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Vienna Game: Mieses Variation

Hou–Hammer, Norway Chess Qualifier 2016 · Adhiban–Kramnik, Tata Steel 2018 · 8:44 · ECO C26

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In this video

Game 1: Hou Yifan (2667) vs Jon Ludvig Hammer (2701)

Norway Chess Qualifier 2016, 26 March 2016 · White won (1-0) · 51 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. 3...d5The first move after the opening line0:22
  2. 40.Qxe6The evaluation moves from +1.34 to +4.30, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here3:09
  3. 40...fxe6The queens come off3:12
  4. 42.c3The evaluation moves from +4.47 to +5.353:19
  5. 51.Kc5The evaluation moves from +7.80 to +9.134:04
  6. 51.Kc5White wins after 51 moves4:04

Evaluation

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

Game 2: Baskaran Adhiban (2655) vs Vladimir Kramnik (2787)

Tata Steel 2018, 28 January 2018 · Black won (0-1) · 55 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. 3...Bc5The first move after the opening line4:25
  2. 25.bxc5The queens come off5:58
  3. 27.a3The evaluation moves from +1.41 to +0.386:08
  4. 35.Rxa5The evaluation moves from +0.01 to −2.256:48
  5. 37.Kf2Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:58
  6. 53.Kf3The evaluation moves from −5.90 to −6.968:18
  7. 55...Rd1Black wins after 55 moves8:30

Evaluation

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

About these games

With 3.g3, White prepares Bg2 to aim the bishop down the long diagonal at Black's queenside and centre, rather than pushing f4 as in the sharper Vienna lines. Black usually answers by striking in the centre with ...d5, either at once or after ...Bc5 and ...c6, and the trades on d5 open the position early.

Hou–Hammer followed the main line 3...d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nxc3 6.bxc3, leaving White doubled c-pawns but a half-open b-file. White used it with 11.Rb1 and 13.c4, while Black planted a pawn on d4 after 14...Nd4 15.Nxd4 exd4. Pieces were traded steadily, and the engine showed 0.00 at 38.Qc6. Black's 39...Qe6+ allowed 40.Qxe6 fxe6, and the king-and-pawn ending was lost: at 41.Kd2 the score went from +2.68 to +5.17. White's king collected the d4-pawn with 49.Kxd4, and after 51.Kc5 the evaluation reached +9.13. White won.

Adhiban–Kramnik went 3...Bc5 4.Bg2 c6 5.Nge2 d5, and after 6...cxd5 7.d4 exd4 8.Nxd4 Black kept an isolated d-pawn, then pushed it with 11...d4 to gain space instead of defending it. White's knight raids pushed the score to +0.83 at 23.Rxe1, but by 27.a3 it had fallen from +1.41 to +0.38. The exchange sacrifice 35.Rxa5 swung it from +0.01 to −2.25. Unlike Game 1, the queens left early and Black's extra exchange decided a rook-and-bishop ending: the a-pawn advanced, the score reached −6.96 at 53.Kf3, and Black won after 55...Rd1.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Hou vs Hammer, Norway Chess Qualifier 2016
  3. 4:13Game 2: Adhiban vs Kramnik, Tata Steel 2018

The opening line

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3

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