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Sicilian Defence: Sveshnikov, 9.Nd5 Line, 11.c3 O-O — Part 2 of 2

Polgar–Kramnik, Hoogovens Wijk aan Zee 1998 · Naiditsch–Fier, TCh-ESP Div Honor 2015 · 7:48 · ECO B33

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In this video

Game 1: Judit Polgar (2670) vs Vladimir Kramnik (2790)

Hoogovens Wijk aan Zee 1998, 29 January 1998 · Black won (0-1) · 46 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. 12...Bg5The first move after the opening line0:52
  2. 29.Bxh5The queens come off2:14
  3. 38.h4The evaluation moves from −0.65 to −2.54, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:59
  4. 42.a5The evaluation moves from −3.70 to −5.623:19
  5. 45...Bb5The evaluation moves from −7.12 to −5.293:36
  6. 46...Rc2Black wins after 46 moves3:42

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Arkadij Naiditsch (2685) vs Alexandr Fier (2636)

TCh-ESP Div Honor 2015, 21 August 2015 · White won (1-0) · 49 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. 12...O-OThe first move after the opening line4:32
  2. 39.b3White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:45
  3. 40...a4The evaluation moves from +2.68 to +5.026:52
  4. 47...Qc8The evaluation moves from +5.76 to +8.967:28
  5. 49.Rd6+White wins after 49 moves7:35

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 White has given up the dark-squared bishop to win permanent control of d5, while Black keeps the bishop pair and a backward pawn on d6. With 11.c3 and 12.Nc2 White brings the a3 knight back towards e3 to reinforce d5. Black usually answers with ...Bg5 to contest e3 and prepares the ...f5 break against the e4 pawn.

Polgar–Kramnik went 12...Bg5 13.a4 bxa4 14.Rxa4 a5, and White developed with 15.Bc4 and castled. Kramnik regrouped with 16...Kh8, 17...g6 and 18...Bh6, then played 20...f5. After 22.f4 Bg7 the score was +0.01, and following 26.fxe5 Qxe5 and 27...f4 Black stood at −0.53. The queens came off with 28...Qxh5 29.Bxh5. In the ending Black's dark-squared bishop and kingside pawns outweighed the knights. At 38.h4 the evaluation went from −0.65 to −2.54, at 42.a5 it went from −3.70 to −5.62, and the g- and f-pawns ran through. Black won after 46...Rc2.

Naiditsch–Fier reached the line by transposition. Here White chose 13...Bg5 14.Be2 Ne7 15.Ncb4 and swapped a knight on e7 so that the other knight could settle on d5 against Black's bishop. Black's later ...b4 and ...Bxd5 removed that knight, but White's rook on d5 held the grip. The score was +0.58 at 32.Rbd5, and White then advanced with 33.h4, 35.g4 and c4-c5. After 37.Rxd6 it stood at +1.59. From 39.b3 White stayed more than two pawns ahead, and 40...a4 sent it from +2.68 to +5.02 as the c-pawn reached c7. After 47...Qc8 it went from +5.76 to +8.96, and White won with 49.Rd6+. Unlike in Game 1, Black never achieved ...f5.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Polgar vs Kramnik, Hoogovens Wijk aan Zee 1998
  3. 3:50Game 2: Naiditsch vs Fier, TCh-ESP Div Honor 2015

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 O-O 12. Nc2

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