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Sicilian Defence: Scheveningen, Keres Attack

Speelman–Ivanchuk, Reykjavik 1990 · Carlsen–Van Wely, Tata Steel 2017 · 8:18 · ECO B81

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In this video

Game 1: Jon Speelman (2610) vs Vassily Ivanchuk (2665)

Reykjavik 1990 · Black won (0-1) · 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. 6...Nc6The first move after the opening line0:30
  2. 25.Bf3The evaluation moves from −0.72 to −2.151:54
  3. 30.Rxd4The queens come off2:19
  4. 33...Ra5The evaluation moves from −3.12 to −1.942:36
  5. 34.Bxb7Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:39
  6. 37.Rc7+The evaluation moves from −2.59 to −3.792:54
  7. 42...Kf4Black wins after 42 moves3:22

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Magnus Carlsen (2840) vs Loek Van Wely (2695)

Tata Steel 2017, 24 January 2017 · White won (1-0) · 59 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...h6The first move after the opening line3:52
  2. 21...gxf4The queens come off4:58
  3. 37...hxg4The evaluation moves from +1.04 to +2.11, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:18
  4. 46...Rd5The evaluation moves from +2.64 to +4.317:02
  5. 59.Ra8The evaluation moves from +5.50 to +7.118:05
  6. 59.Ra8White wins after 59 moves8:05

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6.g4 White throws the g-pawn forward before Black has completed development, aiming for g5 to drive the knight from f6 and to gain space on the kingside. Black keeps the Scheveningen pawn pair on d6 and e6 and must choose between slowing the pawn with ...h6 and hitting back in the centre with ...d5, since a flank advance is best answered by opening the middle.

Speelman–Ivanchuk continued 6...Nc6 7.g5 Nd7, and after 10.Rg3 Black struck with 10...d5, leaving an isolated d-pawn after 11.exd5 exd5 (+0.92). White's attacking set-up achieved little: minor pieces were traded with 18.Nxe7+ and 19.Bxc5, and after 21.O-O-O Nxe2+ 22.Bxe2 Black took the f5 pawn with 22...Bxf5. With 25.Bf3 the score fell from −0.72 to −2.15. The queens came off with 30.Rxd4, and Black's rook collected pawns on c2, a2, b3 and h4. White briefly reduced the gap after 33...Ra5 (−3.12 to −1.94), but 37.Rc7+ took it to −3.79, and Black won after 42...Kf4.

Carlsen–Van Wely went 6...h6 7.Bg2. Instead of a kingside pawn storm, White exchanged on c6 and opened the centre with 10.e5, leaving Black with weak queenside pawns. The score dropped from +2.78 to +1.41 at 16.b3, and the queens came off with 21...gxf4. White won the c6 pawn with 23.Bxc6+ and later the f4 pawn with 32.Rxf4, pushed the h-pawn, and after 46...Rd5 (+2.64 to +4.31) White won with 59.Ra8 (+7.11).

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Speelman vs Ivanchuk, Reykjavik 1990
  3. 3:30Game 2: Carlsen vs Van Wely, Tata Steel 2017

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. g4

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