kingside push with 12...b5 and the queen on a5. After 13.e5 dxe5 14.Qxe5 Bb7 White stood at +1.94, but 17.Ne4 dropped the score to 0.00 as Black traded on the d-file. At 24.hxg6 the evaluation went from −1.31 to −3.99, since 24...Qxe4+ won a pawn. The queens came off at 27...Rxd5, and Popov's kingside pawns marched to g2; Black won after 37...f5. Unlike Game 1, Black's queenside counterplay set the course of the game.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Topalov vs Nisipeanu, Bucharest Match 2006
  3. 3:33Game 2: Demchenko vs Popov, 68th ch-RUS HL 2015

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O

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