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Sicilian Defence: Sveshnikov, 9.Nd5 Line, 11.c4

Nisipeanu–Shirov, Aerosvit Foros 2008 · Lintchevski–Sutovsky, Paul Keres Memorial Tallinn 2016 · 6:14 · ECO B33

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In this video

Game 1: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2684) vs Alexei Shirov (2740)

Aerosvit Foros 2008, 17 June 2008 · White won (1-0) · 36 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. 11...b4The first move after the opening line0:46
  2. 25...Qxb4The evaluation moves from −1.22 to −0.161:56
  3. 31...Kh6The evaluation moves from +0.06 to +3.99, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:26
  4. 35...Qxf2+The evaluation moves from +7.99 to +9.212:46
  5. 36.Kxb3White wins after 36 moves2:49

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Daniil Lintchevski (2563) vs Emil Sutovsky (2647)

Paul Keres Memorial Tallinn 2016, 10 January 2016 · 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. 11...Nd4The first move after the opening line3:35
  2. 17...Bxa5+The queens come off4:05
  3. 27.Rc2The evaluation moves from +0.65 to −1.804:52
  4. 29.Kb1Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:02
  5. 33.b4The evaluation moves from −2.14 to −3.155:22
  6. 39.a4The evaluation moves from −4.08 to −8.485:52
  7. 40...Kc2Black wins after 40 moves6:00

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 fix a knight on d5, and 11.c4 attacks the b5 pawn to open the queenside and support that knight. Black keeps the bishop pair and a backward pawn on d6. Black must either push past with ...b4 or answer the pressure with piece play, often by sending a knight to d4.

Nisipeanu–Shirov followed the main line 11...b4 12.Nc2. White set up 13.g3, 14.h4 and 15.Bh3 to trade the light-squared bishops, then took the b4 pawn with 16.Ncxb4 and recaptured on b4 again after 17.Bxe6 fxe6. Black's compensation was the open f-file: rooks on f3 and f8 gave Black −1.45 by 21.Rf1. White castled long, and after 23...d5 and 25...Qxb4 the score fell back from −1.22 to −0.16. The turning point was 31...Kh6, which moved the evaluation from +0.06 to +3.99 against Black. Black's last attempt ended in the underpromotion 34...a1=N+, but after 35.Rxa1 Qxf2+ 36.Kxb3 White was +8.95, and White won.

Lintchevski–Sutovsky took the sharper 11...Nd4 12.cxb5. Unlike Game 1, Black gave up a pawn for active pieces, and the queens came off at 17...Bxa5+. Black then broke with ...f5, and after 21...exd4 the d-pawn ran to d2. With 27.Rc2 the score dropped from +0.65 to −1.80. From 29.Kb1 Black stayed more than two pawns ahead as the king walked to d3. After 39.a4, at −8.48, Black won with 39...Rxd1 40.Rxd1 Kc2.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Nisipeanu vs Shirov, Aerosvit Foros 2008
  3. 2:58Game 2: Lintchevski vs Sutovsky, Paul Keres Memorial Tallinn 2016

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. c4

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