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Learning Chess (#16), by A.J. Goldsby I
21,02,2007: First - my apologies to everyone, this installment is extremely late.
My wife was ill last fall, (In and out of the ER and even the hospital.); and I had incredible problems with my computer in the period Sept. through Dec. of last year, (2006). It (my PC) almost seemed to break every time that I touched it. Now these problems have been resolved, I have replaced most of the major components, to include the hard drive, (more than once!); the motherboard, and several other items ... like the modem and the RAM memory, as well. (I actually counted, my box was in the shop like 22 times during this period. CRAZY!!!)
I had one lesson almost completely prepared, (and several others in the works); but after the hard drive crashed, all of that work was lost. After I finally got the computer back to a working level - reinstalling all of your software is such a drag! - I could not re-create what I had done before, so I decided to do a page on one of the greatest chess players who has ever lived.
This page is actually the first fruits of a project that I began several years ago. I have purchased several books on this player - I now think I have every book on this player - in English - ever printed. (On GM Alexander Alekhine.) I am also working on an in-depth biography of this player. (It is not yet entirely complete, however, I shall update this page as I complete various web pages that I have already begun.)
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One of the greatest players who ever lived was Alexander Alekhine. (This month's lesson is dedicated to this player, our problems and our main contest are all drawn from his collected games.)
I have started dozens of new pages on Alekhine ... his career, his games, his life. Only a few of them are finished, however ... click HERE ... to see my short biography of the great Alexander A. Alekhine. (It is packed with many links, and I tried to concentrate mainly on Alexander Alekhine ... the chess player, rather than dwell on his possible shortcomings as a human being.)
I have annotated a
game (Curt Von Bardeleben - A. Alekhine)
from the year, 1908 ... before he was well known. Its a contest you may not have seen before, and it very clearly shows Alekhine's exceptional talents, and is an excellent example of the play from the
early days of Alekhine's career. (Please take a few moments, and go over this game now.)
I also have posted
that game as a refutation of sorts.
You see, one fairly respected chess historian - I'd prefer not to drop the name
- stated that Alekhine was not always a dangerous tactician, and that his flair for combinations was NOT evident early in Alekhine's career. However, I have to strenuously disagree with that conclusion! While it may have taken time for Alekhine to mature,
{chessically speaking}; and for him to find his own style ... I am quite sure that his combinative ability was always evident. And after going over this game, you can decide for yourself whether or not this is true.
I started studying the games of Alekhine several years ago, and for the last six months, I have spent more time studying Alekhine than anything else. I would have to say that his games always possess a certain unique type of style, and the tendency for incredible tactics was always there.
(I can show you some games that were played by Alekhine when he was 12, and
already the piece play - which is one of the main signatures of his style of
play - was to be observed.)
Below are ten problems drawn from the body of work of a player who can truly be considered one of the great artists of the chess board. You have the position ... and whose turn it is to play. This is all the information you will be given, it is up to you to work it out from there. I suggest setting up these positions on a chess board, and give yourself at least 5-10 minutes to try and solve each one.
The solutions are given at the end of the lesson ... but its not fair to peek!
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| (Prob. # 1) Black to play his 15th move. | (Prob. # 2) Black to play his 18th move. |
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| (Prob. # 3) White to play his 23rd move. | (Prob. # 4) White to play his 16th move. |
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| (Prob. # 5) White to play his 22nd move. | (Prob. # 6) Black to play his 16th move. |
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| (Prob. # 7) White to play his 35th move. | (Prob. # 8) Black to play his 10th move. |
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| (Prob. # 9.) Black to play his 27th move. | (Prob. # 10.) White to play his 22nd move. |
Below is one annotated game of
Alekhine's, if you do not have a chess board handy, you can replay the base game
- without the notes - by clicking here.
(Click here
to see an explanation of the symbols I use when annotating a chess game.)
(I went back and annotated this game from scratch, one of the reasons that it took so long. The annotations - here - were all meticulously checked with several computer programs ... more than once. The notes reflect several months of work, trying to do a couple of hours each day on this particular masterpiece of Alekhine's. I have found many new moves and made many corrections to the "standard" notes of this contest. I taught this game several times to students, and I also showed it {a number of times} at our local club. Any time a student had a question, I made an addition to the notes to reflect that. Note that the game score here matches the version given by Irving Chernev and also from the tournament reports, and NOT the version given by ChessBase. Alekhine, in his first book of best games, shortened the game score by one move. Whether or not this was intentional, a matter of a simple oversight, or from an impairment ... stemming from the period during which he had a problem with alcohol abuse ... is a matter of speculation, something I do not wish to delve into here.)
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***************************************************************************************************************
This is one of Alekhine's best games. It was chosen by none other than Irving Chernev in his book that covers the 12 greatest players of all time. (The name of the volume is: "The Golden Dozen," and in this book, Chernev chose Capa as the #1 player of all time, and Alekhine as # 2.)
This game won the prize for the excellence in attack and the beauty of the play at this tournament.
Alekhine seems to be playing on the Queenside, when a lightning bolt strikes on the opposite side of the board. Chernev writes that: "So electrifying was the move made by Alekhine that it must have been enough by itself to persuade the judges to award the game a prize for brilliancy."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(Note: I use the move order given by Chernev ... as this was probably copied directly from the tournament book. Several other sources give a slight transposition of moves. In the end, it does not really matter, however I like to be as precise as possible. See also the book, "Alexander Alekhine's Chess Games, 1902-1946." By Leonard M. Skinner and Robert G.P. Verhoeven, published by McFarland books in 1998. See Game # 468 on page # 144. )
1.d4 d5; 2.Nf3 Nf6; 3.c4 e6;
4.Nc3 Nbd7; 5.e3,
White develops normally.
5...Bd6!?;
Black plays his Bishop to d6, this is an exposed square. Sterk should have played his
Bishop to the e7-square in this position, when play could have transposed to normal lines
of the Q.G.D.
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r1bqk2r/pppn1ppp/3bpn2/3p4/2PP4/2N1PN2/PP3PPP/R1BQKB1R w
This was not a new move, the on-line (CB) database shows that this position had already occurred in a chess game in the year, 1916.
Of course, today ... it would be easy to label this move as inferior. However, in the year of 1921, opening theory was not nearly as developed as it is in the year, 2007.
[ Black should have played the following continuation:
>/= 5...c6; 6.Bd3 dxc4; (Both sides have fair play.)
when we reach the main lines of the Meran Variation of the Semi-Slav.
However, opening theory was MUCH less developed in 1921 than today,
and many masters still like to do a little experimentation in the opening.See my "Game of the Month" website for a few {modern} games in this
system, most (of the games) on that website are annotated.See MCO-14, beginning on page # 454, for more information on how
the Meran System is played today. ]
6.Nb5,
Alekhine decides to immediately attack the Bishop, but this move is not really necessary, and - as Chernev noted - Black is simply compelled to retreat the Bishop to a better square.
Some masters advise pushing the c-pawn, I would prefer to simply develop as quickly as possible. However, I should tell you that Alekhine knows that d6 is a good square for the Black Bishop. If Sterk is left alone, he will complete his development and possibly equalize ... and this is exactly what Alekhine is trying to prevent.
6...Be7;
This is fine, Black could have also tried the Bishop check on b4.
7.Qc2 c6;
Black kicks the annoying Knight away.
8.Nc3 0-0;
The position is fairly balanced at this point. (Fritz 10 only awards White about +0.15 after around 15 minutes of machine time. I think that this is a fairly decent evaluation of the position, since White is not greatly
ahead in development ... and there are no weaknesses in the second player's position ... I must concur with Fritz's overall assessment.)
9.Bd3 dxc4; ('!')
Black exchanges on c4, so as to gain a tempo off the White Bishop on d3, forcing it to move a second
time.
10.Bxc4 c5!; (lever)
Chernev, after awarding this move an exclamation mark, states that: "This just about equalizes the position."
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r1bq1rk1/pp1nbppp/4pn2/2p5/2BP4/2N1PN2/PPQ2PPP/R1B1K2R w
Perhaps the only drawback to this move is that White is given many more open lines ... something that Alekhine is quick to exploit!
[ The computer prefers to play:
10...Bd6!?; 11.0-0 e5; when Black also gets a good game. ]
11.dxc5,
Alekhine decides to swap Pawns, perhaps he did not want to allow Black to exchange on d4. (After the pawn exchange on d4, Alekhine would have the choice of taking with the Knight, or taking with the KP; when he would be faced with having to defend an isolated QP.)
Note that the pawn structure is now symmetrical in nature. (Modern GM's would take this as their cue to shake hands ... and head for the bar.)
[ After the moves: 11.0-0 cxd4; 12.exd4, White gets an isolated QP. ]
11...Bxc5; 12.0-0 b6; ('!')
The most convenient solution, Black goes for a fianchetto of his QB, this might be the simplest way of
activating his Q-side pieces.
13.e4!,
The most active move for White.
[ A less confrontational (and safer) line would have been:
13.b3 Bb7; 14.Bb2 Rc8; 15.Qe2, "~" (unclear)
... "with a quiet, respectable game." - Irving Chernev ]
13...Bb7; 14.Bg5,
Alekhine plays a move - which to me - appears to be a standard idea for a Queen's Gambit.
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r2q1rk1/pb1n1ppp/1p2pn2/2b3B1/2B1P3/2N2N2/PPQ2PPP/R4RK1 b
Instead, after 14.e5?!, Ng4; White can run into problems trying to defend his KP ... which may have outrun its fellow soldier's ability to protect it.
14...Qc8!?; ('!' - A. Alekhine.)
Black immediately escapes the pin.
Chernev (and A. Alekhine) awards this move an exclam, however Fritz prefers either ...Rc8 or even 14...Qc7.
Black's last move does contain a kernel of a threat, (...BxP/f2+; followed by ...QxB/c4; winning a button); however it is unlikely that Alekhine would overlook such a tactic.
15.Qe2 Bb4!; ('!' - A. Alekhine)
Chernev calls this: "Another fine move," and several programs concur with this assessment. (Black's threat is to play ...BxN/c3; followed by ...NxP/e4; winning White's KP.)
16.Bd3!,
This is the best of White's few options at this point. (Although it appears - at first blush - to move a piece for a second time and looks somewhat passive.)
16...Bxc3;
Sterk - who was actually a fairly strong player - enters into a morass of complications, perhaps
believing that he would emerge with a better game from this point.
17.Rfc1!, ('!' - A. Alekhine)
It looks more natural to pin the Bishop with the other Rook, but Alekhine has peered deep into the
depths of the labyrinth.
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r1q2rk1/pb1n1ppp/1p2pn2/6B1/4P3/2bB1N2/PP2QPPP/R1R3K1 b
Chernev agrees, and makes the following observation: "A profound move, and one that shows that Alekhine is not bound by tradition."
Naturally, White should not simply recapture the Bishop on c3, as after the Black Queen takes the button on c3, White's compensation for the Pawn is nebulous.
17...Nxe4; ('!' - H. Golombek.)
Chernev notes that Black was not content to allow White an initiative, and decides to enter into a combination, "which will enable him to unpin the Bishop."
I must note that while several authors awarded this move an exclam here, the move is quite possibly a minor error. (Fritz's overall evaluations of the position change immediately for the worse.)
[ Black should have played: >/= 17...Nc5; 18.Rxc3 Bxe4; 19.Bxf6 Bxd3;
20.Qe3! gxf6; 21.b4 Bg6; 22.bxc5 bxc5; 23.Rxc5 Qd7; 24.h4, "~"
and while Alekhine might have a seemingly strong King-side attack,
most programs evaluate this set-up as slightly better for Black. (Sterk
would have had an extra button for his troubles.) ]
The next few moves are all forced.
18.Bxe4 Bxe4; 19.Qxe4 Nc5;
Chernev notes that this Knight move, (a zwieschenzug); is the point of Black's combination. The Knight not only attacks the WQ, (with a gain of time); but it allows Black the necessary time to save his
Bishop (on c3) ... otherwise, Sterk would have emerged from the melee a piece down.
20.Qe2!, (Maybe - '!!')
Alekhine was truly a genius, even the box wants to play Qb1 here.
Chernev notes that Alekhine's move was best and the prelude to some "fascinating combination play."
(20.Q-K2! - A. Alekhine)
20...Ba5[];
This is forced for Black.
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r1q2rk1/p4ppp/1p2p3/b1n3B1/8/5N2/PP2QPPP/R1R3K1 w
It would be good for the student of the game to study this position for just a few minutes.
[ Of no use is: </= 20...Bf6??; 21.Bxf6 gxf6; 22.b4, "+/-" and Black just loses a piece. ]
21.Rab1,
(Possibly - '!!')
Alekhine plans one of the most brilliant combinations ever played.
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r1q2rk1/p4ppp/1p2p3/b1n3B1/8/5N2/PP2QPPP/1RR3K1 b
If Alekhine were content to simply win material, he could have just played 21.a3! Then after 21...Qa6; 22.QxQ/a6, NxQ/a6; 23.b4, White wins the trapped Bishop on a5.
21...Qa6[];
{Box.}
This is literally forced. (And this defense is what Sterk had counted on to save his bacon.)
On any other move, (like ...Qd7); White simply plays b4, winning material. And 21...h6; is readily met by 22.Be7! (If 22...Re8; then 23.BxN/c5!, PxB; 24.b4!)
22.Rc4!,
This is best, even the metal monster confirms this fact. (Alekhine plans a curious - and nearly unique - Rook luft to the other side of the board, via the fourth rank.)
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r4rk1/p4ppp/qp2p3/b1n3B1/2R5/5N2/PP2QPPP/1R4K1 b
Other moves are not as convincing, e.g., 22.QxQ/a6, NxQ/a6; 23.a3, b5; "=/+" and most of Black's troubles are behind him. (He is a Pawn ahead in this endgame.)
22...Na4; ('!' - GM R. Fine)
Here Chernev calls Sterk's response ingenious, and goes on to mention that if White plays 23.b4, Black will respond with the clever 23...Nc3, exploiting the fact that the Rook on the c4-square cannot move, due to the pin on the a6-f1 diagonal. (I should also go on to note that one author awarded this an exclam, yet -
thanks to strong computer programs - the assessments made in many of the older
games can now be successfully challenged.)
I should state that - despite the fact that several famous players and annotators praised this move - this natural-looking try is actually an error, Black should have played ...P-KR3 here. (Sterk discounted this move because of either Be7 or sacks on the h6-square, but it remains the best continuation for Black.)
In Black's defense, you have to be able to calculate like a machine ... in order to be able to see why this moves loses!
[ Black had to play: >/= 22...h6!; 23.Be3 Rac8; 24.Kf1, "+/="
and while White is still solidly better, I can find no forced from this position. ]
23.Bf6!!, (Maybe even - '!!!')
"Magnificent! This unexpected shot on one side of the board ... after all the thrust and parry on the other, is enough to scare one out of a year's growth!" - Irving Chernev
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r4rk1/p4ppp/qp2pB2/b7/n1R5/5N2/PP2QPPP/1R4K1 b
To this I will only add that its a really amazing move from a truly fertile mind. (I would have doubled my Rooks on the c-file with some advantage to White.)
23...Rfc8; ('!' - A. Alekhine)
This is as good as anything else. (See the variations given below.)
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r1r3k1/p4ppp/qp2pB2/b7/n1R5/5N2/PP2QPPP/1R4K1 w
This is an excellent position to try and guess what move Alekhine is going to play next here.
[ Var. # 23B01)
23...Rac8; 24.Rg4!! Qxe2!?;
Black can avoid mate by dropping the Queen with 24...g6, but this is clearly
hopeless for Black.25.Rxg7+, ("+/-") and mate next move. (Rg6)
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Var. # 23B02)
23...h5?!; 24.Ne5!!,
As far as I know, this is a brand-new move here, I am the first to discover it.(Chernev gives: </= 24.Rg4! Qxe2?; {Black had to capture on g4,
but this is losing as well, although it requires some fine technique.}
25.Rxg7+ Kh8; 26.Ng5 Qc2; 27.Rh7+ Kg8; 28.Rh8#)24...gxf6; 25.Qxh5, "+/-"
and the only way that Black can prevent mate, (White has the threat of Rh4); is
to capture the White Rook on the c4-square ... but this is a lost ending for Black.***********************************************************************************
Var. # 23B03)
Maybe Black's best defense is: 23...Nc5; 24.Ne5! gxf6!?;
(This loses - but so do all of Black's other tries at this point. After 24...Rc8; White
simply plays 25.Qg4!, with an easy win.)25.Rg4+!! Kh8; 26.Qe3!! fxe5;
(This loses in spectacular manner. Black can avoid mate by playing 26...Bd2; and
then surrendering his Queen, but only a machine could find this line.)27.Qg5! Rg8; 28.Qf6+, "+/-" and mate next move. ]
24.Qe5!!, ('!' - A. Alekhine.)
Another completely shocking move by White. (If White plays 24.RxR check, Black can simply recapture with his Queen on c8.)
As a junior, I came up with 24.Qe3! here, which also should win for White.
24...Rc5; (Maybe "box" here.)
This is aimed at stopping White from playing Qg5. (It loses, but so does everything else. If you need to see the proof, check the variations provided below.)
[ Var. # 24B01.)
24...gxf6?; 25.Rg4+ Kf8; 26.Qd6+ Ke8; 27.Rg8#.***********************************************************************************
Var. # 24B02.)
24...Qxc4; 25.Qg5 Kf8!?;
{Black could toss the Q on c1, 25...g6 does not help at all - White simply plays 26.Qh6.}26.Qxg7+ Ke8; 27.Qg8+ Kd7; 28.Ne5+ Kd6[]; This is forced.
(</= 28...Kc7?!; 29.Qxf7+ Kb8; 30.Nd7+! Kc7; 31.Nc5+ Kc6;
32.Qd7+ Kxc5; 33.Be7#)29.Nxc4+ Rxc4; 30.Qxa8, "+/-" with a very easy win for White.
***********************************************************************************
Var. # 24B03.)
24...Rxc4; 25.Qg5 Rg4[];
This is forced - & Fritz confirms this fact.(But definitely not: </= 25...Kf8?; 26.Qxg7+ Ke8; 27.Ne5!, "+/-"
and Black is helpless, Fritz shows that it is mate in three moves - at most. )26.Qxg4 g6; 27.Qxa4, "+/-" and White is ahead a piece. ]
25.Qg3!, ('!' - A. Alekhine.)
Chernev calls this ... "simple, but effective."
[ White could have also won with the amazing:
>/= 25.Rxc5!! gxf6!?;
(Fritz prefers that Black play the Queen to the d3-square, but then White
simply plays Rcc1, and the first player is an exchange ahead.)26.Qg3+! Kh8;
(This looks like the natural try here - it appears to tuck the King safely away in the corner.)(Or Black could play: 26...Kf8; 27.Qd6+ Kg7; 28.Rc7, "+/-"
but White still has an easy win.)27.Ng5!! fxg5!?;
Black is from Missouri. Of course, if 27...PxR/c5??; then 28.NxP/f7#.(Black had to surrender the Queen with: >/= 27...Qb7!; 28.Rc7, "+/-"
but the second player is still quite lost in this variation.)28.Qe5+ Kg8[];
This is forced, </= 28...f6?; allows a mate in two moves for White.29.Qxg5+ Kf8[]; (This is also forced.)
(After the continuation:
</= 29...Kh8?!; 30.Qf6+ Kg8; 31.Rg5+ Kf8; 32.Rd1!, "+/-"
Black cannot avoid mate for long.)30.Rc7 Bb4; {Box?}
(This - or 30...Re8 - appears to be forced for Black. Fritz wants to play
30...Qd3, but this will not save Black either.)31.Qf6, "+/-"
and Black is unable to stop the impending threats of mate. ]
25...g6[]; {Box!}
This is 100% forced, any other move allows an eventual checkmate for White.
26.Rxa4,
This is the most practical solution, now White is a piece ahead for just one Pawn.
(Fritz likes 26.Qh4!?)
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r5k1/p4p1p/qp2pBp1/b1r5/R7/5NQ1/PP3PPP/1R4K1 b
Really, Black should toss in his hat here ... but perhaps he is still in shock after all the fireworks!
(It is also possible that he did not want to be the victim of a such a brilliant "near miniature.")
Now all that is required is for Alekhine to put the finishing touches to his work of (chess) art.
26...Qd3; 27.Rf1 Rac8;
28.Rd4 Qf5; 29.Qf4 Qc2; ('?')
Black had to exchange Queens on f4, but this is quite lost (for Black) as well.
30.Qh6, "+/-" Black Resigns.
Since the only way to stop mate
is to begin playing "give-away," it was high time to quit.
Words cannot describe such an achievement, this is a great brilliancy of the highest order. It also shows just how well Alekhine calculated all of the different variations in this game. (Even with the help of the computer, I got lost in the variations at times.) Note: Alekhine also annotates this game in his book of best games. (Volume One.)
A.
Rabinovich - A. Alekhine; RUS-ch; Vilnius, (R12) / 1912. [replay]
Black plays 15...Rb8!! (What? No castling!?)
Now the game proceeded 16.Qf6, Rb4!; 17.Bg5, Rxa4; 18.f4!, Bg4; 19.h3, Bxh3; 20.b3, Re4; 21.Rxe4, dxe4; 22.Re1, Qe6;
23.Qc3, Bf5; 24.Bxe7, Kxe7; 25.Qxc6, Bxf4; 26.Qc5+, Kf6; 27.Rf1, Qe5; 28.Qf2, Rg4; 29.Kh1, e3; 30.Qe1, Bg3;
31.Nxf5, Bxe1; 32.Nxe3+ Kg5; 0-1.
J.
Vavrzhinsky - A. Alekhine; Simul game / Prague, Czechoslovakia; 1925.
[replay]
Black played: 18...Re6!; 19.Ne2, Nf3!!; 20.Ng3, Rh6!; 21.Qxf3, exf3!; 22.Nxf5, Rxh2+;
23.Kg1, Rxg2+; 24.Kh1, Rd5!; 0-1.
A.
Alekhine - B. Verlinsky; / Match Game / Odessa, RUS; 1918. [replay]
White played: 23.Rc1!, Rf8!; and then White played the shocker: 24.Qd1!!
Now Black lost quickly after 24...Qa5; 25.Qxe2, Qxe5; 26.Rd5, 1-0.
A.
Alekhine (2706) - M. Prat (2000); Simultaneous Game / Paris, FRA; 1913.
[replay,
d.m.o.]
The first fifteen moves were: 1.d4, d5; 2.Nf3, Nc6; 3.c4, e6; 4.Nc3, dxc4; 5.e3, Nf6; 6.Bxc4, Bb4;
7.0-0, Bxc3; 8.bxc3, 0-0; 9.Qc2, Ne7; 10.Ba3, c6; 11.e4, h6; 12.Rad1!, Bd7;
13.Ne5!, Re8; 14.f4!, Qc7; 15.f5!, Rad8;
Now Alekhine wins brilliantly with: 16.Nxf7!!, Kxf7; 17.e5!, Neg8; (If
the Knight on f6 retreats, then PxP/e6 is mate!) 18.Bd6!, Qc8; 19.Qe2!, b5; 20.Bb3, a5; 21.Rde1!!,
(I would have thought that 21.a3 was necessary.)
21...a4; 22.Qh5+!!!, Nxh5; 23.fxe6+, Kg6; (forced.) 24.Bc2+, Kg5; 25.Rf5+!, Kg6; 26.Rf6+!, Kg5; 27.Rg6+!, Kh4; 28.Re4+, Nf4; 29.Rxf4+, Kh5; 30.g3!!,
"+/-" (Black is helpless to prevent Rh4 mate.) 1-0.
(This game is in "Alekhine's Best Games, Volume
One." You can also find it in the comprehensive volume, "Alexander
Alekhine's Chess Games, 1902-1946," by Leonard M. Skinner and
Robert G.P. Veerhoeven. {Published in 1998 by McFarland and Company, Inc.}
See game # 296, page # 87. Note that both ChessBase
and "Chess Games" have a
move order that is different from the one that I have given here.)
A.
Alekhine - C.H.O.D. Alexander; ICT, Master's / Nottingham, ENG;
1936. [replay]
White now played: 22.Bxf5!!, An exquisitely well-calculated blow ... that
was prepared many moves in advance. The game finished: 22...Kh8; (22...PxN/f5;
23.NxP/f5, Qh8; {Any other moves loses the Q to
a Knight fork.} 24.Nh6+, Kg7[]; 25.Qg5#.)
23.Be6!, Ba6; 24.Rfe1!, Ne5; 25.f4!, Nd3; 26.Rxd3!, Bxd3; 27.g4!, 1-0. (Black
will lose more material once Alekhine plays g4-g5.)
Efwim
Bogoljubow - A. Alekhine; [D24] / 15th World Championship / GER, (17)
/ 1934. [replay]
Now Black played the clever: 16...Bxa3!; 17.0-0, Bxb2; 18.Rae1,
Bf5!; 19.g4, Be4; 20.f5, Nb7; 21.Nf4, 0-0-0; 0-1 in 41 total moves.
(Black is ahead three whole Pawns!)
A.
Alekhine - Frederick Yates; ICT, BCF Congress / London, ENG; (10)
/ 1922. [replay]
Now Alekhine came up with an incredible combination ... that all the other
masters watching this game had missed! Alexander (The
Great) played: 35.Nd7!!, Kh8; 36.Nf6!, Rgf8; (Of
course, if Black captured the Rook, White simply plays Rh7 mate.) 37.Rxg7!!, Rxf6;
38.Ke5!, "+/-" 1-0. (Black cannot
rescue his Rook without getting mated, i.e., 38...Rff8; 39.Rh7+,
Kg8; 40.Rcg7#. It was not just the combination, but the masterful way
that Alekhine outplayed his opponent ... that makes this game special.)
J. Rodzynski - A.
Alekhine; Exhibition Game / Paris, FRA; 1913.
[replay]
Alekhine plays: 10...Qc4!; and the game finished off with: 11.f3!?, Bxf3!;
12.gxf3, Nd4!; 13.d3??, Qxd3!; 14.cxd4, Be7!; 15.Qxh8, ('?')
15...Bh4#; 0-1. (I love this game! Its a
sparkling little miniature ... that looks like it could have been played by
none other than Paul
Morphy.)
H.
Kmoch - A. Alekhine; Kecskemet-S1, (1) / 1927.
[replay]
Black appears to be stymied, but Alekhine broke through with: 27...dxc3!!;
28.Rxd7, Rxd7; 29.Rxd7, Bd4+!; 30.Kh1?, ('??') 30...Qc1+;
0-1.
A.
Alekhine - H. Wolf; ICT, Master's / Bad Pistyan, (7) / 1922. [replay]
Black appears to have a solid position, but now White blasted through
with: 22.Rxe6!!, fxe6; 23.Ng5!, Qb8; 24.Nxe6+, Kf7; 25.Ng5+!, Kf8;
26.Qd5, Rg7; 27.Ne6+, Kg8; 28.Nxg7+, Kxg7; 29.dxe7, Nf6;
30.Qxb5, "+/-" with a clearly won game for White. (Alekhine
won in another ten moves.) 1-0
This concludes my lesson for October, 2006.
I hope you have enjoyed this month's lesson. Please contact me if you have any questions. Also, be sure to contact the webmaster here, and let him know what you think of this lesson. Thank you for your time and attention ... and I will see you next month!
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