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Sicilian Defence: Sozin Attack, 7.Be3 (Velimirović setup)

Svidler–Dreev, Top 16 Mulhouse 2009 · Guijarro–Van Wely, Schachbundesliga 2020 · 6:36 · ECO B89

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In this video

Game 1: Peter Svidler (2723) vs Alexey Dreev (2688)

Top 16 Mulhouse 2009, 21 March 2009 · White won (1-0) · 28 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. 15...f5The evaluation moves from +0.09 to +2.25, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:06
  3. 24...b4The evaluation moves from +4.36 to +6.361:52
  4. 28...Nxe6The evaluation moves from +7.54 to +8.822:12
  5. 28...Nxe6White wins after 28 moves2:12

Evaluation

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

Game 2: David Anton Guijarro (2688) vs Loek Van Wely (2615)

Schachbundesliga 2020, 17 September 2020 · Black won (0-1) · 52 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...a6The first move after the opening line2:44
  2. 29.Bd4The evaluation moves from −0.97 to −2.494:25
  3. 35...Qe2Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here4:58
  4. 36.Rg1The evaluation moves from −2.50 to −3.295:00
  5. 39.Rxd4The queens come off5:15
  6. 44.b4The evaluation moves from −4.04 to −4.775:40
  7. 52...Kg7Black wins after 52 moves6:22

Evaluation

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

About these games

White develops the bishop to c4 against Black's ...d6 and ...e6 Sicilian, then adds Be3, Qe2 and queenside castling, aiming the bishop at e6 and preparing a g4-g5 pawn storm against a kingside-castled king. Black usually answers with ...a6, ...Be7 and queenside play with ...b5, ...Na5 or ...Nc5 to hit the bishop on b3, while the d6/e6 pawns hold the centre.

Svidler–Dreev followed the classic plan: 8.Qe2, 9.O-O-O and 10.Rhg1, then 13.g4 and 14.g5 after Black exchanged on d4 and played ...b5 and ...Nc5. The turning point was 15...f5, which took the score from +0.09 to +2.25. 16.g6 opened the h-file, and after 17.Rxg6 (+2.72) and 18.Bxf4 White played 19.Rxg7+, winning the queen with 20.Qxe8. Black's counterplay with 24...b4 only raised the score from +4.36 to +6.36, and after 28...Nxe6 (+8.82) White won.

In Anton Guijarro–Van Wely, Black chose ...Qc7 and 10...Na5, exchanging the b3 bishop with 12...Nxb3+. White sacrificed with 14.Nf5 and 15.Nd5. Black took both knights and returned material with 19...Nxf6, keeping the king safe on the kingside, unlike Game 1. White's 29.Bd4 moved the score from −0.97 to −2.49, Black's lead stayed above two pawns from 35...Qe2, and the queens came off with 39.Rxd4. Black's queenside pawns decided the endgame, and Black won after 52...Kg7.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Svidler vs Dreev, Top 16 Mulhouse 2009
  3. 2:20Game 2: Anton Guijarro vs Van Wely, Schachbundesliga 2020

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3

See every video from this position →