Hi there.
In this lecture, we see Alexander Alekhine playing against a Fletcher in a simultaneous display in
1928, 9396 C4 from Alekhine Plain White c5 d4 96.
So this is not such a good move.
This is an amateur player.
So we're seeing what can happen if White takes over the center here.
D five is played by Alekhine advancing in the center ninth c3d sense.
This is already a very pleasant position.
G free G6, Bishop, G2, Bishop G-7, both sides.
Castle Bishop f4 H six.
Queen D two, King H seven e4.
So it looks as though there's a scary E5 prank.
Black tries to address this with Knight H five so wants to preserve the bishop.
Bishop drops back 97 so at least Planck has established some control over the E5 square Rook 81 Rook
B ain't.
But now Knight h4 with the idea of repeating a kind of positional threat of F4 maybe five later or just
F5, there are dangerous options emerging Knight D F6 and H3 90 8g4 Knights f6 f4.
So black slides are kind of getting passive.
Here we have E6 and this introduces the possibility of Knight tanks G4 for Queen.
Thanks H for this is addressed with Knight free.
I mean White's position is actually rather strong here and White could actually have played D tanks,
SNCF Knight tanks, G4 H tanks.
This position is still quite strong for white after F5.
What is black doing here?
If Queen tanks G4 for example Rook F4 just to show the strength of White's position.
Knight E two, Queen G5 Queen 66.
Looking at both Rooks and this is just terrible of two F tanks G6 for example, material was dropping
off.
So yeah, details is just showing the strength of White's position.
But also Bishop F2 is good just to protect h4 e takes.
This is a big advantage for white as well this position.
So anyway the knight goes back to F3, E takes d5c thanks B five, E five.
And one is establishing now a very dangerous position.
In the center we have Knight D one not minding the possibility of d tanks e5 which perhaps should have
been played 94 was played.
If d takes e5 White's can play bishop take C5 hitting the rook.
So if rookie eight this is just a crushing position here.
Black can't even take on D5 because of 96 hitting the Queen and things like Bishop 6g7 later, It's
just devastating.
So yeah, there isn't too much of a fair in this position with Bishop.
Take c5 if e4 hand light e5 is also strong, this is just ridiculously strong for white.
So okay.
94 was tried Queen D3 and the Queen is X-raying the King.
This is really interesting.
F5 is played and yes, the position of white is so strong here there are nice options essential which
option is chosen, which is very, very nice.
It cuts off resources, a little bit of defensive resources potentially from the king.
But you might wonder at this point, well, how do we get into the king of the white pieces for the
moment?
This before we get into that he takes f6 is also good.
If Knight e times f6 there's a G6 target here.
So no change for this position.
Bishop D2 kind of has the idea of rotates E seven This is a dangerous situation as well for black Black's
best is C4 it seems if A5.
Just as an example, Rook takes Queen takes Knight, St's G6 is very strong C4 we can just take on a
double check forcing the king to move.
And in here Knight G6 is a nifty way of winning material.
So this position then the Queen can come to C2.
So given that's the case.
Yeah.
If C4 turns the queen away from that sensitive G6, this is still going to be quite nice for white.
But.
It's a little bit more tricky.
Black has moved.
Black isn't so cut off as in the game.
So even if that might be a technically better continuation to play, it takes f6.
It's a little bit more intricate in nature.
Whilst E6 being played, E6 is just very nice, aesthetically pleasing way of kind of trying to shut
down Black's counterplay.
We have Queen a five, which doesn't really help blacks, cause blacks should try this nudge C4.
This makes a big difference.
The queen away from this dangerous arch range.
So Queen A5.
G Tanks.
G tanks, for example.
Night eight for night G frame.
Because white is French thing to just take how f five and then take out E4 in various ways, but not
g three.
Just in time, Black can secure down the f five pawn.
So that pawn sac would have been a practical try here instead of Queen A five.
Now horrible things happen here.
G tanks F five.
There's no time for Bishop A6 here because of Queen tanks.
E4 So black tanks back.
And now a really amazing conception in this position which makes this game kind of iconic.
Even though it's a simple game, it's an absolutely brilliant combination is set up here based on this
Queen X rang the King.
Can you spot what Alekhine played and why?
The magical reasons why it's so strong?
So for 100 points, can you get this next move?
Okay.
I'm about to reveal night h four and which seems to invite Bishop eight six.
And now what's the point here?
What is Alekhine's point?
This is a beautiful point being made.
Indeed.
Okay.
It's a lovely queen.
Sacrifice, Queen.
Thanks.
Black actually took the queen.
We have Bishop takes E4, Czech King and now Knight G6.
Check.
This is really great stuff.
Knocking out the F-8 defender.
So that's like F seven.
I'm not addressed anymore.
And now Night G six Jack Cage 7/9 E five Check.
I know using the F seven squared F seven is charming.
It's wonderful stuff.
A wonderful combination there from airplane sat off of that night.
H four But the prelude to this, yes the positional advantages gains and it's easier against more amateur
players perhaps, but it's still incredible given it's a simultaneous display to to play with this quality
in a single is remarkable so yeah it's a very interesting game getting this central pool match which
does shut down counterplay forces black to play extremely accurately the central pawn, which kind of
disconnects communication to five, which in turn has impact for this diagonal being potentially amplified
through sacrifice.
Sacrifice gains time.
So this possession.
Yeah, it's just a crusher queen takes e4.
So yes, everyone loves a queen.
Sacrifice.
Absolutely beautiful.
It doesn't really matter if Bishop have one.
We would simply take back on F1 and have a material advantage here.
So yeah, about black test, the Queen sacrifice and we're left with a nice masterpiece.
So Knight G six Shank.
This kind of windmill tactic taking out F8 is important for the F7 square and the Knight returns to
use the F7 square via these windmill checks, keeping the checks up.
So a really beautiful game.
Beautiful queen sacrifice, an iconic classic of Alexander Alekhine.
I hope you've enjoyed this game as much as me and so much.