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Sicilian Defence: Rossolimo, 3...g6, 5.Re1 Nf6

Timman–Kotronias, Sigeman & Co 2008 · Aguado–Giri, 41st Olympiad 2014 · 5:54 · ECO B31

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In this video

Game 1: Jan Timman (2565) vs Vasilios Kotronias (2611)

Sigeman & Co 2008, 29 April 2008 · White won (1-0) · 46 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.e5The first move after the opening line0:29
  2. 30...Rxf3The evaluation moves from +0.19 to +2.032:22
  3. 33...Ka8The evaluation moves from +1.99 to +3.33, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:36
  4. 35...cxd4The queens come off2:46
  5. 46.Ke4White wins after 46 moves3:39

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Oscar De la Riva Aguado (2523) vs Anish Giri (2745)

41st Olympiad 2014, 2 August 2014 · Black won (0-1) · 26 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.c3The first move after the opening line4:08
  2. 14.axb3The evaluation moves from −2.15 to −3.144:38
  3. 20...Qb6The evaluation moves from −4.34 to −2.905:10
  4. 24.Ra4The evaluation moves from −1.70 to −4.37, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:28
  5. 26...Rd8Black wins after 26 moves5:40

Evaluation

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

About these games

With 4.O-O Bg7 5.Re1 White guards e4 and prepares either the push e5 or a slower c3 and d4. Black's 5...Nf6 attacks e4 at once and dares White to gain space with e5. Often White gives up the b5-bishop for the c6-knight, leaving Black with doubled c-pawns and the bishop pair.

Timman–Kotronias went 6.e5 Nd5 7.Nc3 Nc7 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Ne4. White aimed at the weakened c-pawns and played for a lead in development. Black answered with ...h6, ...g5 and ...Rg8 to attack on the kingside. White broke with 16.h4, and after 17.hxg5 Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 the h- and g-files opened. Black stood better at −2.14 before 21...O-O-O, which dropped the score to −0.25. After 22.Bxe7 the game stayed level until 30...Rxf3, which moved it from +0.19 to +2.03. Then 33...Ka8 raised it to +3.33. The queens came off with 35...cxd4. White's rook then took f7, and White won after 46.Ke4.

De la Riva Aguado–Giri took the quieter 6.c3. Black castled and played 7...Qb6, 9...d5 and 11...c4, hitting the centre rather than waiting. The turning point was 13.Bd4, which went from −0.89 to −2.04 after 13...cxb3. Black reached −3.22 by 15...dxe4. Black's bishops and active rooks took over. After 24.Ra4, at −4.37, Black won by 26...Rd8.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Timman vs Kotronias, Sigeman & Co 2008
  3. 3:48Game 2: De la Riva Aguado vs Giri, 41st Olympiad 2014

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. O-O Bg7 5. Re1 Nf6

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