WEBVTT 00:00.790 --> 00:01.500 Hi there. 00:01.720 --> 00:05.980 In this lecture, we see Benjamin Blumenfeld against Alexander Alekhine. 00:05.980 --> 00:11.890 And this is the guy which has the Blumenfeld Gambit, which Alexander Alekhine adopted himself. 00:12.010 --> 00:24.370 So, E4, from Blumenfeld, we have a five Knights f3 d6 Philidor defense d4 97 b free and now C6 Bishop 00:24.400 --> 00:32.440 b2 Queen C7 So Black is reinforcing the E5 points that center point like BD 297. 00:33.040 --> 00:38.920 And again, this wraps around the E5 square, so this is making E5 stronger. 00:39.040 --> 00:47.380 Bishop e7 We have a full black console's ninth C4 Rook D ain't Queen C one. 00:47.500 --> 00:48.250 And now. 00:48.250 --> 00:49.870 Yeah, this looks a little bit awkward. 00:49.870 --> 00:50.410 Actually. 00:50.410 --> 00:56.830 There are improvements for whites along the way, and Black is getting a strong position here of the 00:56.830 --> 00:58.390 Knight F4 already. 00:58.960 --> 01:04.370 Rookie one We have knight sts e to check rook takes e2 f6. 01:04.370 --> 01:08.500 So this kind of blockades, this B2 Bishop D amplifies it. 01:08.710 --> 01:12.580 The amplification strategy just bows to E5. 01:13.600 --> 01:16.540 We have White trying to wrap the knights around the F5 square. 01:16.540 --> 01:22.480 So nice h for Knight of eight Knight's F3 Knight's E6. 01:22.840 --> 01:29.200 But note in this position this D4 is actually at the moment. 01:29.200 --> 01:29.560 Yeah. 01:29.560 --> 01:32.500 This is an interesting fold to consider as well as other things. 01:33.220 --> 01:34.630 At the moment. 01:34.630 --> 01:40.930 Black is well poised already with a rock on D eight for trying to control that file. 01:40.930 --> 01:50.380 We have five and now Bishop B4 stops rook D2 and encourages a weakening move here. 01:50.380 --> 01:52.240 But there's also a big France. 01:52.630 --> 01:53.980 It's not just stopping deeds. 01:54.010 --> 02:00.490 The use of D2 knight A4 is embarrassing because whereas the rook going to go can't go to E1 so C3 which 02:00.490 --> 02:07.630 weakens some squares is played Knight for now French thing Knight takes A2 to check for king, king 02:07.630 --> 02:17.170 and queen so the moves but this allows blank and a kinds of try and get control of this file and this 02:17.170 --> 02:25.660 is like in European football passing strategy having control of the ball you're able to create the threats 02:25.870 --> 02:34.240 which the opponent opposing team needs to parry on the chessboard here we have now black able to win 02:34.240 --> 02:43.570 this D4, so to speak win control of it with Bishop takes our five knight thanks F5 and now black is 02:43.570 --> 02:51.460 in the position of the bishop C5 a very very comfortable position to be able to take on D2 and control 02:51.460 --> 02:58.690 the file we have b4 the bishop goes back and white volunteer's rook takes D eight hare. 03:00.100 --> 03:04.360 So, okay, there is the possibility of Nike to check, but then. 03:06.170 --> 03:11.270 The thing is, White would be winning this rook on ice. 03:12.700 --> 03:14.710 So that's not entirely clear. 03:15.010 --> 03:18.130 So we have just actually a reCAPTCHA. 03:18.160 --> 03:23.440 So that thing 92 check Queen C2, and here we have it. 03:23.470 --> 03:24.670 What would you play here for? 03:24.670 --> 03:25.540 Ten points. 03:25.810 --> 03:29.050 And why is this of attacking importance? 03:29.140 --> 03:35.140 Nimzowitsch talked about this in my system that controlling a center funnel is actually of attacking 03:35.140 --> 03:42.310 importance because that center file, you can leverage it with targeted attacks across the ranks. 03:42.310 --> 03:46.870 Later, the importance of a funnel for invading around a funnel and it could even be less ranked. 03:46.870 --> 03:51.830 Sometimes it's the ranks, you know, the concrete, juicy targets will emerge. 03:51.850 --> 04:00.550 So Queen D7 is kind of a positional attacking move, seizing control of this file, and then we have 04:00.550 --> 04:04.660 Rook F1 and Queen defray fray not minding the exchange of queens. 04:04.930 --> 04:06.670 Queen b3 check is played. 04:06.670 --> 04:13.960 If Queen takes D3, Rook takes D3, this position won't be one is terribly passive. 04:13.960 --> 04:16.690 There'll be 90 to check at the minimum winning a pawn. 04:16.900 --> 04:23.050 This position is just better for Black Hand with Bishop C5 F2 is a target as well. 04:24.220 --> 04:26.590 So yes, that would be unfortunate. 04:26.590 --> 04:33.190 We have Queen B3 check King H eight now Knight Geoffrey. 04:33.340 --> 04:33.970 And here. 04:33.970 --> 04:36.280 How do we proceed this attack? 04:36.980 --> 04:39.850 Well, there's a natural move to try and kick this 9h5. 04:39.860 --> 04:41.090 It looks kind of annoying. 04:41.090 --> 04:42.680 We have Bishop's C one. 04:42.890 --> 04:51.680 If one tries each fall, then there is actually a strong move here while controlling this fault to optimize 04:51.680 --> 04:53.010 the other pieces. 04:53.030 --> 04:54.800 How would you optimize the other pieces? 04:54.800 --> 04:57.110 Particularly this bishop would be my clue to you. 04:57.380 --> 04:59.030 What could we play here? 04:59.330 --> 05:04.730 If I give you 5 seconds to pause video to try and optimize this bishop as an attacking piece. 05:07.400 --> 05:08.150 Okay. 05:09.070 --> 05:09.790 C five. 05:09.790 --> 05:09.940 Yeah. 05:09.970 --> 05:11.780 Trying to threaten C takes. 05:11.800 --> 05:15.250 B because we've got that pin as well laterally. 05:16.390 --> 05:18.370 And this would be a dominating position. 05:18.370 --> 05:22.900 If Queen have seven, we can evict the Queen with advantage here. 05:22.930 --> 05:24.010 We're looking forward to that. 05:24.010 --> 05:25.540 Seven Frank with the rook. 05:26.110 --> 05:33.310 The thing is, if her be free, then C4 we're activating the bishop on a fantastic square soon and that 05:33.310 --> 05:35.650 immediately frightens Queen. 05:35.650 --> 05:36.760 Thanks, Geoffrey. 05:37.120 --> 05:38.020 So what does White do? 05:38.020 --> 05:45.490 King H to Queen D two is just crushing because our juicy targets, especially with the F four, we're 05:45.490 --> 05:46.720 extra range G2. 05:46.750 --> 05:51.940 If we clear out F two here now we're threatening Bishop takes G free and queen. 05:51.940 --> 05:57.850 Thanks G to you know for example here it's splats if we look at this again after Bishop c five is pretty 05:57.850 --> 05:58.270 hopeless. 05:58.270 --> 05:59.290 Bishop C one queen. 05:59.290 --> 06:00.280 Thanks, Geoffrey. 06:00.280 --> 06:04.000 So yeah, optimise the attacking piece, keeping control on that file. 06:04.090 --> 06:10.360 So yes, this central occupation is super important is like in European football having possession of 06:10.360 --> 06:15.430 the ball and it represents now the opportunity to improve the position. 06:15.430 --> 06:17.020 H four is played. 06:18.340 --> 06:25.390 We have Bishop takes four, he takes F four, and now after five the dangers are not over. 06:25.390 --> 06:28.360 So form pawn attack H free. 06:28.750 --> 06:30.790 So we have Queen E six. 06:31.360 --> 06:39.400 Now if G free we can play F takes and this is really precarious. 06:40.300 --> 06:46.810 So as example, if H takes this H to nudging the king away from the rook so the king can stay on the 06:46.810 --> 06:48.730 road, but you know, we can take it here and queen. 06:49.240 --> 06:52.420 So that would be it's just devastating, that pressure on f one. 06:52.810 --> 06:55.870 So that's out of the question, really. 06:57.400 --> 07:02.740 And Knight takes free looks as though the form pawn is going to just be helping to checkmate off the 07:02.740 --> 07:02.980 Queen. 07:02.980 --> 07:05.860 A free hand is why defend G2? 07:05.890 --> 07:11.770 So if we're left with F tanks, then Queen D two French thing mates. 07:11.770 --> 07:15.340 Queenie one check, Queenie, two French thing, mate. 07:15.340 --> 07:16.450 And here it comes. 07:16.450 --> 07:20.320 We can use Rook D one check here and one would have to give up the queen. 07:20.590 --> 07:22.660 So, yes, it's pretty dangerous. 07:23.020 --> 07:23.240 It's. 07:23.490 --> 07:24.550 It's too dangerous. 07:24.550 --> 07:28.480 It's losing four one in this position, it seems Queenie. 07:28.480 --> 07:29.710 Six is destroyed. 07:29.890 --> 07:38.710 But now H takes G to check, and there's this nagging pressure on the rook being celebrated here. 07:39.340 --> 07:41.890 And we have King takes G2 F rejects. 07:41.890 --> 07:43.540 The king can't leave the rook. 07:44.560 --> 07:45.970 So King G one And guess what? 07:45.970 --> 07:49.090 The finishing sequence is here for ten points. 07:49.090 --> 07:50.440 The finishing combination. 07:53.330 --> 07:56.690 Yeah, we just check all checks and hopefully find the finisher. 07:56.690 --> 08:00.440 Queen Sykes f one check for Rook D1 being champ, mate. 08:00.980 --> 08:04.670 So yes I all the fence with a difference. 08:04.670 --> 08:08.570 Black control, possession of a centerfold here. 08:09.020 --> 08:15.560 Black was trying to amplify the special software so it does have some weaknesses with this thing Catto 08:15.560 --> 08:18.770 sets up and it seems certain points. 08:19.460 --> 08:20.960 It looks slightly awkward. 08:20.960 --> 08:26.990 This position for whites, where black is also kind of weakening the light squares a bit more, taking 08:26.990 --> 08:30.070 out the lone square bishop, the F five knights. 08:30.170 --> 08:36.290 They weren't particularly menacing and it seems as though, yeah, black's in the total driving seat 08:36.290 --> 08:37.490 from this possession. 08:37.490 --> 08:44.420 It seems a very difficult position indeed for one to play, so I ended up losing control of that file. 08:44.420 --> 08:45.620 So very instructive. 08:45.680 --> 08:47.660 Stamping authority on the file. 08:47.690 --> 08:52.490 Then all the good things are growing around these brilliant pieces. 08:52.490 --> 08:53.330 Just improving. 08:53.330 --> 08:56.450 The worst piece in some variations is possible. 08:56.450 --> 09:01.430 If one had played here a move like H for their C5. 09:01.430 --> 09:10.490 So yeah, a great demonstration of how if you control a central file there are huge France being been 09:10.490 --> 09:11.060 kind of. 09:12.540 --> 09:15.690 Celebrated potentially for -- attacks. 09:16.230 --> 09:18.350 Looking at and forcing those soon after. 09:18.360 --> 09:18.620 Yeah. 09:18.630 --> 09:22.770 The pressure on F1 is significant in the tactical variations. 09:22.770 --> 09:26.780 The pressure on be free is also significant in conjunction with C5. 09:26.790 --> 09:35.370 So yes, it's a wonderful demonstration of how possession of a central file can lead to fantastic things. 09:35.850 --> 09:41.490 So yes, the attacking player needs to base on solid positional principles sometimes. 09:41.490 --> 09:43.110 And this is this is a key one. 09:43.110 --> 09:49.170 If we can possess a central file like this, then fantastic things happen like this. 09:49.860 --> 09:51.420 Wonderfully demonstrated. 09:51.420 --> 09:55.020 I hope you enjoyed this one as much as me and so much.