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Sicilian Defence: Scheveningen, English Attack

Topalov–Kasparov, PCA Classic Novgorod 1995 · Svidler–Shengelia, European Team Championship 2013 · 7:44 · ECO B80

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In this video

Game 1: Veselin Topalov (2630) vs Garry Kasparov (2805)

PCA Classic Novgorod 1995, 30 May 1995 · 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...Be7The first move after the opening line0:34
  2. 37.Rh1The evaluation moves from −1.04 to −3.78, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:54
  3. 40.Nc1The evaluation moves from −4.02 to −6.383:09
  4. 40...Bxc2+Black 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: Peter Svidler (2752) vs David Shengelia (2543)

European Team Championship 2013, 11 November 2013 · White won (1-0) · 54 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...Be7The first move after the opening line3:44
  2. 27.Nxd4The queens come off5:15
  3. 41...Bg4White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:28
  4. 47...Rh3+The evaluation moves from +3.18 to +4.776:58
  5. 50...h4The evaluation moves from +4.02 to +6.427:12
  6. 53...Re1+The evaluation moves from +6.57 to mate in 4 for White7:28
  7. 54.Kxf6White wins after 54 moves7:30

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6.Be3 Nc6 7.f3, White prepares Qd2, long castling and a g4-g5 pawn storm against the black king, while f3 stops ...Ng4 from hitting the e3 bishop. Black keeps the compact Scheveningen centre of pawns on d6 and e6 and chooses between counterattack on the queenside after castling short and an early ...d5 break that opens the centre before White's attack arrives.

Topalov–Kasparov followed the race plan. White castled long and pushed g4, h4, g5 and h5. Black answered with 10...Nxd4, 11...b5 and 18...b4, and planted a rook on b4 to open lines towards the white king on b1. The engine still favoured White at 17.Bxc4 (+1.21) and 27.Na2 (+0.80), but by 32.Rf2 it read −0.39. 37.Rh1 was the turning point: the evaluation fell from −1.04 to −3.78, and 37...Bxe4 took the centre pawn. After 40.Nc1 (−4.02 to −6.38), 40...Bxc2+ broke the king's cover and Black won.

Svidler–Shengelia reached the line by a different move order. Black struck at once with 8...d5, and after 9.Bb5, 10.exd5 and 13.Bxc6 Black was left with pawns on c6 and d5. A tactical sequence ending 27.Nxd4 removed the queens at +0.52, leaving rook and knight against rook and bishop. White played on the queenside: 42.c4 created a passed c-pawn (+2.25), and after 41...Bg4 White stayed more than two pawns ahead. The pawn reached c6 by move 47, 53...Re1+ allowed a forced mate in 4, and after 54.Kxf6 White won. In contrast to Game 1, there was no king race; the central break led to a long endgame.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Topalov vs Kasparov, PCA Classic Novgorod 1995
  3. 3:20Game 2: Svidler vs Shengelia, European Team Championship 2013

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 Nc6 7. f3

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