Rubinstein - Alekhine, Dresden 1926

Continuing with Alekhine's annotated brilliancies, this is the third brilliancy against Rubinstein, and the second played in 1926. Alekhine took advantage of an unusual move in the opening. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 b6 4.h3, he noted,

It was certainly not necessary to prevent 4...Nh5 at this moment. The weakening of the square g3 gave me the idea of a quite unusual but, as the following proves, very effective system of development.

The game continued 4...Bb7 5.Nbd2 Bd6. Alekhine:

After this, White has the unpleasant choice between (1) the exchange, which strengthens Black's position in the middle; (2) 6.e3 which would spoil, after 6...Bxf4 his Pawn position; and; (3) 6.Bg5 after which Black would secure the advantage of the pair of Bishops by 6...h6.

Rubinstein chose the 6.Bxd6 exchange. Alekhine continued to outplay Rubinstein at critical points. In the following position, Black's advantage is obvious.

Dresden 1926
Alekhine, Alexander

Rubinstein, Akiba
(After 28.Rf1-f4)
[FEN "6rk/p5rp/1p2p3/3pPp2/P2QpR2/1PP1P1qP/4R1P1/7K b - - 0 28"]

Now Alekhine continued 28...Rg6!. His remarks are instructive:

After this move a highly original position is obtained, the outstanding particulars of which are the following: Black's immediate threat of 29...Rh6 30.Qd1 Qg7, winning the e-Pawn, as 31.Qd4 would be answered by 31...Rxh3+. If White tries to parry this by playing 29.Qd1, Black still answers with 29...Rh6, thus putting the opponent in a position of complete Zugzwang. As a matter of fact

(1) Rook at f4 could not move because of 30...Qxe5

(2) Rook at e2 is tied by the defence of the squares e3 and g2.

(3) The King could not move because of 30...Rxh3 or 30...Qxh3

(4) The Queen could not move either on the first rank because of 30...Qg7, nor on the d-file because of 30...Rxh3+ etc.

(5) Finally in the event of 30.c4, Black would win by 30...d4 etc., and in the event of 30.b4 by 30...Qg7 31.Qd4 Rc8 followed by 32...Rc4. [In this last line, Alekhine has forgotten that 31...Rxh3+ wins faster.]

Therefore White offers a Pawn in the hope of exchanging a pair of Rooks and thus weakening the enemy's attack.

The game continued 29.Qb4 Rh6 30.h4 Qg7 31.c4 Rg6 32.Qd2 Rg3 33.Qe1 Rxg2 and Rubinstein resigned. To play through the complete game see...

Akiba Rubinstein vs Alexander Alekhine, Dresden 1926
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1119839

...on Chessgames.com. The comments there are also interesting. It appears that Alekhine removed a sequence of repeated moves from his brilliancy and ignored a better defense for White on the last move played.

The Szen position

Received my April(!) Chess Life today. The first question in 'Evans on Chess' was about a position I had never seen before.

Szen position

[FEN "4k3/5ppp/8/8/8/8/PPP5/3K4 w - - 0 1"]

Evans called it an 'incredibly difficult ending', and referenced both Fine's Basic Chess Endings (no.68) and Staunton's Handbook. It is diagram 128 in Staunton.

Some Web references:-

EG issues 1-152
http://www.gadycosteff.com/eg/
EG73 July 1983 has 5+ pages of analysis by GM Jon Speelman

Multilinear Algebra and Chess Endgames by Lewis Stiller
http://www.msri.org/publications/books/Book29/files/stiller.pdf
'Abstract. This article has three chief aims: (1) To show the wide utility of multilinear algebraic formalism for high-performance computing. (2) To describe an application of this formalism in the analysis of chess endgames, and results obtained thereby that would have been impossible to compute using earlier techniques, including a win requiring a record 243 moves. (3) To contribute to the study of the history of chess endgames, by focusing on the work of Friedrich Amelung (in particular his apparently lost analysis of certain six-piece endgames) and that of Theodor Molien, one of the founders of modern group representation theory and the first person to have systematically numerically analyzed a pawnless endgame.'

Rubinstein - Alekhine, Semmering 1926

Continuing with Alekhine's annotated brilliancies, this is the second such game against the great Akiba Rubinstein. He was the leading challenger for Lasker's World Champion title before Capablanca appeared.

In the following position, Alekhine played 14...Ng4!, and wrote,

This diversion is by no means as harmless as it looks. White loses the game chiefly because he underestimates its importance.

Semmering 1926
Alekhine, Alexander

Rubinstein, Akiba
(After 14.Bb2-e5(xN))
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pb3ppp/4pn2/2bpB3/2P5/P5P1/3NPPBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 14"]

The game continued 15.Bc3, (and not 15.Bb2 Qb6). 15...Rb8 Alekhine

At this moment 15...Qb6 would have been answered by 16.e3. The text move prepares the eventual advance of the d-Pawn.

16.Rb1 Alekhine

Although this move cannot be considered a decisive mistake, it certainly facilitates the opponent's plans. Unsatisfactory would be also 16.h3 Nxf2 17.Rxf2 Qg5 18.Nf1 Bxf2+ 19.Kxf2 dxc4 etc. to Black's advantage. But by continuing 16.cxd5 Bxd5 17.Ne4 (and not 17.e4 17...Nxf2 18.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 19.Kxf2 Qb6+ 20.Kf1 Bb7) with the subsequent dislodging of the threatening Black Knight, White could still obtain an even game.

16...d4! 17.Rxb7? Alekhine:

Rubinstein does not foresee the surprising 18th move of Black and consequently will find himself at a material disadvantage. The only possibility here was 17.Bb4 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qc7, reaching a position which would be in Black's favor, too, but hardly in a decisive way.

17...Rxb7 18.Bxb7 Nxf2! Alekhine:

By this pseudo sacrifice Black forces the win of at least a Pawn with an overwhelming position.

After 19.Kxf2 dxc3+ 20.e3 cxd2, White resigned in a few moves. To play through the complete game see...

Akiba Rubinstein vs Alexander Alekhine, Semmering 1926
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1007571

...on Chessgames.com.

Le Greenwich

Pics of...

Le Greenwich, le Temple des échecs Bruxellois
http://www.jmrw.com/News/Greenwich/index.htm

...'The Greenwich, the Temple of Brussels Chess'.

'Cette taverne est située 7, rue des Chartreux, tout près de la Bourse et à 300 mètres de la Grand Place.' The tavern is located at 7 rue des Chartreux, near the Bourse and 300 meters from the Grand Place.

Davidson - Alekhine, Semmering 1926

Of all the games in this series on Alekhine's annotated brilliancies, this is the game I've least understood. White plays a small inaccuracy in the opening, which Alekhine exploits to force a slight weakening of the Kingside. Then he forces White's Bishops onto awkward squares. This allows him to threaten exchanges, including a Queen exchange, which White must decline to avoid a severe positional advantage. Instead of losing slowly in a positional game, White goes down in a vicious Kingside attack.

My first problem was what position to use as a starting point. The opening inaccuracy doesn't explain the later difficulties. The little tactical tricks that force the Kingside weakening are interesting, but they also don't explain the loss. Finally I decided to use the exchange offers that seek a positional concession. Note that Black's last move appears to undevelop his game and to block the Bc8.

Semmering 1926
Alekhine, Alexander

Davidson, Jacques
(After 18...Nb6-d7)
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/ppbnqp1p/2p3p1/7n/3NP3/3BB2P/PPQ1NPP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 19"]

White continued 19.Nf3, and Alekhine noted,

After this retreat Black gets a definite pull. I expected here 19.f4 Ndf6 20.e5 Nd5 21.Bd2 Bb6 after which, although Black's game would still remain preferable, White would not be without some fighting chances.

19...Bb6! Alekhine:

Expecting to increase the positional advantage already obtained -- after 20.Bxb6 axb6 -- on account of the open a-file. In order to avoid this unpleasant variation White tries with his next two moves to complicate matters, but only succeeds in accelerating the catastrophe.

20.Bg5 Qc5! 21.Nc3 Alekhine:

If now 21.Qxc5 Nxc5 22.Nc1 (forced) 22...f6 23.Bd2 Nxd3 24.Nxd3 Ng3 25.e5 Bf5 with a winning positional advantage.

21...Ne5! Alekhine:

Forcing the following exchange and thus renewing the attack on the b8-h2 diagonal, which will prove decisive.

22.Nxe5 Qxe5 23.Be3 Bc7 24.Ne2 (24.g3 Bxh3) 24...Qh2+ 25.Kf1 Bxh3!. Now Black won by sacrificing the minor pieces to strip the White King of Pawn cover, and the major pieces delivered the knockout.

This is all excellent play, but it raises some questions. Is the diagrammed position lost? If so, how could White have improved previous play? If not, how could White have saved the game. There are at least three possibilities: (1) Alekhine's suggestion of 19.f4; (2) 20.Bxb6; (3) The variation that starts 21.Qxc5 and leads to a 'winning positional advantage'. Can White save his game tactically with 26.Bf4 Ne4 or 26...Nh5?

To play through the complete game see...

Jacques Davidson vs Alexander Alekhine, Semmering 1926
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1007549

...on Chessgames.com.

Alekhine - Wolf, Pistyan 1922

Continuing with Alekhine's annotated brilliancies, I looked at the opening of this game in A lesson in chess logic. After the 11th move, Black's King was caught in the center.

Black then struggled to develop his Queenside, while White occupied the center. In the following position, note that the b-Pawn attacking the Knight on c5 is pinned by the Rook on a4.

Pistyan 1922
Wolf, Heinrich

Alekhine, Alexander
(After 19...Nb8-d7)
[FEN "3qk1r1/3npp1p/1p4p1/1pnP4/rP1Q4/P4N2/3N1PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 20"]

Alekhine continued 20.Rfe1 Kf8 21.d6! and commented, 'A preparation for the following sacrifice.' Black was forced to play 21...Ne6. If 21...exd6?, the Knight is lost after 22.Qxd6+ Kg7 23.bxc5. Alekhine also noted, 'If Black replies with 21...e6 the continuation would be 22.Qe3 Nb7 23.Qd3 Ra8 24.Ne4'. In this last line if 23...Nf6, then 24.Qxb5 Ra8 25.d7.

Now Alekhine played the sequence for which he probably earned the brilliancy prize: 22.Rxe6! fxe6 23.Ng5 Qb8 Alekhine: 23...e5 24.Qd5 Qe8 25.Ne6+ Kf7 26.Nc7+ e6 27.Qf3+. 24.Nxe6+ Kf7. Alekhine: 24...Ke8 25.Ne4. Now after 25.Ng5+ Kf8 26.Qd5! Rg7 27.Ne6+ Kg8 28.Nxg7+ Kxg7 29.dxe7, White regained the exchange and the 2-3 extra Pawns guaranteed the win. A few moves later there was a cute tactic in 32.e8=N+, underpromoting to a Knight which forked King, Queen, and Knight!

To play through the complete game see...

Alexander Alekhine vs Heinrich Wolf, Bad Pistyan 1922
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1006877

...on Chessgames.com.

Alekhine - Rubinstein, The Hague 1921

I'll take a break from Alekhine's annotated brilliancies to pursue an idea from the previous post A lesson in chess logic (Alekhine - Wolf, Pistyan 1922), where Alekhine wrote,

The opening of this game offers some analogies with that of the game played at The Hague against Rubinstein. In the one, as in the other, the advantage won results from the repeated movements of the same pieces.

The diagram shows the position after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 a6 were played.

The Hague 1921
Rubinstein, Akiba

Alekhine, Alexander
(After 3...a7-a6)
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/1pp2ppp/p3p3/3p4/2PP4/5N2/PP2PPPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4"]

Alekhine played 4.c5, noted that '4.cxd5 is quite sufficient to secure a slight superiority of position', and gave two examples from Rubinstein's games where White played 4.cxd5.

In the present game, the first which I played against Rubinstein after a seven-year interval, I voluntarily adopted a new line of play in order to avoid the variations resulting from 4.cxd5 (because I rightly thought them very familiar to Rubinstein), resolved that I would do or die!

4...Nc6. Alekhine:

Wishing to play 5...e5, which White must oppose by every means at his disposal.

It's worth noting that he natural reaction to c4-c5 in analogous positions is ...b6, and if cxb6 then ...axb6, opening the a-file for the Ra8. White's last move is justified because ...axb6 is no longer possible. 5.Bf4 Nge7 6.Nc3 Ng6 7.Be3! Alekhine:

A move rather out of the common! White, while preventing 7...e5, avoids the exchange of his QB. I learnt, some time after the game ended, that Rubinstein in Collijn's Laerobok only examined 7.e3, a variation leading to equality.

7...b6 Alekhine:

Black, giving up hope of breaking through in the center, at least eliminates the cramping adverse c-Pawn, and reckons to secure an advantage in development, by reason of the unusual position of White's Be3.

8.cxb6 cxb6 9.h4! Alekhine:

The only means of weakening the black squares of the enemy's position, and thus obtaining a future for his QB.

9...Bd6 (9...h5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Qc2) 10.h5 Nge7 (10...Nf4? 11.g3). 11.h6! Alekhine:

The point! If Black captures the h-Pawn, he weakens his own h-Pawn without the slightest compensation. In the other case White's QB will occupy the diagonal d8-h4, where it exercises a very embarrassing pressure.

11...g6 12.Bg5 O-O Alekhine:

More prudent was 12...f5 first, after which Black would not have had to fear the threat of mate at g7, although in any case White's game would have already been preferable.

13.Bf6! Alekhine:

An extraordinary position after the 13th move a Queen's Gambit! During the first 13 moves White has played his c-Pawn thrice, his h-Pawn thrice, and his QB four times, after which he has obtained a position in sight of a win, if not actually a winning one.

Alekhine went on to checkmate Black on the 51st move. In his note to White's 13th move, Alekhine continued,

Black has given himself over to several eccentricities in the opening (3...a6; 5...Nge7; 6...Ng6) which, without the reaction of his opponent (for example, 7.e3 instead of 7.Be3 or 9.g3 instead of 9.h4) would in the end have given him a good game.

In The Soviet School of Chess by Kotov and Yudovich, the authors used the Alekhine - Rubinstein game as an example, quoted many of the same remarks by Alekhine that I've given here, and added,

Alekhine appraised Black's third move as loss of a tempo. In reply he made several moves in succession with the same piece, not considering them loss of tempi. As he saw it, it was not a matter of mechanically counting the pieces moved out of their original place, but of making moves according to a specific plan to gain an advantage in the given position.

To play through the complete game see...

Alexander Alekhine vs Akiba Rubinstein, The Hague 1921
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1012069

...on Chessgames.com.

***

Note: This is the second reference I've seen from Alekhine to Collijn's Laerobok. I'm not familiar with the book and will investigate in another post.