Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical Defense, Steinitz Development Variation

ALEXANDER ALEKHINE vs. EERO EINAR BOOK
Margate, 1938

1. d4, d5
2. c4, dxc4
3. Nf3, Nf6
4. e3, e6
5. Bxc4, c5
6. 0-0, Nc6
7. Qe2, a6
8. Nc3, b5
9. Bb3, b4
10. d5, Na5
11. Ba4+, Bd7
12. dxe6, fxe6

Correct reply. If 12....Bxa4, then 13. exf7+ Ke7, 14. Nxa4 which favors White.

13. Rd1, bxc3
14. Rxd7!! ....

A crushing and unexpected attack.

14. .... Nxd7
15. Ne5!, Ra7
16. bxc3, Ke7

Black removes his King from the pin.

17. e4, Nf6

If 17....Nxe5, then 18. Bg5+ wins the Black Queen.

18. Bg5, Qc7
19. Bf4, Qb6
20. Rd1, g6
21. Bg5, Bg7
22. Nd7!! ....

Giving room for an attack move: e5 which would have a disastrous effect.

22. .... Rxd7

Black has no choice but to take the pesky Knight.

23. Rxd7+, Kf8
24. Bxf6, Bxf6
25. e5!!, Resigns

Black would have no reply to White's 26. Qf3+ with a mating threat at f7.

French Defense, Winawer Variation

ALEXANDER ALEKHINE vs. ARON NIMZOWITSCH
Bled, 1931

1. e4, e6
2. d4, d5
3. Nc3, Bb4

This variation, named after Szymon Winawer and pioneered by Nimzowitsch and Botvinnik, is one of the main systems in the French Defense.  3... Bb4 pins the knight on c3, forcing White to resolve the central tension.

4. Nge2, dxe4
5. a3, Bxc3
6. Nxc3, f5
7. f3 ....

White resolves the central tension, but Black gains a pawn in the process.

7. .... exf3
8. Qxf3, Qxd4
9. Qg3, Nf6
10. Qxg7, Qe5+
11. Be2, Rg8
12. Qh6, Rg6
13. Qh4, Bd7
14. Bg5, Bc6
15. 0-0-0, Bxb2
16. Rhe1, Be4
17. Bh5! ....

White's attack begins.
 

17. .... Nxh5
18. Rd8+!!, Kf7
19. Qxh5, Resigns

White threatens Qxh7+.  Now, if 19....Qg7, then 20. Nxe4 fxe4, 21. Rf1+ clinches victory for White.

If 19....Kg7, then 20. Rg1 f4, 21. Bh6+ Kf6, 22. Rxg6+ hxg6, 23. Rf8+ Ke7, 24. Qxe5.  Black's Queen is gone and White wins the game.

To view the game in PGN format, you may visit Alekhine vs. Nimzovich.

Alexander Alekhine

Alexander Alekhine was 4th World Chess Champion (1927-1935, 1937-1946). In 1929 and 1934 he played Russian Bogolyubov for the world champion beating him easily. However in 1935, the Dutchman Euwe challenged him. Alekhine, who had a liking for alcohol was frequently drunk during his games with Euwe and consequently lost his title. However in a rematch, after giving up alcohol, he defeated Euwe by 10 wins to 4 with 11 draws making him the first man to ever regain the world championship title.

Alekhine was the author of the famous Alekhine's Defense, a good opening for aggressive chess players.

Alekhine's brilliance is again exhibited in the following post. Black, having gained the initiative, never let up the pressure until the opponent surrendered.

POTEMKIN vs. ALEKHINE
Saint Petersburg, 1912
Sicilian Defense

1. e4, c5
2. g3, g6
3. Bg2, Bg7
4. Ne2, Nc6
5. c3, Nf6
6. Na3, d5!
7. exd5, Nxd5
8. Nc2, 0-0
9. d4, cxd4
10. cxd4, Bg4

Black now has the initiative, and from this point on, never let up the pressure.

11. f3, Bf5

Black threatens to win a pawn by 12.....Bxc2 etc.

12. Ne3, Qa5+

Black gains a piece if White replies with 13. Qd2 or 13. Bd2.

13. Kf2, Ndb4
14. Nxf5, Qxf5
15. g4, Nd3+
16. Kg3 ....

16. .... Nxd4!!
17. gxf5 ....

White should have allowed a pawn loss by taking the Knight with 17. Nxd4 Qe5+, 18. f4 Qxd4, etc. without much trouble.

17. .... Nxf5+

At this point, Alekhine announced a mate in two moves: 18. Kg4 h5!, 19. Kg5 Bh6 mate; or 18. Kh3 Nf2 mate.  A picture-perfect mate.

Blindfold Chess

In chess, there is nothing more fascinating than a master playing blindfold. The following game exhibits the genius of Alexander Alekhine.

ALEKHINE vs. FELDT
Tarnopol, 1916

French Defense

(White plays blindfold.)

1. e4, e6
2. d4, d5
3. Nc3, Nf6
4. exd5, Nxd5

Much better is 4...exd5 in order to control the central squares.

5. Ne4, f5?

This move creates a weakness at the e5 square.  White would exploit this weakness to maximum advantage.

6. Ng5!, Be7
7. N5f3, c6
8. Ne5, 0-0
9. N1f3, b6
10. Bd3, Bb7
11. 0-0, Re8
12. c4, Nf6
13. Bf4, N8d7
14. Qe2, c5
15. Nf7!! ....

A surprising yet powerful move!  Black has no choice but to capture, as his Queen and e6 pawn are threatened.

15. .... Kxf7
16. Qxe6!! ....

Another surprise! The Queen cannot be captured because of Ng5 mate.

16. .... Kg6

If 16....Kf8 then 17. Ng5 threatening mate at f7.

Before making his next move, Alekhine announced a mate in two.

17. g4! ....

This move is better than 17. Nh4+ Kh5, 18. Qxf5+ Kxh4, 19. g3 mate.

17. .... Be4

Preventing 18. Bxf5 mate, but this does not prevent White's next and last move.

18. Nh4 mate

A delightful finish!

Alekhine's Defense

Alekhine's Defense was named after Alexander Alekhine, who introduced it in the 1921 Budapest Tournament.  It begins with the opening 1. e4, Nf6.

This opening runs counter to the tenets of the classical school, allowing the Knight to be driven away about the board in the early stages of the game, in the expectation that White will create a weakness in its central pawn structure.  White's imposing mass of pawns in the centre often includes pawns on c4, d4, e5, and f4. Grandmaster Nick de Firmian observes, "The game immediately loses any sense of symmetry or balance, which makes the opening a good choice for aggressive fighting players."

ADAMS vs. KLINE
Des Moises, 1950

1. e4, Nf6
2. e5, Nd5
3. d4, d6
4. c4, Nb6
5. f4 .....

In the opinion of the author, this is the best way to solidify White's central pawn structure.

5. ..... dxe5
6. fxe5, g6
7. Be3, Bg7

Black plan is to undermine White King's Pawn with .....c5, but it does not take account the possible tactical complications.

8. Nc3, c5

Black should have castled first at this point to safeguard the King against unpleasant eventualities.

9. d5 .....

Comparatively best for Black now is 9. ..... Bxe5, 10. Bxc5 etc., although the prospects for his Knights would have been rather poor.

9. ..... Qc7

Black is too ambitious; he wants to win White's King Pawn without parting with his own Queen Bishop Pawn.  White immediately seizes on the opportunity to create favorable complications.

10. d6!, exd6
11. Nb5!, Qe7
12. Nxd6+, Kf8
13. Nxc8!, Nxc8
14. Bxc5!!, Resigns

For if Black captures the Bishop, White replies with 15. Qd8 mate.  Black has been made to pay a heavy price for his faulty plunge into tactical complications before safeguarding his King.

Do you want chess in your mobile phone?  Visit Free Mobile Phone Software.