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Sicilian Defence: Taimanov, 6.Be3 a6 7.Qd2 (English Attack setup) — Part 2 of 2

Perez–Nepomniachtchi, Capablanca Memorial Elite 2012 · Karjakin–Topalov, FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013 · 8:44 · ECO B48

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In this video

Game 1: Leinier Dominguez Perez (2725) vs Ian Nepomniachtchi (2716)

Capablanca Memorial Elite 2012, 14 May 2012 · White won (1-0) · 54 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. 8...b5The first move after the opening line0:36
  2. 18...Nh7The evaluation moves from +1.10 to +3.671:22
  3. 25.Rxh5The evaluation moves from +3.18 to +2.381:54
  4. 31...Qe7White stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:26
  5. 51.Rxd8The queens come off4:04
  6. 54.Rd7+White wins after 54 moves4:19

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Sergey Karjakin (2776) vs Veselin Topalov (2767)

FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013, 12 July 2013 · 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. 8...Be7The first move after the opening line4:55
  2. 24...Rxc7The queens come off6:10
  3. 37.Kc3The evaluation moves from −0.58 to −3.20, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here7:12
  4. 40.Nf3The evaluation moves from −2.61 to −4.827:28
  5. 47...Rxd3The evaluation moves from −5.86 to −3.998:05
  6. 52...Kg5Black wins after 52 moves8:30

Evaluation

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

About these games

After 5...Qc7 Black puts the queen on the c-file early and keeps the f8-bishop and d-pawn flexible. White answers with the English Attack set-up of Be3, Qd2 and long castling, often followed by f3 and g4, and the kings usually end up on opposite wings. Black looks for quick queenside play with ...b5 and ...Bb7, pressure on the long diagonal and, when possible, the central breaks ...e5 or ...d5.

Dominguez Perez–Nepomniachtchi began 8...b5, and White exchanged with 9.Nxc6, then played f3 and Bd3. Black pushed ...b4 and ...h5 and left the king in the centre. The turning point was 18...Nh7: the score rose from +1.10 to +3.67. After 19...e5 White gave a bishop with 21.Bxe5, and 22.Bd5 and 23.Bxb7 won it back (+3.81). Black grabbed the h2-pawn, but White doubled on the h-file. 28.Rxh7 dropped the score to +1.34, yet after 31...Qe7 White stayed more than two pawns ahead. The queens came off with 51.Rxd8, and White won on move 54.

Karjakin–Topalov went 8...Be7, and White played f3 and g4. Black took on d4, castled short and opened the centre with ...e5 and ...d5, a calmer plan than Game 1's ...b5 and ...h5 with the king left in the centre. The queens came off with 24...Rxc7 at about −0.70. At 37.Kc3 the score moved from −0.58 to −3.20, and 40.Nf3 took it to −4.82. Black's bishop pair and rooks hunted the white king, and Black won on move 52.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Dominguez Perez vs Nepomniachtchi, Capablanca Memorial Elite 2012
  3. 4:28Game 2: Karjakin vs Topalov, FIDE Grand Prix Beijing 2013

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Qd2 Nf6 8. O-O-O

See every video from this position →