Hmmm...sometimes databases contain mistakes.
I can't see anything for W after cxd4. What databese are you using?
Sicilian - Modern
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It's here on chess.com - http://www.chess.com/explorer/index.html?movelist=1.e4+c5+2.Nf3+d6+3.Nc3+Nf6+4.Nd4
Only 8 games ~ most drawn. But in no game is the Knight captured.
I'd like to know why isn't 3. Nd4 captured by the c pawn at Master level?
Give a closer look at the games (i can't, not a premium member).
On the chesstempo database there are only 3 games in this variation, everyone being completely absurd (in one game for example there is a queen en prise for several moves). Only explanation is that a damaged pgn string has been uploaded and never corrected. Look at the games, if you find that they are absurd too it's the same thing. It's hard to avoid mistakes when storing tons of games.
It's really likely that the diagrammed position never really happened in a master game.
I'm with bresando here. The game usually continues with 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4, which implies that there are missing moves here. Obviously, 4. Nd4 is not a common variation if there are only eight games in the database, and there's no reason for it to be, since it's a piece sacrifice with no compensation whatsoever.
Yes i was thinking the same. It's like the pair of moves d4-cxd4 is missing. Probably these moves went deleted from the pgn, generating an absurd game.
1. This mysterious vanishing of move 4 is supposed to have occurred 8x from one line? It's a mystery for sure..
2. The Game Explorer doesn't say the name of the opening after move 2. That's annoying.
8x is bizzarre, but still not much if compared with the total mass of sicilian games. Also remember that this is a plausible mistake ( as we said earlier, you can generate it by simply deleting a pair of moves). This seems the only explanation. 4.Nd4 simply loses a knight, no chance that a master played it.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nd4
The opening is the Sicilian Defence and it's pretty modern because there are only 8 master games in the database. What I know is why none of these players capture with cxd4??
Why not take the Knight? Most of the master games from this position are drawn anyway. White must get some pretty good tactical/strategic advantage. Is it the doubled pawns? Where does white make his come back from here if the Knight is captured?