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Sicilian Defence: Scheveningen, Classical

Kasparov–Short, Moscow ol 1994 · Liem–Shankland, Prague International Chess Festival 2025 Masters · 8:44 · ECO B84

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In this video

Game 1: Garry Kasparov (2805) vs Nigel Short (2665)

Moscow ol 1994 · White won (1-0) · 42 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. 8...Qc7The first move after the opening line0:36
  2. 24...fxg5White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:52
  3. 30...Qc7The evaluation moves from +2.72 to +8.742:22
  4. 36.Bxf6The queens come off2:49
  5. 38...Kh7The evaluation moves from +5.41 to +6.763:02
  6. 41.b6The evaluation moves from +5.84 to +7.703:14
  7. 42.Kh2White wins after 42 moves3:19

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Le Quang Liem (2739) vs Sam Shankland (2670)

Prague International Chess Festival 2025 Masters, 5 March 2025 · Black won (0-1) · 64 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. 8...O-OThe first move after the opening line3:55
  2. 20.Bc5The evaluation moves from −1.19 to −3.37, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here4:48
  3. 25.Rxe3The queens come off5:12
  4. 64...Ke3Black wins after 64 moves8:30

Evaluation

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

About these games

After the Scheveningen set-up of ...e6 and ...d6, White develops quietly with Be2 and castles, then plays 8.f4 to claim space on the kingside and prepare either e5 or a later f5 or g4-g5 advance. Black keeps a compact pawn pair on d6 and e6, castles, and looks for counterplay with ...b5, the ...e5 break or ...d5.

Kasparov–Short reached the line by a different move order and followed the standard attacking plan: 9.Qe1, 10.Bf3, 11.Kh1, then 13.g4 and 14.g5 to drive the f6 knight back to e8. Black regrouped with 15...Bb7 and 18...Ng7. White then broke through with 20.f5 and 21.f6, and after 22.fxe7 and 23.Rxd4 the score was +1.57. From 24...fxg5 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, and it reached +3.82 by 28.Nd5. 31.Re6 let the score drop from +8.74 to +4.96, but the queens came off with 36.Bxf6. White's b-pawn then ran, 41.b6 raised the score to +7.70, and White won at 42.Kh2.

Le Quang–Shankland shows Black meeting the plan in the centre rather than waiting. Black played 9...Nc6 and 10...Bd7, then struck with 11...e5 and 12...exf4, followed by 16...d5. The score stood at −0.25 at 18.Raf1. After 20.Bc5 it fell from −1.19 to −3.37, as 21...Nxf4 won the exchange. The queens came off at 25.Rxe3. In the ending, Black won the a-pawn with 47...Nxb5 and 48...Rxa4. The king and f-pawn advanced to −6.06 at 63.Kc5, and Black won after 64...Ke3.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Kasparov vs Short, Moscow ol 1994
  3. 3:28Game 2: Le vs Shankland, Prague International Chess Festival 2025 Masters

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Be7 8. f4

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