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Sicilian Defence: Rossolimo, 3...g6 4.Bxc6 bxc6

Carlsen–Polgar, Cuadrangular UNAM 2012 · Caruana–Gukesh, 44th Olympiad 2022 · 7:18 · ECO B31

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In this video

Game 1: Magnus Carlsen (2848) vs Judit Polgar (2705)

Cuadrangular UNAM 2012, 26 November 2012 · White won (1-0) · 44 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. 6.Re1The first move after the opening line0:29
  2. 20.Bxc5The queens come off1:29
  3. 33...Kf6The evaluation moves from +0.23 to +1.082:36
  4. 37...Nd6White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:56
  5. 41...Rc2+The evaluation moves from +3.82 to +5.713:16
  6. 44.Nf7White wins after 44 moves3:29

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Fabiano Caruana (2783) vs Gukesh D (2684)

44th Olympiad 2022, 6 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. 6.Re1The first move after the opening line3:58
  2. 32...Rxa3Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:00
  3. 34.g4The evaluation moves from −2.44 to −3.766:08
  4. 42.Bd6The evaluation moves from −6.68 to −9.786:48
  5. 45.Ne4The evaluation moves from −9.60 to −6.097:02
  6. 45...Qxe4Black wins after 45 moves7:05

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 3...g6 White gives up the bishop with 4.Bxc6 so that Black has doubled c-pawns, and after 5.O-O Bg7 the plan is to castle quickly and attack those pawns. Black gets the bishop pair in return, with the g7 bishop aimed down the long diagonal, and can use the half-open b-file.

Carlsen–Polgar went 6.Re1 d6 7.c3 Bg4, and Black gave up the bishop pair with 8...Bxf3. White then broke with 10.a3 and 11.b4 against the c-pawns. After 15...Rb3 the score stood at +1.32, but 16.Nd2 allowed 16...Rxc3, and the evaluation fell to +0.06. The queens came off with 20.Bxc5, leaving a rook-and-knight endgame close to equal (+0.20 at 30...Na7). White then picked up the kingside pawns with 34.Rxf7+ and 35.Rxh7. From 37...Nd6 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, 41...Rc2+ took the score from +3.82 to +5.71, and White won after 44.Nf7.

Caruana–Gukesh reached the same position by a different move order and went 6.Re1 Qc7 with an early 8.e5. Game 1 was about White pressing on the queenside, but here Black kept the bishop pair and advanced on the kingside with ...f6, ...g5 and ...h5. After 32...Rxa3 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead. The knight sacrifice 37.Nxe5 did not help White. Then 41...Bh3 (−5.08 to −6.68) and 43.Rxg7+ (−8.19 to −10.00) ended White's chances. Black won with 45...Qxe4, with mate in 5 to follow.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Carlsen vs Polgar, Cuadrangular UNAM 2012
  3. 3:38Game 2: Caruana vs Gukesh, 44th Olympiad 2022

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. O-O Bg7

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