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Sicilian Defence: Sveshnikov, 7.Nd5

Nepomniachtchi–Caruana, Croatia Grand Chess Tour 2019 · Karjakin–Carlsen, Vugar Gashimov Memorial 2019 · 7:18 · ECO B33

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In this video

Game 1: Ian Nepomniachtchi (2775) vs Fabiano Caruana (2819)

Croatia Grand Chess Tour 2019, 27 June 2019 · White won (1-0) · 50 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...Nxd5The first move after the opening line0:34
  2. 35...Qf1The evaluation moves from 0.00 to +1.422:46
  3. 38.Bc2The evaluation moves from +1.80 to 0.002:59
  4. 40...Rxc2+The evaluation moves from +1.35 to +4.10, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:12
  5. 50.Qxf6White wins after 50 moves3:59

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Sergey Karjakin (2753) vs Magnus Carlsen (2845)

Vugar Gashimov Memorial 2019, 8 April 2019 · Black won (0-1) · 39 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...Nxd5The first move after the opening line4:32
  2. 30.f4The evaluation moves from −0.51 to −2.046:18
  3. 33.Bg4The evaluation moves from −1.66 to −3.84, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:32
  4. 38.Kh1The evaluation moves from −6.49 to −7.956:58
  5. 39...Rfe8Black wins after 39 moves7:05

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 6...d6, White's knight jumps to d5 instead of the usual Bg5 line, offering a trade on d5. Once Black captures, exd5 leaves White with a pawn on d5 that gains space and closes the centre, so the c6 knight must retreat. Black then looks for kingside play with ...f5 and ...e4, while White aims at the queenside and the light squares.

Nepomniachtchi–Caruana followed the 8...Nb8 9.a4 plan: White gained queenside space with a4-a5 and sent the knight via a3 to c4, while Black replied with 13...f5, a rook lift to g6 and 16...e4. White castled queenside at move 20, and Black opened the h-file with 25...Rxh5. After 29.Qf4 the score dropped from −0.25 to −1.43, and Black's piece sacrifice 30...Nxc3 kept the edge until 34...Bg5 let it slip from −1.39 to 0.00. The decisive error was 40...Rxc2+, taking the score from +1.35 to +4.10. White's d-pawn then ran to d7, and White won after 50.Qxf6.

Karjakin–Carlsen took the other route, 8...Ne7 9.c4 Ng6, with the knight aimed at the kingside instead of retreating to b8. After queen moves on a4 and b4, Black's bishop settled on f5, then ...e4 and the ...b5-b4 pawn push followed. White's 30.f4 moved the score from −0.51 to −2.04, and 33.Bg4 dropped it to −3.84 when Black took the bishop. By 38.Kh1, at −7.95, Black's direct attack was decisive, and Black won after 39...Rfe8.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Nepomniachtchi vs Caruana, Croatia Grand Chess Tour 2019
  3. 4:08Game 2: Karjakin vs Carlsen, Vugar Gashimov Memorial 2019

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5

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