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

Ponomariov–Kramnik, Linares SuperGM 2003 · Caruana–Gelfand, 43rd Olympiad 2018 · 5:58 · ECO B31

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In this video

Game 1: Ruslan Ponomariov (2734) vs Vladimir Kramnik (2807)

Linares SuperGM 2003, 23 February 2003 · Black won (0-1) · 40 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. 26.axb5The queens come off1:59
  3. 29...d3The evaluation moves from −0.65 to −2.99, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:16
  4. 33.Rf8+The evaluation moves from −5.33 to −5.912:34
  5. 40.Rxc4The evaluation moves from −7.16 to −8.783:09
  6. 40...g4Black wins after 40 moves3:12

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Fabiano Caruana (2827) vs Boris Gelfand (2703)

43rd Olympiad 2018, 28 September 2018 · White won (1-0) · 33 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...O-OThe first move after the opening line3:44
  2. 19...h5The evaluation moves from +0.26 to +1.614:38
  3. 24...Qd4The evaluation moves from +1.43 to +4.86, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:02
  4. 26...Bxe4The evaluation moves from +6.19 to mate in 9 for White5:12
  5. 33.Rg7+White wins after 33 moves5:45

Evaluation

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

About these games

White gives up the light-squared bishop with Bxc6 to double Black's c-pawns, then plays d3 and h3 to keep the bishop off g4 before developing with 7.Nc3. White hopes the knights and a firm centre will outweigh Black's bishop pair, while the doubled c-pawns limit Black's queenside. Black has the two bishops, a g7 fianchetto and the open d-file, and often fixes the centre with ...e5.

Ponomariov–Kramnik reached the line by a different order and went 7...Nd7 8.Be3 e5. Black rerouted the knight from d7 through f8 to e6, while White prepared queenside play with 12.b4. Black answered on the kingside with 14...f5 and 16...h5, and after 17.bxc5 the score was −0.69. White's break 19.d4 exd4 opened the position for Black's bishops, and by 22.Rfd1 it stood at −2.60. The queens came off with 25.Qxb5+ Qxb5 26.axb5, and 29...d3 took the score from −0.65 to −2.99. The passed pawn queened with 37...c1=Q, 39.Kh2 left White at −7.12, and Black won after 40...g4.

Caruana–Gelfand went 7...O-O 8.O-O Ne8, and White gained space at once with 10.e5 instead of the slow manoeuvring of the first game. After 13.Bh6, Black gave up the exchange with 13...Rxf3, and 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.gxf3 Bxh3 left both kings exposed. White used the open g- and h-files. 19...h5 moved the score from +0.26 to +1.61, 24...Qd4 took it to +4.86, and 26...Bxe4 allowed mate in 9. White won with 31.Rf5+ and 33.Rg7+.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Ponomariov vs Kramnik, Linares SuperGM 2003
  3. 3:20Game 2: Caruana vs Gelfand, 43rd Olympiad 2018

The opening line

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

See every video from this position →