Magnus Carlsen's Incredible Italian Game

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Magnus Carlsen was known for his attacking style as a teenager, but has since developed into a universal player. He uses a variety of openings to make it harder for opponents to prepare against him. The Italian Game is one of the oldest recorded chess openings and is defined by the development of the white bishop to c4 (the so-called "Italian bishop"), where it attacks Black's vulnerable f7-square.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:19 Hikaru
07:28 Dubov
11:34 Hikaru
15:41 Dubov
20:24 Hikaru
26:00 Bacrot
Game 1: Magnus Carlsen (2863) vs Hikaru Nakamura (2736), Carlsen Tour Final August 17, 2020
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c3 h6 7. Re1 O-O 8. Nbd2 a5 9. Nf1 Be6 10. Bb5 Ne7 11. d4 exd4 12. cxd4 Bb6 13. Ng3 d5 14. e5 Ne4 15. Bd3 Nxg3 16. hxg3 a4 17. Bc2 a3 18. bxa3 Bg4 19. a4 Qd7 20. Ba3 Rfe8 21. Bxe7 Qxe7 22. Qd3 g6 23. Nh4 Qb4 24. Nxg6 Qxd4 25. Ne7+ Kf8 26. Nxd5 Qxf2+ 27. Kh2 Rad8 28. Rf1 Rxe5 29. Rxf2 Rdxd5 30. Rxf7+ Ke8 31. Qxd5 Rxd5 32. Bg6 Kd8 33. Re1 c6 34. Rxb7 Bc7 35. Re8+ Kd7 36. Rh8 1-0
Game 2: Magnus Carlsen (2862) vs Daniil Dubov (2710), Opera Euro, February 10, 2021
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 h6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. O-O Bxc3 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Bb3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. h3 Nxc3 11. Qe1 Nd4 12. Nxe5 Nce2+ 13. Kh1 Bxh3 14. gxh3 Nxb3 15. Qxe2 Qd5+ 16. Kh2 Nxa1 17. Bb2 Rae8 18. Rg1 f6 19. Qg4 g5 20. Qf5 Re7 21. Ng6 Qd6+ 22. Rg3 Nxc2 23. Nxf8 Nd4 24. Bxd4 Qxd4 25. Ne6 Qe5 26. Qg6+ Kh8 27. Qxh6+ Kg8 28. Qf8+ 1-0
Game 3: Magnus Carlsen (2847) vs Hikaru Nakamura (2736), Crypto Cup May 26, 2021
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. h3 h6 7. c3 d6 8. Re1 a5 9. d4 Bb6 10. Be3 exd4 11. cxd4 d5 12. exd5 Ne7 13. Nc3 Nexd5 14. Qd2 c6 15. Bxh6 gxh6 16. Qxh6 Bf5 17. Re5 Bg6 18. Rg5 Nh7 19. Rg4 Re8 20. Nxd5 cxd5 21. Bd3 Nf8 22. Ne5 Re6 23. Bf5 Rd6 24. Nxg6 fxg6 25. Bxg6 Rxg6 26. Rxg6+ Nxg6 27. Qxg6+ Kh8 28. Qh5+ Kg8 29. Qg4+ Kh7 30. Re1 Rc8 31. Re6 1-0
Game 4: Magnus Carlsen (2862) vs Daniil Dubov (2710), Opera Euro February 9 2021
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. O-O d6 6. c3 O-O 7. Re1 h6 8. Nbd2 Be6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. Nf1 a5 11. Ng3 a4 12. Bd2 d5 13. b4 axb3 14. axb3 Rxa1 15. Qxa1 d4 16. Qb1 dxc3 17. Bxc3 Bc5 18. b4 Bb6 19. b5 Nd4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4 21. Qb3 Qd7 22. Nf5 Ng4 23. N5xd4 exd4 24. e5 h5 25. Qc4 Rxf3 26. gxf3 Nh6 27. Rc1 Nf5 28. Qxc7 Qd5 29. Qc2 Nh4 30. Qe2 Nxf3+ 31. Kh1 Nxe5+ 32. f3 Qxb5 33. Re1 Nxd3 34. Rd1 1-0
Game 5: Magnus Carlsen (2847) vs Hikaru Nakamura (2736), Crypto Cup May 26 2021
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. h3 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. a4 Be6 9. Ng5 Bf5 10. Qf3 Nde7 11. c3 h6 12. Ne4 Bd6 13. b4 a6 14. Nbd2 Kh8 15. Ba3 Bg6 16. Nxd6 cxd6 17. b5 Na5 18. Bb4 axb5 19. axb5 b6 20. Bd5 Rc8 21. c4 f5 22. Be6 Rb8 23. Bxa5 bxa5 24. d4 Rf6 25. d5 Bf7 26. Bxf7 Rxf7 27. Nb3 Ra8 28. c5 a4 29. c6 Qb6 30. Qd3 Rb8 31. Rxa4 Ng6 32. Rb4 Nf4 33. Rxf4 exf4 34. Nd4 f3 35. Rc1 Ra7 36. Ne6 Ra2 37. Qd4 1-0
Game 6: Magnus Carlsen (2837) vs Étienne Bacrot (2713), Biel July 22, 2012
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Bb3 d5 7. Qe2 Re8 8. Bg5 dxe4 9. dxe4 h6 10. Bh4 Be7 11. Nbd2 Nh5 12. Bg3 Bf8 13. O-O-O Qf6 14. Nc4 Nf4 15. Bxf4 Qxf4+ 16. Kb1 Bg4 17. h3 Bxf3 18. gxf3 Bc5 19. Rd5 Bb6 20. a4 Rad8 21. Rhd1 Rxd5 22. exd5 Ne7 23. d6 cxd6 24. Nxd6 Rf8 25. Nxb7 Qf5+ 26. Ka2 Qxh3 27. Qxe5 Ng6 28. Qe4 Nh4 29. Nd6 Bxf2 30. Nxf7 Rxf7 31. Rd8# 1-0
#chess

[@vancitychess9000]

Italian, What a classy opening. Subscribed

[@youngd5510]

He's back. The most underrated analysis on youtube

[@richterscales]

Right? I love pausing right when he announces a combo.

[@ZakEames]

Just subscribed seeing your comment. Let's see 😅

[@kylnetpadilla968]

youre so underrated, you deserve more subs; your analysis always help our openings knowledge. keep posting more videos!

[@alexroc172]

Great series...really useful analysis and the speed of delivery is perfect !

[@bachianm2375]

Dear Sammy, your presentation method is excellent for studying opening ideas as well as all stages of the game. Keep up the great work! Your subscriber

[@lgmnowkondo938]

I think your vids are the best...they keep my attention 100% of the time!

[@RoronoaDLuffy-iu4yx]

One of the best chess analysis Ive seen, Im only 1000 elo but what still able to follow along and understood everything because the explanations were on point. Severely underrated chanel

[@suranaxxx]

Ur explanation is so simple and clear. I immediately subscribed u. Keep it up.

[@LBurou]

Extremely helpful analysis for this chess player, thank you. :-) Subscribed!

[@EthanReviews123]

I really like your commentary; it’s perfect

[@laurenslaterveer3554]

I recently discovered your channel. Your videos are very interesting and informative! Keep it up :)

[@cameront3768]

Awesome style in analytical chess commentary. 💪👍

[@uthoshantm]

Very instructive comment of these games. Thank you.

[@alanex5225]

Thanks for explaining and going slow enough that we can understand it. Good Videos.

[@--vd--]

Amazing video, i was looking for top players games utilizing the Italian game and i found it!

[@jwinwin9215]

you breakdown of the games is amazing

[@rolfstorz3745]

Thanks for sharing that😊

[@harendrapratapsingh5516]

Thank you for this

[@josesongcuan4111]

Truly brilliant moves.

[@marcheuer3610]

Some years ago the Italian was considered a club player opening and no GM would play it in serious games. Same with the London. And nowadays the Super GMs come up with that stuff. We club players were far ahead of our time. 😂🙏

[@angelitohizon7]

wow nice comment

[@charliek8310]

Powerful explanation!

[@cubelife3108]

The Italian is too complicated for me... The Scotch and the accelerated London system are in heart

[@LS_99-qs5vi]

great video!

[@izaakpaliama3946]

Thank you very much,Sammy and you are the best commentator in year-2023! God.bless.you-Sammy!

[@bofetada6841]

It appears Magnus hangs in there till the end game and then takes over

[@preetambarua]

Omg!.....u r giving the best analysis in lucid terms....

[@RotoGluOn]

Nice! I would need to work on my Italian game, but I don't know any opening other than the London ;)

[@marcelobrunorodrigues7630]

Very brilliant games! He plays as a new Steinitz.

[@prakasavigraha6104]

Besides the excellent analysis which is explained so that even a chess dunce like me can understand, what I really appreciate here is the use of poetic language which ornaments the whole presentation.

[@rolfstorz3745]

Thanks so much😊

[@HSA-]

Loved the explanations. Sub'd!

[@k.k.9571]

“now back to the game” 👍

[@larbiayoub4064]

First time here You got a like comment and a subscription

[@user-dj4pq1sh6o]

Back to the Game.

[@preparedsurvivalist2245]

I really like the simple and concise explanations behind the intent and strategy of each move. It makes it easy to understand and get thru the games without being bogged down trying to comprehend complex positions.

[@bomokigigha9139]

Mm

[@drnantz]

Well done!

[@whipmakingjosy1759]

very good tx

[@johnbrady3369]

00:50 why doesn’t Hikaru play knight a 5 and take bishop?

[@chiragjain5887]

At 20:18, why cant knight go to f2 check?

[@lakbayanngkaalaman934]

VERY NICE!

[@mariusronulo7932]

Do a hikaru kings indian defense bro🙏🙏

[@johnproton259]

Stockfish needs to teach magnus a lesson!

[@nimi3361]

14:21-14:30 brilliant stuff

[@Jordan-mq4fs]

At 6:50 , hikaru could play bishop H5 no?

[@strangelyrepulsive77]

you can't force into a mating net only trick if it can be forced it was in the net already

[@kevinwellwrought2024]

Alireza also plays the Italian game

[@kevinmccooey6291]

I've defeated him at the home Depot international open...oh,that was Carlos Magnusson lol

[@singhisbling5941]

Hey , what's your elo?

[@EthanCouch187]

I really enjoy sammychess. Thanks.

[@mark8664]

Too fast for me but wonderful content showing just how complexes the game really is.

[@Thalabadhynandha]

Verithanamm..😈

[@user-lu9fg7pc9q]

tell magnus to play vienna opening

[@cattanoj1]

I can’t stand when people resign from a game. My thinking is that 1. You simply get better by playing more scenarios 2. Your opponent might make a silly mistake and you either win or draw. Is there a good reason why ppl do resign?

[@1991Shailendra]

I play this opening both as black & white. I am currently at 1200 elo. How high can i go with this opening??

[@sebu1301]

Well, these games were played by Magnus Carlsen. Garry Kasparov also played the Italian from time to time. You should get to at least 2800 elo with this opening, if not a bit higher.

[@DotNET83]

I use Italian is probably 95% of my game

[@mr.thalapathygaming8906]

But u missed a mate when u explained the possibility

[@janicobrackenmillioniarely1617]

That look was so funny

[@cutiekuhlase5114]

Hayi. Ngubani londia lona ????😅

[@mralias225]

chess is the best game to play while beeing high

[@dr.deepakgore1079]

Like cricket or football you commented ,this time you made us embarrassed, 😢

[@KosoWAR]

in minute 9:17 why not Nd4? Queen has to move: Qe5+ take, White Qe5 take Nf3+ Kg2, Ne5. Black is winning!

[@thuyenlee8995]

Counter material after the sequence, white would be 1 pawn down but after rook g1 threating h6, king moves away bishop b2 f6 white has a load of activity just being 1 pawn down and the next few moves would pressure on g7

[@KosoWAR]

simply winning. @@thuyenlee8995

[@FernandoFabianBarila]

you're gorgeous, good video !

[@janicobrackenmillioniarely1617]

Ur awesome

[@victorsantiago5997]

No offense, a little emotion would go a long way, because it takes a little effort to watch these videos, and you want to make it easy for your viewers. Plus, you have great insight, so it would be great for the world to have that

[@ClintonYoung-gd7me]

At 10:59 the program kept freezing.

[@CriminaIlyInsane]

Why all of these modern Adult chess grand-masters look like teenagers?

[@JulioRodriguez-kl7nn]

You pausing the game and doing your own scenarios is bad bro

[@BREAKocean]

I see nothing wrong with it, it's mostly engine based anyways. And there are a lot of scenarios the average viewer will not be able to grasp since we are not masters

[@porcospino289]

VERY shoddy. You say White when you mean Black, d3 when you mean d6, f6 when you mean f3, etc. etc. etc. I had to stop watching. Bleeahh!

[@aaronboyawesome151]

Chillax... He didn't saw it maybe

[@argh9743]

4:37 ...because it would lead to a checkmate in two with the king blocking the rook’s escape square. I know it’s a lapsus. Important is to see what he means.