WEBVTT 00:00.810 --> 00:01.440 Hi there. 00:01.470 --> 00:08.340 In this lecture, we see an iconic clash Capablanca against Alekhine in the 1927 World Championship 00:08.340 --> 00:09.660 match round one. 00:10.170 --> 00:12.600 So this is very, very interesting. 00:12.600 --> 00:13.470 And I remember. 00:15.160 --> 00:22.450 From alekhine even positional chess, and especially in this world championship match, Alekhine played 00:22.870 --> 00:25.560 in a more positional manner, not taking too many risks. 00:25.570 --> 00:28.450 That's the way he eventually beats Capablanca in this match. 00:28.450 --> 00:35.140 And it was totally unexpected for the chess world because Capablanca just had a big plus score with 00:35.140 --> 00:38.320 no losses against Alekhine prior to this World Championship match. 00:38.320 --> 00:43.660 So in this epic round one we see Alekhine playing a French defense. 00:43.840 --> 00:51.970 We have D4 D5 nine C3 bishop before now a delayed exchange variation, so there's only one shared file. 00:51.970 --> 00:57.310 So you might think really someone's going to win from this position. 00:57.310 --> 01:01.060 There's only one shared file we have Bishop de Frey. 01:01.060 --> 01:06.670 So in terms of structural imbalances, when it's a symmetrical pawn structure like this, it increases 01:06.670 --> 01:08.110 the frequency of drawing. 01:08.770 --> 01:10.780 Generally we have Knight C6. 01:10.780 --> 01:18.850 So this is interesting putting pressure on D4 like g E to now 97 why consoles? 01:19.210 --> 01:22.780 And I'm trying to loosen white on the light squares a little bit. 01:22.780 --> 01:30.340 We have Bishop takes F5 which kind of energizes the black position slightly Queen D3 This knight is 01:30.340 --> 01:36.580 protected 91 Now Alekhine Castle is on the King's side. 01:36.850 --> 01:42.730 On the Queen side, there's a kind of ready made attack with moves like C4 in B4. 01:42.730 --> 01:49.390 Later you can imagine B4 later and you know, there's a kind of ready made attack but sometimes plans 01:49.390 --> 01:55.240 with in the French defense do try and castle queenside to get some attacking prospects but that's not 01:55.240 --> 02:03.600 the case here less less risks are taken we have no E3 knight takes E3 Bishop takes E3 and I rook f he 02:03.610 --> 02:04.900 eight nine. 02:04.900 --> 02:08.050 So for now, this is a slight target this point. 02:09.040 --> 02:16.000 And in fact we see Bishop d6 here and I rook fe1 This is an inaccuracy. 02:16.000 --> 02:24.370 Rook f1 y could play 1965 maybe one was concerned about Bishop takes H to check, but on the other hand, 02:24.520 --> 02:27.430 where is Black's attack after C4? 02:27.430 --> 02:35.200 White has succeeded in getting what looks to be a nice center and the king can be tucked back in bed 02:35.350 --> 02:36.100 in safety. 02:36.100 --> 02:39.160 And it should be an even position here. 02:39.160 --> 02:47.050 So in fact Rook F1 leaving that knight as a target, a continual running target for forcing moves like 02:47.050 --> 02:57.430 Bishop F4 is a bit of a risky proposition if circumstances change, especially now of the rook F1 Alekhine 02:57.940 --> 03:01.270 is getting a very interesting position with this next forcing move. 03:01.300 --> 03:02.650 Can you spot what it is? 03:04.910 --> 03:07.700 There's not too many major forcing moves to work out here. 03:07.730 --> 03:12.050 It's night before hitting the queen, so the queen goes to be free. 03:12.470 --> 03:16.970 And this looks kind of interesting saying basically. 03:18.850 --> 03:21.310 You know, it's putting pressure on the Knights. 03:22.510 --> 03:25.530 So there are options for as well. 03:25.540 --> 03:31.120 Based on that pressure on the knight, we have Queen five, which looks at the Knights, but it also 03:31.120 --> 03:32.410 looks at C2 two. 03:32.410 --> 03:33.940 And you might think, well, this is being pedantic. 03:33.940 --> 03:35.380 Isn't that just Rook AC one? 03:35.380 --> 03:36.040 Right. 03:36.040 --> 03:43.930 And that's all good if c fre sure knights see to actually forking the rooks this position. 03:43.930 --> 03:50.110 In fact Queen takes 35, Knight takes five would be absolutely terrible for white, but that doesn't 03:50.110 --> 03:51.970 even need to take the rook immediately. 03:52.000 --> 04:01.810 A rook can play actually C6 and the thing is, if four then knight takes one rook 61 bishop takes have 04:01.810 --> 04:02.380 four. 04:02.890 --> 04:06.160 So in other words, if Knight b4, then we've just improved on taking the rooks. 04:06.160 --> 04:09.220 We're shattering white structure as well the exchange up. 04:09.550 --> 04:10.990 So that's out of the question. 04:10.990 --> 04:12.550 Basically C4, it's out of the question. 04:12.550 --> 04:16.180 So Rook AC one can you spot a problem with White's position? 04:16.180 --> 04:20.680 There is a default kind of downside. 04:22.810 --> 04:25.330 When people constantly, they haven't made air for their king. 04:25.330 --> 04:29.650 I mean, and it also depends on the activity of the pieces if this is exploitable as well. 04:29.890 --> 04:35.980 But Black has slightly more active pieces here, funnily enough, and there is a combination based on 04:36.010 --> 04:37.210 the back row. 04:37.690 --> 04:39.370 So can you spot what that is? 04:39.370 --> 04:40.620 If I give you 5 seconds to pause? 04:40.630 --> 04:42.040 Video Blacks play. 04:44.860 --> 04:46.480 It's an iconic move. 04:46.930 --> 04:52.580 It's 1962 and it actually gives a small edge for black after rock seats. 04:52.590 --> 04:52.720 So. 04:52.720 --> 04:56.620 Well, maybe you could give a significant edge if Queen takes seats. 04:56.710 --> 05:02.530 We're just taking on see to rock taxi to bishop takes that for with that nasty pin. 05:03.310 --> 05:05.590 So just one pawn and that's that's nice. 05:05.590 --> 05:07.420 So Rook takes it to his plate. 05:08.200 --> 05:09.940 Queen takes F4. 05:09.970 --> 05:14.680 This is the brilliant move which exploits the back row its first thing Queen takes to say it doesn't 05:14.680 --> 05:19.780 give chances for wont to do much like take a pawn or something. 05:20.980 --> 05:23.800 It's it's a pretty you know, it's inviting. 05:23.800 --> 05:25.670 It has to create a response. 05:25.690 --> 05:30.010 Queen takes a form so that's great. 05:30.010 --> 05:36.700 So we have this response G4 And now Queen A5 which ties the Queen down to C to the Queen can't go taking 05:36.700 --> 05:37.030 pawns. 05:37.060 --> 05:44.230 The Queen's looking at C to hear the moves and now this B seven point is protected Queen B5 and now 05:44.230 --> 05:46.210 H five giving some F for the king. 05:47.050 --> 05:50.860 And also there's a potential attack with h four and H Red Queen F3. 05:50.890 --> 05:57.040 Of course we have h for just to demonstrate that if a4. 05:58.270 --> 06:04.030 H for this position, say Bishop f4 that's just bad Rook takes and then Bishop takes. 06:04.030 --> 06:08.220 This is just it's going to be bad for, for white. 06:08.230 --> 06:10.540 This is the most accurate it seems. 06:10.540 --> 06:14.200 And then White's in big trouble here in this end game. 06:14.980 --> 06:20.110 If we look at this again with H for if things are ignored here allowing a form pawn. 06:20.470 --> 06:26.680 Yeah, we could install the form pawn and rook takes e to queen takes, you know, because this is looking 06:26.680 --> 06:33.280 very dangerous for Queen F3 and Black's doing very well here as well as you might suspect so. 06:33.670 --> 06:34.000 Okay. 06:34.000 --> 06:36.070 So h four, which is a weakening move, basically. 06:36.070 --> 06:39.190 So it's not just there for the king, it's actually provoking a weakness. 06:39.370 --> 06:43.780 You can see these square weaknesses emerging and now rookie fall. 06:43.870 --> 06:50.980 This is a really nice move putting pressure on D4 but also it has the option of Rook G4, which is interesting. 06:50.980 --> 06:52.870 Sometimes we have Bishop D2. 06:55.830 --> 06:59.040 And now Route 64 is played in this position. 06:59.040 --> 07:00.590 There was an option for Rook. 07:00.600 --> 07:09.300 I ain't there's nothing really to to fear here with Rook 8 to 8 if Queen takes this position to rooks 07:09.300 --> 07:15.750 against Queen is no good in this case because Queen G4 looks at D4 and here there's a strong attack 07:15.750 --> 07:17.580 with five of the bishops on duty there. 07:17.580 --> 07:19.590 It can't really handle the impact of F4. 07:19.590 --> 07:25.230 Black's going to be doing very well here, so Rook takes D4 though was played. 07:25.230 --> 07:26.760 That's another option. 07:26.880 --> 07:28.290 We have Bishop C3. 07:28.780 --> 07:31.800 It leads actually to a possibility for white soon. 07:31.830 --> 07:35.670 The way it's played Rook D3 isn't the most accurate it seems. 07:35.790 --> 07:43.230 It seems Rook G4 was more accurate and more of an attacking perspective against Ptolemy, against the 07:43.230 --> 07:43.500 King. 07:43.500 --> 07:45.390 It's much more of an attacking perspective. 07:45.420 --> 07:51.210 If King G2 rook this position C6 Queen six. 07:51.210 --> 07:57.720 Rook eight If we look at this position of the rook on G4, funnily enough, it's really dangerous because 07:57.720 --> 07:59.280 there's D4 coming up as well. 07:59.280 --> 08:04.260 If Queen takes 874 and here Queen D five check. 08:06.800 --> 08:12.920 And this is really getting to be big trouble if King Gee, one bishop takes Jeffrey crashing through 08:12.920 --> 08:16.760 as example with queen afraid there's too many threats to handle her. 08:17.240 --> 08:19.080 If Rogue One were cage free. 08:19.100 --> 08:20.450 I mean, it's a disaster. 08:20.450 --> 08:21.230 Basically. 08:21.410 --> 08:26.060 If Rookie eight, there's no way once handling the king safety. 08:26.450 --> 08:33.710 So it seems as though Rook G4 move 23 is an attacking improvement actually to rook d4. 08:33.720 --> 08:40.430 It does seem to still attack G3 but rook g4 it's like pin rather than just hitting the opponents, pinning 08:40.430 --> 08:42.560 that pawn with great options. 08:42.560 --> 08:51.710 So anyway, we have Bishop E5 and now Rook the eight bishop takes d6, rook takes these six rook e5 08:51.710 --> 08:53.960 and now Queen have free. 08:55.980 --> 08:56.940 So, yes. 08:59.540 --> 09:01.220 It's a it's an interesting position. 09:01.220 --> 09:01.340 So. 09:01.350 --> 09:04.310 Quinn afraid we have of distraction. 09:04.530 --> 09:15.740 Rook takes 85 to try and get the pull back and pull back rather and we have check and now Queen 63 Queen 09:15.980 --> 09:20.930 sex and here what goes wrong again basically at move 40. 09:22.190 --> 09:28.160 It seems as though why it should have enough resource to hold the balance here but not with this move. 09:28.190 --> 09:30.650 Queen D one This makes things a whole load worse. 09:30.800 --> 09:37.370 Queen F3 The idea of Queen F3 is to keep some options of H five and if D four there's an option of Queen 09:37.410 --> 09:38.600 eight sometimes. 09:39.890 --> 09:44.570 So as example, if C six, H five. 09:44.600 --> 09:50.150 This position black only has like a small edge here. 09:52.040 --> 09:58.100 Speak of and if D for trying to push this path spawn H5 and this position, there's Queen Eights and 09:58.100 --> 09:59.570 all of a sudden look at this. 09:59.780 --> 10:05.240 The pawn is holding an escaped square g sex and white is threatening this. 10:05.390 --> 10:08.030 And if g5h takes we lead. 10:08.090 --> 10:14.420 It leads to a situation where there's going to be a funny position like this where that -- is about 10:14.420 --> 10:21.290 to queen, but white can get in front of the -- and then it emerges that white can just take off that 10:21.290 --> 10:25.220 -- at the right time to lead to a drawn position. 10:29.520 --> 10:31.020 So yeah, a balanced position. 10:31.020 --> 10:33.720 So yeah, fun stuff with Queen. 10:33.990 --> 10:41.310 It does seem to technically hold the balance, but unfortunately Capablanca played Queen D1. 10:41.310 --> 10:48.510 This is much more passive we have now instead of pushing the pawn, which might give similar kind of 10:48.510 --> 10:49.780 counterplay ideas Queen free. 10:49.830 --> 10:55.890 Maybe Capablanca is trying to be subtle about Queen Geoffrey, but the pawn wasn't pushed. 10:55.980 --> 11:01.170 We have actually rookie e6 instead just trying to get full control. 11:01.590 --> 11:09.150 We have rook eights so if rook takes E6 appetites, this is just better for black with these pawns to 11:09.150 --> 11:11.820 be pushed and an extra pawn. 11:11.820 --> 11:13.680 It's going to be a grind, but it's better for black. 11:13.680 --> 11:22.710 So Rook eight though is played and this allows now rook e5 so offering it protects D5 and tries to get 11:22.710 --> 11:24.090 control of the file. 11:24.300 --> 11:30.150 If you can get control of a foe like this, then there's going to be like targets, juicy targets on 11:30.150 --> 11:31.620 the seven eight Franks. 11:31.620 --> 11:37.980 So we have Rook takes H7 C5, so this is kind of misplaced here. 11:37.980 --> 11:39.330 It's not helping control this file. 11:39.330 --> 11:46.560 So now full authority is achieved without either dropping defined or allowing Queen H five that's covered. 11:47.160 --> 11:53.520 So we have Queen D free changes since rook dates and now D4. 11:53.520 --> 11:58.050 And this opens up possibilities for the Queen on this diagonal. 11:58.050 --> 12:04.800 And when the rook is not there d five but opens up possibilities A4 and now rookie one check and this 12:04.800 --> 12:07.710 is quite a strong attack now Queen to say the least. 12:07.710 --> 12:19.350 Queen C six check is played We have the afraid if King's to rook one on Queen H one is checkmate and. 12:20.030 --> 12:20.450 Yeah. 12:20.450 --> 12:22.210 It's looking very, very dangerous. 12:22.220 --> 12:23.700 It's looking too precarious. 12:23.720 --> 12:27.410 If Queen Afri, can you see what black would play here for ten points? 12:28.070 --> 12:29.240 Classic Titanic. 12:29.630 --> 12:30.020 Yeah. 12:30.050 --> 12:30.820 Rogue one. 12:30.830 --> 12:32.850 That's just a classic tactic to win the Queen. 12:32.870 --> 12:33.990 So F4 is played. 12:34.010 --> 12:41.220 So these weaknesses mean, you know, these pressure points are emerging now and in fact rookie fray. 12:41.240 --> 12:48.500 So that's kind of painful looking queen holding onto F3 but now Queen is six and this seven franc is 12:48.500 --> 12:49.310 so dangerous. 12:49.310 --> 12:53.870 Now, this rook is not helping King's safety on the eight. 12:54.650 --> 13:03.920 So white tries G4 if a5 just to demonstrate now so this authority on the file rook touching is kind 13:03.920 --> 13:04.780 of crushing. 13:04.790 --> 13:07.760 If King have won, what would you play here? 13:09.810 --> 13:10.110 Yeah. 13:10.140 --> 13:10.410 Just. 13:10.410 --> 13:14.730 Just hold The king escaped squares without, you know, the rook being rook h too. 13:14.850 --> 13:20.280 So we've got Queen H three that if eight Queen H three queen takes G3 and we're mating. 13:20.640 --> 13:30.120 So G4 was trained by Capablanca Rook to shank King entry and now Queen E three looking at African Queen 13:30.120 --> 13:30.480 H one. 13:30.480 --> 13:31.530 This looks diabolical. 13:31.530 --> 13:32.580 Queen are full. 13:34.760 --> 13:35.570 Okay. 13:35.720 --> 13:37.850 H five and now Rook have two. 13:38.480 --> 13:45.110 And here Capablanca resigns the first time he's lost to Alekhine and it's in the world championship 13:45.110 --> 13:45.620 match. 13:46.070 --> 13:52.940 Yeah, Alekhine had been training, studying Capablanca like crazy, apparently trying to find his weaknesses. 13:54.440 --> 13:56.450 And yeah, this is his first win. 13:56.450 --> 13:57.800 It's an iconic win. 13:58.010 --> 14:03.410 So I wanted to show you this game in general because it's such an iconic, important game for mankind 14:03.410 --> 14:09.080 to become world champion, to be able to beat Capablanca this round one upset game. 14:10.160 --> 14:17.270 Now, if it continued with age g six check the best is actually King G seven and say g tanks have seven 14:17.270 --> 14:18.680 rook and free Shaq. 14:19.460 --> 14:22.190 And if King G two queen G free is mating. 14:23.510 --> 14:27.020 Otherwise giving up the queen doesn't really help matters. 14:27.020 --> 14:28.250 That's losing for weight. 14:28.340 --> 14:37.520 So yes an iconic game and I felt the major attacking thing was the use of that file that authority felt 14:37.520 --> 14:39.470 breakthrough to get to the king here. 14:39.470 --> 14:41.630 So it was attacking in the end. 14:41.690 --> 14:48.530 And maybe, just maybe a slight inaccuracy at move 23, this crucial move, 23. 14:48.560 --> 14:49.430 Well, not so crucial. 14:49.430 --> 14:55.250 I mean, black still won anyway, Rook G4 has some interesting points to it as well. 14:55.250 --> 15:02.450 It's a variant of the game where Black is getting a strong attack potential here in various ways. 15:02.930 --> 15:06.740 I mean, King H3 doesn't seem too clever because of things like Queen F3. 15:06.770 --> 15:08.600 It just looks very, very dangerous. 15:10.610 --> 15:15.770 So that rook on G4, you know, here for example, Rook takes H for Queen G4. 15:15.980 --> 15:18.680 So yes, that seems to be a key improvement as well. 15:18.950 --> 15:27.890 So yeah, it's a, it's a fascinating game, tense game and getting full control here with rookie sex. 15:28.370 --> 15:35.120 So not being tempted to give bouncy roads of attack to Black's king because D4 Yeah queen of free ideas 15:35.120 --> 15:40.430 look dangerous for for some of the variations as mentioned where there could be battery ideas. 15:40.430 --> 15:47.360 So anyway so that was the temptation of was avoided with this rookie sex which was start of a campaign 15:47.360 --> 15:52.940 to control both D5 and H5, try and use the fold authority to get a kingside attack. 15:53.330 --> 15:55.040 So fascinating stuff. 15:55.760 --> 15:57.620 And yeah, works so well here. 15:58.130 --> 15:59.960 So yeah, I hope you enjoyed this game. 16:00.200 --> 16:02.030 I mean, they're both absolute legends. 16:02.030 --> 16:03.140 I love Capablanca as well. 16:03.140 --> 16:09.110 Check out my Capablanca courses, but the contrast for me is made clearer in studying Blanc. 16:09.110 --> 16:14.090 His preference is not to treat chances, just an ordinary game. 16:14.090 --> 16:20.510 It's like more of a science, a technical science, and where you have the slight advantage to try and 16:20.540 --> 16:24.230 simplify and exploit that advantage in endgames as needed. 16:24.230 --> 16:27.140 So Capablanca was very much simplifying. 16:27.140 --> 16:35.540 He didn't really treat chess as a kind of necessarily fun game in the same way that Alekhine game, 16:35.540 --> 16:37.760 you know, seems to be more born out of combination. 16:37.760 --> 16:42.560 According to Laska, you know, he loves his tactics and combinations, has dreams about them. 16:42.770 --> 16:48.860 Capablanca more kind of simplifies games and likes winning based on pawn structure, more in end games, 16:48.860 --> 16:55.340 more in general, But they're both amazingly tactical players and Capablanca is also amazing at attack 16:55.340 --> 16:58.280 when the position demands it more, when the possession demands it. 16:59.930 --> 17:05.390 So anyway, an iconic epic game between them. 17:05.540 --> 17:06.710 I hope you enjoy this one. 17:07.310 --> 17:08.030 Nice rematch.