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Sicilian Defence: Sveshnikov, Main Line 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 — Part 2 of 2

Topalov–Van Wely, Hoogovens 1999 · Nakamura–Gelfand, 8th Tal Memorial 2013 · 6:18 · ECO B33

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In this video

Game 1: Veselin Topalov (2700) vs Loek Van Wely (2636)

Hoogovens 1999, 21 January 1999 · White won (1-0) · 32 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.c3The first move after the opening line0:44
  2. 25...Rac8The evaluation moves from −0.64 to +2.38, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here1:56
  3. 28...Qc4The evaluation moves from +4.96 to +6.212:12
  4. 31.Qe5+The evaluation moves from +6.22 to +10.002:24
  5. 32.Bxg6White wins after 32 moves2:29

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Hikaru Nakamura (2784) vs Boris Gelfand (2755)

8th Tal Memorial 2013, 21 June 2013 · Black won (0-1) · 45 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.c4The first move after the opening line3:12
  2. 23...Nxe5The queens come off4:15
  3. 39...Ne5The evaluation moves from −1.52 to −2.63, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here5:35
  4. 43...Ng4The evaluation moves from −3.48 to −4.725:55
  5. 45...Nc4Black wins after 45 moves6:05

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 9.Bxf6 gxf6 Black accepts doubled f-pawns and an exposed king in return for the bishop pair and a mobile pawn mass, and 10.Nd5 f5 immediately challenges White's grip on the centre. White aims to plant knights on d5 and f5 and bring the a3 knight back into play. Black wants to use the f- and e-pawns, often with ...f5 and ...e4, to gain space and open lines for the bishops.

Topalov–Van Wely followed the classical 11.c3 Bg7 12.exf5 Bxf5 13.Nc2, sending the knight to e3. Black pushed with 15...f5 and ...e4, and White answered with the f4 break, opening the f-file. The game stayed level until 25...Rac8, when the score jumped from −0.64 to +2.38 after White had given the exchange with 24.Rxf4. White's knights took d5, e6 and f5, and 28...Qc4 raised the score to +6.21. 31.Qe5+ reached +10.00, and White won after 32.Bxg6.

Nakamura–Gelfand took a different path with 11.c4 b4 12.Nc2, clamping the queenside, while Black built a centre with ...fxe4, ...f5 and ...e4. White won the d6 pawn but gave up the a2 pawn, and the queens came off with 23...Nxe5. The endgame was about even, but the bishop pair and the e-pawn break 35...e3 pushed the score to −1.38. After 39...Ne5 it reached −2.63, and Black won after 45...Nc4. Here Black won by using the centre pawns in an endgame, while in Game 1 White won by attacking the king.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Topalov vs Van Wely, Hoogovens 1999
  3. 2:38Game 2: Nakamura vs Gelfand, 8th Tal Memorial 2013

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. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Nd5 f5

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