A. Alekhine - G. Levenfish,
St. Petersburg, 1912.
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A. Alekhine - G. Levenfish,
St. Petersburg, 1912.
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[A.J. Goldsby I]
Chernev writes:
" So powerful was the impact of Capablanca's genius and so vibrant
was his personality that the chess world paid little attention to anyone
else's accomplishments. How were they to know that the gems created
by a contemporary of his named Alekhine were not just sporadic
inspirations, but part of the greatest collection of chess masterpieces
ever to be turned out by any man?"
(The great {late}
Irving Chernev in his book:
"The 1000 Best, Short Games of Chess."
Game # 617, page # 313.)
***
For my part, I must say this game is exceedingly and
exorbitantly brilliant, and it
stands up well to modern theory and computer analysis. A little-known
fact is that
G. Levenfish was also one of the strongest players in all of Russia at that
time!
This game is truly a treasure and a piece of chess art.
- LIFE Master A.J. Goldsby I
1. d4
c5!?;
2. d5
Nf6; 3.
Nc3
d6; 4.
e4
g6; 5.
f4, (Maybe - '!')
White goes for the simple ... but effective! ... advance of the Pawn at e4 to
e5.
[Also
good for White is: 5. Nf3,
but this is nowhere near as strong as
Alekhine's move.].
5...Nbd7; 6.
Nf3
a6!?; 7.
e5!
dxe5; 8.
fxe5
Ng4;
9. e6!
Nde5; 10.
Bf4!, (Maybe - '!!') 10...Nxf3+;
11. gxf3!
Nf6; 12.
Bc4!
fxe6;
[
Not 12...b5?!; 13.
Nxb5! axb5;
14. Bxb5+, and White is much
better. ("+/") ].
13. dxe6
Qb6; Black
plays sharply hitting b2 and e6.
The
line, 13...Qxd1+; ("?!/?") 14.
RxQ/d1, results in a very clear
advantage for White. ("+/=" or "+/")
White
now plays one of the most brilliant and startling combinations in all of chess.
(It involves a sacrifice of both Rooks!)
14.Qe2!!
Qxb2;
Black may as well take, there are few viable alternatives to offer now.
If Black
really wishes to improve, he must go back much earlier.
White's
next move is also a shocker had to be foreseen by White well in advance.
(If it were to fail, White could be in a very bad way.)
15. Nb5!
Qxa1+; 16.
Kf2
Qxh1; 17.
Nc7+
Kd8; 18.
Qd2+
Bd7;
19. exd7!,
Black Resigns,
1-0.
(Black is helpless against the threat of Ne6#).
One of the most brilliant miniatures ever played.
(Also - one of the prettiest darn games of chess you are ever likely to see,
period.
But unfortunately Black's play is less than perfect ... maybe a little too
greedy. And taking the QNP with your Queen is a classic chess mistake.)
[Also
winning may be 19. NxR/a8!?, ("+/")
but Alekhine's move is obviously superior.].
19...b5;
Black's position is hopeless.
[
Black can also play the following variations:
Var. # 1.)
19...Nxd7; 20.
Be6, "+/-" and its like mate in four.
Var.
# 2.) 19...e5; 20.
Ne6+
Ke7; 21.
d8Q+
Rxd8; 22.
Qxd8+
Kf7; (White's next
move is discovered check!) 23. Nxf8+
Kg7; 24.
Qe7#,
(This line is also given by Alekhine in his book.);
Var.
# 3.) An interesting idea, but one that Chernev does not consider is:
19...Ne4+!?;
20. fxe4
Qxe4; 21.
Nxa8!,
The best, although the reason for this move is NOT apparent
at the first glance. (Also winning for White is:
21. Ne6+
Qxe6; 22.
Bxe6, "+/-" )
21...Qd4+, Looks like it kills White's attack. (Hopeless is:
21...Qxf4+; 22.
Qxf4, "+/-")
22. Qxd4
cxd4; 23.
Be6, ('!') and Black is strangely helpless to prevent mate on c7.
This is an amazing and very pretty variation. And I think I am the first to
point this line out!
{A.J.G.} ].
1 - 0
Page first posted in approximately 2000. Modified: Saturday, July 13, 2002.
Copyright A.J. Goldsby I, © A.J. Goldsby, 2001.
Bibliography
- I used/consulted both Alekhine's book of his best games,
("My
Best Games of Chess," Vol. I)
and Chernev's
book, ("1000 Best Short Games of Chess");
in preparing my annotations to this game. (I have also seen this game dozens
of
times in other books and magazines. Unfortunately the list is far too long,
and
I cannot possibly remember all of the many different places and times I
have
seen this game mentioned.)
This
is a MUCH
shortened version, (both in terms of analysis and the
amount of verbiage); of the game, than the version of the one-as it exists in my
database on my computer.
***
(I had to do this in order to be able to get a presentable web page. It is
my goal to annotate close to {or over} 200 games in my search for the
List,
"The Ten
Prettiest (& best) Short Games (miniatures)
of Chess Ever Played."
In order to do this, I have had to get a system to be able to present
games that are very attractive, pretty, make their point quickly and well, and
are relatively easy to produce.)
***
You should also understand I have seen these games many times. I played over
many of the games in this collection more than 20-30 years ago. Some I have
annotated multiple times. (I used to have a set of notebooks where I had
annotated several hundred games of chess, many of these games are considered to
be the classics of chess literature. Unfortunately, I no longer have this
collection, but I can often remember many of the comments - and even some of the
lines - that I wrote when I first attempted to annotate these wonderful
games.) A few of these games were already annotated by me on my computer,
but I went back and took a second look at all of them before attempting
to publish any of them in HTML form.
***
This game is annotated to a great depth, maybe in much greater depth and
more thoroughly than anyone has attempted to do so before. If you would like a
copy of this game in its original format, (the way it exists on my computer, before
it was shortened), please contact me.
Click HERE to return to my domain.
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Click HERE to return to my (GeoCities) "Best Short Games Page."
Copyright A.J. Goldsby I,
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby 1991-2006,
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2007. All
rights reserved.
I have received several (favorable) comments,
especially from lady players,
about the color combinations of this page.
As much as I would like to take credit for this
- I cannot. The simple truth is that my four-year-old daughter,
(She was barely four when we did this together!);
Ailene chose the colors for this page. So this is her web page.
Ailene's new favorite animal! (Frogs!)
***
(Page last edited or updated: Sunday, March 04, 2007 10:12 PM .)