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Sicilian Defence: Rossolimo, 3...g6 4.Bxc6 — Part 1 of 2

Adams–Kramnik, Dortmund SuperGM 2000 · Caruana–Carlsen, Tata Steel 2015 · 7:18 · ECO B31

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In this video

Game 1: Michael Adams (2755) vs Vladimir Kramnik (2770)

Dortmund SuperGM 2000, 10 July 2000 · White won (1-0) · 50 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. 7...Nd7The first move after the opening line0:34
  2. 45...Bf6The evaluation moves from +0.99 to +4.08, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:36
  3. 50.Qd1White wins after 50 moves3:59

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Fabiano Caruana (2820) vs Magnus Carlsen (2862)

Tata Steel 2015, 16 January 2015 · 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. 7...b6The first move after the opening line4:32
  2. 24.Rfb1The evaluation moves from −0.34 to −1.865:48
  3. 28.Bxg5The queens come off6:08
  4. 29.Bxf4Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:12
  5. 32.c3The evaluation moves from −4.42 to −5.196:28
  6. 33...Bh6The evaluation moves from −6.26 to −4.036:35
  7. 39...Re2Black wins after 39 moves7:05

Evaluation

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

About these games

By taking on c6 with 4.Bxc6, White gives up the bishop pair to leave Black with doubled c-pawns after 4...dxc6, then keeps the position closed with 5.d3 and 6.h3 so that Black's bishops find few open lines. White's usual plans are to exchange the g7 bishop with Be3, Qd2 and Bh6 and to prepare an f4 break. Black aims to use the bishops and the half-open d-file, often with ...e5 to fix the centre.

Adams–Kramnik followed that model. After 7...Nd7 and ...e5, Adams played 12.Bh6, and Kramnik avoided the exchange with 12...Bh8. White's knight went to g4 via h2, and 21.f4 opened the f-file. The engine score rose to +1.61 at 22.Rae1, then fell back near equality as Kramnik advanced the queenside pawns with ...b5 and ...a5-a4. The decisive mistake was 45...Bf6, which took the evaluation from +0.99 to +4.08. After 46.Bxd4 Bxh4 47.Bxc5 White was at +5.06, and White won after 50.Qd1.

Caruana–Carlsen shows Black playing actively instead. Carlsen played 7...b6 and ...e5, then attacked on the kingside with 11...Nh5, ...f5-f4 and ...g5-g4. After 24.Rfb1 the score moved from −0.34 to −1.86, with a Black pawn on g2. The queens came off with 28.Bxg5, and from 29.Bxf4 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead. The score was −5.19 at 32.c3, and Black won after 39...Re2.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Adams vs Kramnik, Dortmund SuperGM 2000
  3. 4:08Game 2: Caruana vs Carlsen, Tata Steel 2015

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bg7 6. h3 Nf6 7. Nc3

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