Hi there.
In this lecture, we see Akiba Rubinstein playing against Alexander Alekhine in the 1926 simmering tournament
around eight d4.
From Rubinstein we have f6 c4 e6 Lloyd's F3, the Queen's Indian.
We have B6.
So if one had played Knight c free, we would have potentially a nimzowitsch Indian defence, but not
aphria's Queen's Indian Territory.
B6 g3 Bishop b7 Bishop g2 Bishop b4 check.
So this tries to cause some disruption for white Knight.
BD two is not ideal.
Perhaps the knight had wanted.
Ideally, Knight on C3 would have been nicer, but this disruptive move is worth the check.
So both sides now castle.
We have D5, A3, Bishop E7.
So an interesting aspect of this position already, which is a little bit subtle, is that F7 is potentially
secure than F2.
The reason for this is C5.
We can see that a bishop could come and hit F2 was this bishop is actually now being cancelled on this
diagonal.
So it's not really doing the same thing potentially on F7.
So bear that in mind while we look at this game.
So B4 and now C5.
So the bishop really wants to potentially attack F2.
So breaking open with C5 actually does that very soon.
B Tanks.
B tanks D takes and already the bishop staring now at F2 whilst F seven is cosy, it's not under scrutiny.
Basically we have Bishop B2 Knight, BD seven and now 95.
And actually this is a little bit of inaccuracy encourages even more pressure on F2.
We have Knight takes E5, Bishop takes E5 and now Knight G4.
So this hits E5 and it also hits F2.
So you can see that the pressure being built up here and Y has to tread very carefully in this position.
Bishop C4 is played.
Other moves are not so good.
Bishop B2 Can you see what happens here?
What does black play in this position?
And already, you know, this F2 pressure is yielding benefits.
Okay, I'll show you now, Bishop.
Thanks.
I have to check.
Rook takes up to Knight, takes F2, King takes half to Queen Bee six check, picks up the bishop,
and you might wonder.
Well, hold on, hold on.
King's question.
This will be one.
Let's follow this through because we're losing this Bishop Right.
So it's actually two pieces for Rook.
But look how many pawns Black has overall.
Black is doing really well here, this position.
And you can see that C free pawn is a real pain.
So if we have this scenario, for example, blacks doing really well, it's just very, very dangerous
position here.
So that's really unpalatable and Bishop F4 is even worse.
Can you see what plant would play here?
Yeah, there's E5, whereas the bishop going, you can see that this is going to be absolutely crushing.
You know, we're just crushing white here.
So it's funny that Bishop C3 is like an only move already in this game.
We have rugby eight,
so you might think, Oh hold on, hold on.
What about this theme of the F two pressure?
Well, Queen B six here, there's actually Queen one, which is sufficient for white hair.
It's no big deal.
The tanks, nine tanks.
Quincy seven Bishop takes be seven queens.
Actually, seven isn't even possession.
So rugby is played whenever it be one.
And now funny enough D four.
So this is a really interesting position where White now plays an inaccuracy.
Rook Thanks.
B seven It was important to try and neutralize this bishop, which is still x ray f2.
It seems Bishop before was possible.
So here Bishop takes G2, King takes G2 Rooks eight.
We can see that white should be fine here.
Bishop takes D4.
On the other hand, Queen saying C4 runs into problems at the end with 9/10 F2.
So this would be a world of pain for white to annul this disaster on the diagonal.
So this possession is just winning for black rook D1 is going off to champ picking up the rook so okay
but rook thanks B seven was played, which is a mistake.
We have now a wealth of choices.
Actually, black has a wealth of choices in this position.
Route 67 is played.
It seems that de Tanks is plausible as well.
If Rooke tanks, there's actually a can you see what black could play here, which is kind of nifty.
Yeah, black play, Knight Things have to.
Believe it or not, this position, Queen Tanks.
Bay leaves a great position.
Yeah, Black's got the advantage here.
The exchange up.
And if we look at this again.
The queen takes after is the strongest bishop takes F to check This position is only a small edge for
black.
If anything, that's only a small edge.
So.
Okay.
But yeah, there is.
There is a way.
I'm doing it.
So just Queen takes me out.
Leaving that pin is good for black.
But there was also instead of rock takes me some of them was also that was played Rook takes B7 knight
takes F2 here is is fascinating if rook takes details you can see that these two horrible pins and absolute
and relative pin get ignited.
Rook takes the queen takes paint this position taking out F2 a5 Black's also doing very well.
There's a lot of pawns to compensate for the nine bishop against Rook.
So anyway, in the game rook takes B7 was played and we have Bishop takes B7 which actually makes things
a load worse.
Why it had to try Bishop B4 to neutralize this Bishop So Bishop takes b4 taking the Bishop off the diagonal
and Bishop takes b7 this position is only actually technically a small edge for black.
This position here is only a small edge for black.
So for example like that.
So if if we look at this again, yeah, we don't you know, it doesn't want to play tanks because then
black's the exchange up there.
So yeah.
The idea of Bishop before would be to just distract the bishop and then take on be some.
But in the game Bishop takes be seven was played and Nell there's another wealth of.
Really nice options for black hair.
Can you see what black line in this position?
So this this theme of F2 versus seven is fascinating in this game, actually.
Absolutely fascinating.
So what would you play here?
So currently we're a piece down, so two pieces versus the three pieces.
So we want to get our piece back.
Knight takes F, though, was played hitting the queen.
This leaves white in painful pins all over the place.
D Take C three more kind of standard looking 94.
There's no if three, believe it or not.
So this actually makes this this plausible.
This is an engine move, engine level tactic here.
But this this this line is is fascinating as well.
Let's have a look at it.
So why is this winning for black queen tanks?
Rook tanks?
So the thing is, there's a very dangerous passport asset here.
If F takes Bishop, takes E free check, two will be winning that rook and this will be banner for black.
Black actually is the exchange up here if we look at this resulting position exchange jump.
So that is absolutely fascinating that actually 90 free here.
You know what is going on there and you might think, well, hang on in this line, what about Knight
Be free there's Bishop takes F to check hand the rook can't take because of losing the queen.
And here there's actually believe or not, there's another mega tactic here.
What would you play in this position?
400 points.
There's 90 free.
This is absolutely fascinating.
If Queen St's work takes the rook can't take because then white would get mated.
Rook D1 one check.
Rook takes off one checkmate.
And if rook c1c2.
This is just crushing.
Yeah, we've got route D one coming up.
So fascinating stuff.
So in fact D take C three with this amazing idea of 93 is possible.
Yeah, it shows how strong the position is basically.
But Knight takes F2 was played, which is more in a way visually appealing in a way so King takes was
played if rook takes this leaves horrible pens off the D tanks so black's a piece down right now but
going to get the piece back with interest, you know this is getting the piece back with interest.
So anyway King takes F2 was played which is also horrible detail C Free tank, E free C tanks D two.
This is much stronger to keep the pawn on D to not play queen tanks d to champ because this isn't as
convincing.
Black is technically better, but it's opposite kind of bishops.
One has to be careful about this the way it's played by Anakin's C tanks D two is much more dangerous.
King E two, Queen B eight, so vacating D eight and is very resourceful with tempo.
He loves doing those kind of square vocations with tempo and that would hold on now to the D to pawn.
So Queen B one Queen D six a4 a5 rook d one bishop before so that d two pawn is held onto and now the
C5 square is a nice blockade square against that pawn, putting pressure on e three So King f2 a5 Bishop
Ito and in the spirit of eccentric, accentuating the pressure on this diagonal, guess what Alekhine
plays here.
So obviously kind of bishop scenario but very passive one because that pawn on D2 but the pressure is
built now, so can you guess.
G five.
Yeah.
We wanted to crack open this diagram for Bishop D, free for not minding him out.
Bishop takes H seven check and actually White resigned if.
King F1 F-type C3 is diabolical.
This F1 can be used.
For example here Rook f8 King h3.
This is just King.
Safety issues are emerging, but also E2 is emerging as a big threat.
So C5 E2 would be just winning.
This is just hopeless for white and E1 even stronger than just taking the rook perhaps.
Yeah, so it's a fascinating game.
Who would have thought that actually the Queens engine can be so venomous that the classical placement
of the bishop on this diagonal versus the thing?
Katsu Bishop means that the corresponding F2 can light up as a major tactical liability to attack.
Who would have fought from this position?
And it's also actually fascinating for me, one of my UK grand master heroes, Michael Adams, is a
specialist in Nimzowitsch and Queens in territory, and you can see that how things can really be spiced
up sometimes where actually, although white, looks very solid and Rubinstein is a kind of champion
of the thing Cato Systems against the Tarrasch, you know, was the Rubinstein who was one of the original
people to play the thing Cato system.
But there is a potential Achilles heel here that this bishop by not being on this diagonal, it's not
going to put pressure on f7 what's wrong?
Why is kind of emphatically put on the pressure, especially with 95 emphatically put on the pressure
on F2.
So this variation that was spotted by alekhine 9/10 F2.
Rather than simply taking the piece on C3, that which is good anyway, the position is just good for
black.
It reveals king safety issues.
So a fascinating game.
I hope you've enjoyed this game example as much as me.
Really is fascinating.
Let's just recap that the pawns crash through that pawn, crashing through on D2 and then cracking open
the diagonal again with G5 and F4.
Wonderful stuff.
Really.
I hope you enjoyed this man so much.