Reti - Alekhine
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[A.J. Goldsby I]
I have endeavored to make the THE (!)
definitive analysis
of this game on the 'net.
(This is the full-length version of this game.)
Many
writers - such as
Chernev -
have often said this is one of
the
most beautiful games ever played.
***
This game is in over half a dozen
books dedicated to the prettiest
and best
games of chess ever played.
(Indeed. In the book,
[The Mammoth Book Of] "The World's Greatest
Chess Games,"
{by GM's John Nunn, John Emms, & FM Graham
Burgess.};
the authors give this game a
score of 14!!
{15 would have been a perfect score.} !!!
This is high praise, indeed!)
Nunn's analysis of this game is
probably
the best and the most
detailed that this particular game
has ever received.
This game is also covered in the
excellent book:
"Chess Highlights Of
The 20th Century," by FM Graham
Burgess.
And this is game # 20 in the book,
(now one of my favorites!)
"The 100 Best,"
('The 100 Best Chess Games
of The 20th Century, Ranked.')
by GM Andy Soltis.
***
Both players play this game very
creatively. It is a very unusual opening.
But the final combination that Alekhine
plays is very sharp, VERY interesting
and easily one of the best Queenless
attacks ever played.
My notes are based primarily
on those of GM Andrew Soltis -
in his book, "The 100 Best."
( The 100 Best Games Of The
20th Century, Ranked.
[McFarland Books, copyright 2000.] ).
(I spent almost 3 days annotating
this game using just the Soltis book,
a couple of chessboards, {+ magnetic sets} 2-3 DC-PMP's and ChessBase.
{+ any analysis engines available
under ChessBase.}
Only AFTER I finished this process,
did I begin the task of looking this
game up in other books to see what
other writers had written about this
game.
This discovery process is
very important to me.
Of course I would be lying if I
said I was not familiar with this
game -
I think I first saw it in a
book or a magazine when I was
like eight or nine
years old. (I annotated it by hand in one of my note-books, when I was like
12 years old.) But I
tried to clear my mind and not
depend on memory, only
what
GM Soltis had written and what
the computer engine's evaluations
were revealing to me.
1. g3!?, (Maybe - '!')
Fianchettoing the KB, and keeping
ALL of White's options open.
Many have criticized this move
as inaccurate.
All I can say is
that is if 1. b3, is sound ...
Reti deserves special recognition for
playing this at a time when virtually
the whole chess world considered
this move unsound.
[ The usual way to play this opening is for White to play 1. N-KB3. (Nf3)
Now,
the normal way (move order)
to reach the Reti Opening
is to play:
1.Nf3, followed by
normal development.
Now MCO gives the line: 1...d5; (1...Nf6!?;). 2.c4 c6; 3.b3 Nf6;
(I like to play the
"Lasker System," via the
following move order:
3...h6!?; 4.Bb2
Bf5;
5.g3
Nd7!?; 6.Bg2
e6;
7.0-0
Ngf6; 8.d3
Bc5!?;
This is Emmanuel Lasker's
original idea. 9.Nbd2
0-0; 10.Qc2
Bh7;
11.a3
a5!; 12.Rac1
Rc8;
13.Qb1
Qe7; 14.Qa1,
"~" followed by White
doubling his
Rooks on the c-file.).
4.g3 Bg4!; The best, according to MCO.
4...Bf5!?;
is ...
the "London System."
(This system was all the
rage at one time.).
5.Bg2
e6; 6.0-0
Nbd7;
7.Bb2
Bd6; 8.d3
0-0;
9.Nbd2
a5;
The end of the column.
(Col. # 6; page # 706.).
10.a3
Qe7; 11.Qc2
e5;
12.e4
dxe4; 13.dxe4
Bc5;
14.h3, "~" {I rate this position as
"unclear."}
... "with just a small advantage
for White."
- GM Nick DeFirmian.
(The
symbol for "White is a little better," is "+/=". {A plus
over an equal sign.}
But I did NOT use it here as I do not believe it is appropriate for this
position.)
(This is rather strange. I checked
this position vs. about half a dozen
different analysis engines. ALL of
them consider this position to be
AT LEAST a little better for Black!
"=/+" or even "/+".
' - 0.37 '
for Junior 6.0; ... after
nearly 30 minutes!).
GM J. Hjartarsson - GM Stefansson; Reykjavik, (Iceland) [Rapid]; 1995.
[ See MCO-14;
columns # 1 -6,
(Mainly col. # 6 here.)
and notes n-p.
{Mainly note # (p.) here.} ].
MCO has many lines here, but this seems to be what that book considers best. ].
1...e5!?; (Possibly - '!')
Alekhine grabs the center, which
is maybe the best response.
(The "Classical" response.)
[
The symmetrical response
would be:
1...g6; and Black
could imitate/follow White's moves
for a while.
2.Bg2
Bg7; 3.c4
Nf6;
( Black could keep the perfect
symmetry (!) for even a while
longer with:
3...c5; 4.Nc3
Nc6;
5.Nf3
Nf6; 6.0-0
0-0; "=" etc.
White probably should now
play the central break with d4. ).
Now the continuation:
4.Nf3
0-0; 5.d4
d6;
6.0-0
Nbd7; 7.Nc3
e5;
8.e4
c6; "~" (Maybe "+/="), with
a King's Indian Defense - type
position.
(White has a slight
space advantage.);
The Hyper-modern response would be:
1...Nf6;
--->
thus keeping all
of Black's options open.
Black could have also played:
1...d5; This [also] would have been
a Classical response, but probably
would have allowed too much
leeway
to White, as now the first player has
the choice between
about a dozen
different defenses to 1. Pawn to
Queen Four,
...
BUT WITH COLORS REVERSED!
(But it it is still OK ... and 100 per cent playable.)
Of
course virtually ANY first move by Black, followed by systematic
development, would be acceptable for Black.
(This is just common sense.) ].
2. Nf3!?,
Enticing the Black Pawns forward.
"A provocative move in the
Hyper-Modern style."
- GM Andrew Soltis.
"A very unusual move." - GM John Nunn.
"An experiment ...
which Reti never repeated after
the present game."
- GM A. Alekhine.
Many writers have also criticized
this move, some ...
have even
awarded it a question mark!
The move does entail risk, but
not overly so. In fact White emerges
from the opening with a fair-sized
advantage.
All I will say is that if this move is
wrong, then you need to throw
the
Alekhine's Defense, (1. e4, Nf6!?);
on the trash heap also!!
[ Much safer for White was: 2.d3, with a possible Reversed Pirc.
Or 2.Bg2, keeping all of White's options open. ].
2...e4; 3.
Nd4
d5;
This must be good, grabbing
the center.
[
3...c5!?; (Maybe - '!')
This might actually be best.
4.Nb3
c4; 5.Nd4
Bc5;
6.c3
Nc6!; "=/+" - Alekhine and Nunn. ].
4. d3!,
The best, White should immediately
undermine Black's center pawns.
(Soltis does NOT give this move an exclam.)
[
A few writers recommended: 4.a3!?, but this is questionable.
***
Definitely not:
4.Nc3??
c5; 5.Ndb5
a6; 6.Na3
b5!; 7.Nab1
d4;
8.Nxe4
f5; "/+" (Maybe "-/+")
This is funny as this is a direct
refutation of
one of the lines that
one of the annotators gave in the
book of this tournament! ].
4...exd3!?; (Black
gives up his "Far, advanced Pawn" on e4.)
Nunn calls this: "A very timid reaction."
(Black almost completely
surrenders the center
for no real reason.)
[ 4...Nf6!; - GM J. Nunn.
4...c5!?; (Maybe - '!')
This also may be better and more
vigorous than
what was actually
played in the game.
('!' - GM R. Fine.) ].
5. Qxd3!?,
(Maybe - '!')
Probably the sharpest and best.
White plays very aggressively and creatively.
[ 5.cxd3!? ].
5...Nf6;
Simple development here is
probably best, although Black
could have tried 4...a6!? 4...Nf6; also prepares a quick
castling (king-safety) by Black.
6. Bg2,
White continues logically
with his development.
[
White could try:
6.a3!?; "="
Or the computer likes:
6.Bf4, "~" ].
6...Bb4+!?; Hmmm.
(Maybe - '!')
Interesting,
Alekhine returns the favor.
I think the main idea is to keep a White Knight off of c3.
(Several annotators gave this move a question mark!).
"Alekhine himself criticized this move." - GM John Nunn.
"Trying at all costs to bring as rapidly
as possible all pieces into action."
- GM A. Alekhine.
(He goes on to remark that Black
might miss his dark-squared Bishop.)
[
If Black plays:
6...c5!?; 7.Nb5
a6; 8.N5c3,
"<=>" ("with good counterplay")
and White
has strong pressure on the
Black d-pawn. ].
7. Bd2, (Maybe - '!')
This is probably the best.
7...Bxd2+;
Black goes ahead and trades.
(In order not to lose tempo.)
[ 7...Be7!? ].
8. Nxd2,
Logically, this must be best.
To take with the White Queen is to agree to a loss of tempo.
[
8.Qxd2?!
0-0; 9.0-0
c5; "=/+" ("Black
is just slightly better.") ].
8...0-0;
Castling to safety can never be
a bad idea, but ...
Maybe ...a6; preparing ...c5; was better?
"The opening has resulted in an
even game, but both sides
thirst
for complications." - GM Ruben Fine.
[
"A leading present-day openings
manual offers the move 8...Nbd7!?;
even though 9.Qe3+
Qe7;
10.Qxe7+
Kxe7; 11.0-0-0,
"+/="
("White is slightly better.");
is good for White." - GM John Nunn.
].
9. c4!?, (Maybe - '!')
"This (and 4. d3, exd3;) fits in
perfectly with Reti's philosophy
of allowing
the enemy to establish
a pawn center and then attack it.
But Black's acquiring
of d5 recalls
Aaron Nimzovich's own version of
Hypermodernism --- that
you can
occupy the center in order to liquidate
the pawns and create outposts
on the
vacated squares." - GM A. Soltis.
Although Soltis does not give this
move an exclam, I really think it
probably
deserves one. Reti's
approach to this opening is ultra - vigorous, aggressive,
very logical ... and virtually a
revolutionary new method.
Nothing short of a
genius could
play this way, while the rest of
the chess world was content to
follow
the mindless dogma of the Classical
School. Let us not forget that it
was
Reti - and his new opening system -
that caused the defeat of
J.R.
Capablanca in New York in 1924.
This defeat was the first loss by the
great Cuban - some began referring
to Capa as a "chess machine" - in
over
a decade. In fact, so unbelievable
was this loss by Capa, that it made ...
... the front-page story in newspapers
all around the world!!
( LIFE-Master A.J. Goldsby I ).
"A good move." - GM J. Nunn.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
[
White could have also tried:
9.0-0-0!?
Re8; "=" but this is a completely
different type of game. 9.0-0!?
c5!; "=" ] .
9...Na6!?; (Maybe - '!')
Many annotators have given
this move an exclam ... but it is
unclear
whether or not it
deserves this award.
(Soltis gives NO mark or comment to this move at all.).
Black obviously intends ...Nc5;
or ...Nb4; winning a tempo
off
of the White Queen.
"The best defence..." - GM J. Nunn.
[
The continuation:
9...c5!?; ('?') 10.N4b3
dxc4;
11.Qxc4, "+/"
("White is clearly a LOT better."), would just lose
a pawn. - GM J. Nunn. ].
10. cxd5
Nb4; 11.
Qc4
Nbxd5; 12.
N2b3,
"Securing the Knight on d4."
- GM J. Nunn.
[ 12.0-0!?, ... "is less accurate." - GM J. Nunn. ].
12...c6; (Forced?)
This is probably best.
"Aiming to retain Black's main asset,
the strongly
posted Knight on d5."
- GM J. Nunn.
[ 12...Re8!?; "~" ].
13. 0-0
Re8;
"Black has excellent development
and can discourage the
most
dangerous White plan of e2-e4." - GM A. Soltis.
14. Rfd1,
Strong centralization.
[ 14.e4!? ].
14...Bg4; (Maybe - '!')
This is very good and very active.
"Aiming for counterplay against e2." - GM J. Nunn.
"To prevent e4." - GM R. Fine.
'!' - GM Ruben Fine.
[ 14...Qd6!? ].
15. Rd2,
"Relatively best."
- GM J. Nunn.
[
Not
15.h3?!
Bh5!; 16.g4
Bg6;
17.e3
Ne4; "=/+"
and Black is clearly (a little) better. ].
15...Qc8!?;
(Maybe - '!')
Black looks to dominate the
light squares.
(Now White cannot play h3.
Black can also exchange off the
White defender of the light-squares
with ...B-h3xg2; if White allows it.).
Alekhine always played very
aggressively, if given the chance.
(Several annotators have given
this move an exclam.)
(Soltis gives this move no mark
at all,
but it is a very critical point
in the game.)
"A typical manoevre." - GM J. Nunn.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
[ Maybe just a little better was: 15...Qe7!?; (Maybe - '!') 16.e3 Rad8; "=" ].
16. Nc5, (Maybe - '!')
"Clearing the way for the
b-pawn's advance." - GM J. Nunn.
[16.Rad1!? ].
16...Bh3; (Critical position.)
Now the game should
probably end in a draw ........
after 17. Bf3, Bg4; 18. Bg2, Bh3;
etc.
But White decides to go for more.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
"A brilliant offer of a pawn." - Irving Chernev.
"The fun begins." - GM R. Fine.
17. Bf3, (Forced?) This might be relatively best.
[
"White cannot grab a pawn:
17.Bxh3?!; (Maybe -
'?') 17...Qxh3;
( A player at the Pensacola Chess
Club taught me - in the very early
1970's -
that it was always bad to
get your opponent's Queen, ... ... ...
"down,
hard on top of your own King." !! )
18.Nxb7?!, ('?') 18...Ng4;
(Now there are four {4!} pieces in the general
neighborhood of ... - or pointed at - the White King.)
as 19.Nf3
Nde3!; 20.fxe3
Nxe3;
21.Qxf7+!
Kh8!;
22.Nh4
Rf8; "=/+" (Maybe
"/+".) would cost him his Queen."
- GM J. Nunn.
(Irving Chernev gave this line first,
as did [also] GM R. Fine.) ].
17...Bg4; (Maybe - '!')
Black is just a tiny bit better here,
but it does not register at all with
most computer programs.
(It is also a "micro-advantage," and not really significant in any
way.)
(17...Bh3-g4! - FM G. Burgess.).
<< Giving the opponent the choice
between three possibilities:
(1.) To exchange his beloved
"fianchetto" Bishop;
(2.) To accept an immediate draw
by repetition of moves,
(18. B-N2, B-R6; 19. B-B3, etc.),
which at such an early stage
always
means a moral defeat for the
first player;
(3.) To place the Bishop on a worse
square, (R1).
He finally decides
to "play for the win"
and thus permits Black to start a
most interesting
counter-attack. >> - GM Alexander Alekhine.
***
--->
FM Graham
Burgess, in his book,
"Chess Highlights Of The 20th
Century," ...
picks up his coverage
of this game with this position.
***
18. Bg2
Bh3;
"In a sense, this is the turning point
of the game." - GM A. Soltis.
19. Bf3, Probably the best.
[
"Reti sees that: 19.Bxh3!?
Qxh3; 20.Nxb7!?, (Maybe
- '?!/?') is bad,
(20.Nf3!?)
because of: 20...Ng4;
21.Nf3
Nde3!; "=/+"
(Black is clearly a little better.) (
If 22.fxe3!? Nxe3;
23.Qxf7+!
Kh8!;
24.Nh4
Rf8!; "/+" )"
- GM A. Soltis. ].
19...Bg4;
Now the tension ... and the game ... has reached a critical point.
***
A very famous - but little known story - about this game is as follows:
After making his 19th move,
Alekhine informed Reti that the
position
had been repeated three
times and he was claiming a draw.
Alekhine
walked over and got the
arbiter, told him the game was
drawn because
the position had
been repeated three times.
Alekhine then signed his
score-sheet,
handed it to the arbiter, and began
making obvious
preparations to
leave the tournament hall.
Meanwhile Reti began checking his score-sheet. He told Alekhine the
position had only been repeated
twice and the game was NOT a draw.
A furious argument broke out. The
arbiter took both score sheets,
another
arbiter played through the game, and concluded the position
had only been
repeated twice.
In the interim ...
Alekhine and Reti continued their
debate.
"The position was repeated
only twice," said Reti. (In a very loud
voice.)
"Three times!," barked Alekhine
as he donned his scarf and hat.
At this point the arbiter stepped in
and corrected Alekhine.
"The position has only been repeated
twice and the game must continue,"
the
arbiter (TD) told The World Champion
somewhat fearfully.
(Alekhine's temper was already
quite well known!).
At this point, a seemingly contrite,
corrected, and humbled Alekhine
took off his coat, hat and other
accoutrements; and sat down to
continue the game.
"I don't know why you bothered, put
your Bishop on g2. I shall then
place
mine on h3, and the game will be
drawn," said Alekhine to Reti,
as he
was pondering his next move.
(Alekhine told Reti this in his
own language!).
At this point, poor Reti probably felt
honor-bound to continue the game,
and therefore placed his Bishop on
the slightly inferior square of h1.
(Making many of the tactics that work in the game, possible.)
Thus Alekhine's greatest stroke that
he made in this game, was not
any moves he made on the chess-board ...
but his skillful maneuvers to trick
Reti into avoiding a repetition of
position!!!
(GM Andy Soltis, in his column,
"Chess To Enjoy," {'Chess Life');
once gave a somewhat shortened
version of this story.).
***
"Here Alekhine erroneously claimed
a draw by recurrence of position."
- Irving Chernev.
(Purdy
says that he might have done this deliberately, in order to make
Reti over-confident.)
20. Bh1!?,
(Maybe - '?!')
White wants to continue the game,
but allows Black the attacking
lever
of h7-h5-h4; a very unwise decision.
He also places his
Bishop on a
vastly inferior square.
(Soltis does not query this move at all.).
<< So White decides to continue
the game at the risk of allowing
the
pawn advance of ... h5 - h4.
"Caprice of fate rules in the
chess art,"
Alexander Kotov noted.
"However, is that only in chess?" >>
- GM A. Soltis.
"Reti decides to play for a win." - GM R. Fine.
IF ... (and it is a big
'if'!) ...
White loses by force here,
then
one could even award this move
a question mark!
[White could try:
20.Bxg4
Nxg4; 21.e3,
"~"
White should probably play:
20.Bg2!
Bh3; and now the
game is drawn by
repetition of position. ].
20...h5!; (Alekhine
goes for the jugular.)
A very nice and energetic move
by Alekhine.
(This move is also awarded an
exclam by Soltis.).
Black will weaken the White pawn
structure by playing h5-h4xg3.
Ideas
like this were commonplace in the games of Bent Larsen ...
in the 60's through the 80's.
"Black aims to soften White's King-side ... " - GM J. Nunn.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
21. b4, (Maybe - '!')
Preparing a pawn advance on
the Queen-side
to weaken
Black's Pawn structure there.
"Instead, playing e4 doesn't give White any advantage." - GM J. Nunn.
[
21.e4!?
Nb6; 22.Qc3
Qc7;
23.b4
Nbd7!; "="
... "and Black eliminates the
powerful c5-knight." - GM J. Nunn. ].
21...a6; 22.
Rc1
h4; 23.
a4
hxg3; 24.
hxg3
Qc7;
"The start of Alekhine's second
combination." - Irving Chernev.
(I should comment that all the
computer programs give White
at least a small edge, {"+/="}; here.).
"Reti, playing with ongoing
inventiveness, has managed to
retain the
initiative.
He has a positional edge because
of his superiority in the
centre and
on the queenside, with Alekhine
obviously looking for
counter chances on the kingside." - GM Garry Kasparov.
25. b5!?, (Maybe - '!') (Most
comps give an evaluation of: "+/=" here.)
"This move has been often
criticized, but it appears stronger
than 25. e4."
- GM J. Nunn.
(Soltis gives this move NO mark at all.).
'!' - GM John Nunn.
'!?' - GM R. Fine.
[White could have played:
25.e4!?
Nb6;
( GM G. Kasparov calls:
" 25...Ne7!?; 26.a5,
a solid positional alternative." )
26.Qb3
Nbd7; "~" (Maybe "equal," or "=".)
... "when Black has comfortable
equality." - GM J. Nunn. ].
25...axb5;
This looks virtually forced.
[
Not 25...Qb6?!; 26.bxc6,
"+/" ("White is clearly better.")
].
26. axb5,
"White's strategy seems to be
working very nicely. The isolated
black pawn
is doomed to fall within
a few moves. But Alekhine wasn't
going to passively
wait for destruction.
He finds a way to completely change
the unwanted course
of the game." - GM Garry Kasparov.
[
There is no reason to play:
26.Qc2??
bxa4; "/+" ...
("Black is clearly a LOT better."); as one of my students suggested.
].
26...Re3!;
(Maybe - '!!')
Many authors and writers over the
years have called this one
of the most
grand combinations ever played!!
One of the greatest "quiet moves"
ever played in a game of chess,
according to GM Andor Lilienthal.
"An impressive 'quiet' move, which
begins a remarkable combination."
- GM A. Soltis.
"A fantastic idea." - FM G. Burgess.
"Just as White's Queenside attack
arrives, this spectacular rook
sacrifice energizes Black's
counterplay." - GM J. Nunn.
"Startling, to stay the least." - Irving Chernev.
'!!' - GM Salo Flohr.
'!!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
'!' - GM G. Kasparov.
(I have seen several annotators give
this move THREE exclams.)
***
{Funny. After years of practically
worshipping this game, my
analysis
indicates White may be
able to win by force. This means this
whole game
could be UNSOUND!}
(See the analysis of 27. Kh2! -
which probably refutes
Black's
whole scheme of attack.)
I must add the following comment.
After VERY SHARPLY criticizing
White's 27th move, GM John Nunn said,
"In my opinion this does not detract
from Alekhine's achievement. When
playing at his best, Alekhine had a
special ability to provoke complications
without taking excessive risks."
I must agree with Nunn. The
advancement of technology will
yield better
and better tools, such as
a chess analysis engine that perhaps
one day no
human can defeat. Many
of the beautiful games in the hall of
great chess
achievements may
be shown to be unsound.
(We already know that the
openings
and tactics have VASTLY improved
in the last 150-200 years!!
This
includes other improvements in the
overall theory of the game.)
This is simply the inevitable advance
of chess technology.
(And one that
mirrors the general advance of
technology overall.)
Should this relentless advance of
technology lessen our enjoyment or
appreciation of this game?
I should say not!!
***
A good way of explaining this is
by comparing chess to another art form.
PAINTING.
At one time, - for a very long time -
(for over HUNDREDS of years!);
the
ONLY way of capturing and
preserving an image was by an artist
putting
this image down on some
medium, like a scrap of paper or an
oil painting
on a piece of canvas.
We still - today! - greatly appreciate
the beauty of these paintings.
--- Today we have machines that can
more accurately reproduce any
image;
say cameras and computers and other
equipment ...
for capturing
visual images ...
even those that can store an image
digitally. ---
(I even saw a machine in a mall one
time. Stick in a photo and
insert a few
quarters and the machine accurately
reproduces a
pencil drawing of any
photograph!)
--->
Does all this technology
lessen our interest in good art -
or
even the demand for good artists?
I don't think so.
--->
So in the same way, we will
continue to play and enjoy chess and
take
pleasure in the best
achievements of the greatest
Masters of chess ...
even when some machine finds a
flaw in the game!
(This game will always be a great one,
no matter what. Alekhine's
combination
here has been recognized by dozens of
world-class
players here as something
VERY SPECIAL!!!).
***
27. Nf3!?, (Maybe - '?!')
I am not sure if this move is the best.
Perhaps White could do better with another move.
Soltis does NOT question this move,
or award it a question mark.
(Or an appellation of any kind!)
Yet I feel quite strongly the move.
27. Nf3 is inferior and maybe even
loses
by force. If this is the case,
you could even award White's 27th
move a full
question mark.
(Another thing I should point
out is - that the evaluations of
virtually all the
computer chess
programs change significantly in
Black's favor after White's
twenty-
seventh move.)
--- Nunn DOES award this move
a question mark!! ---
(I only discovered this AFTER I
had finished with GM Soltis's book.)
I will say in Reti's defense, this
move is the most natural looking.
It is also
very easy to play the role
of "armchair quarterback" here, and
second-guess
all of White's moves.
I am sure that actually sitting across
the board from
Alekhine and trying
to accurately calculate such a hair -
raising and a
nerve - wracking series
of extremely complicated and
difficult tactical lines ...
well that was a totally different
experience altogether!!!
"This is the critical moment
of the game."
- GM J. Nunn.
(Nunn goes on to remark that
"Alekhine claimed that Black has
the advantage
against any reply;
other annotators have generally
followed his lead."
And ... Reti had, "Two lines leading
to a clear draw."
Very penetrating
and accurate comments.).
'?' - GM John Nunn.
'?' - FM Graham Burgess.
'?' - GM G. Kasparov.
***
[ Some of the alternatives for White are:
Var. # 1.)
" A key alternative is:
27.Bf3!?, (Maybe - '!')
{'!' - GM A. Alekhine.}
which for decades
was thought to favor Black
because of 27...Bxf3!?; "
(
The computer gives: 27...Ree8;
28.bxc6, "+/=" ).
(Returning to the Soltis line.)
" 28.exf3, {'!' - GM A. Alekhine.}
{ ... "ending Black's activity."
- GM G. Kasparov.}
28...cxb5; 29.Nxb5
Qa5!?;
{ '!' - GM A. Alekhine. } ( ... "still with an advantage
for Black."
'!' - GM A. Alekhine. ) and if 30.Rxd5!?, "
(Maybe - '?!/?')
( The computer gives: 30.Rdd1!,
"+/=" Alekhine gives
30. RxN, a full question mark. )
(Returning to the Soltis line.)
" then 30...Re1+;
31.Rxe1
Qxe1+;
32.Kg2
Ra1?; ... 'and wins.' " (Says GM Soltis.)
(
Nunn, instead, gives the line: 32...Nxd5;
33.Qxd5
Ra1; "=" When I first
analyzed this game
on my computer, I stopped here
and evaluated
this position as
equal.
Nunn continues this line: 34.Qd8+
Kh7; 35.Qh4+
Kg8;
...
"with perpetual check."
- GM John Nunn. )
(Returning to the Soltis line.)
"As John Nunn pointed out in
1996, White is,
however winning
in the last line with 33.Rd8+
Kh7; 34.Qh4+
Kg6;
35.f4!, "+/-"." - GM A. Soltis.
***
Var. # 2.)
27.Bg2!?, '?!' - GM John
Nunn. 27...Rea3;
Interesting.
***
Var. #
2a.)
Nunn gives the line:
27...Rxg3!?; (Maybe - '!')
28.e3, Best/forced?
( Or 28.e4!?
Rxg2+!?; ('!')
Black could also try 28...cxb5; or 28...Nb6!?
29.Kxg2
Nf4+; (Black has a very
good attack.) 30.Kh1
Qe5!?;
31.bxc6
Qh5+; 32.Kg1
Bf3; "-/+" )
28...Nxe3!?
; (Maybe - '!')
29.fxe3
Qe5; {Black has excellent
compensation
for his material."}; (29...Qe5; Maybe - '!?')
... "and Black has very good
compensation for the piece." - GM John Nunn.
But the computer now gives: 30.Re1,
"+/=" ("White has a slight advantage.")
(but 30...Rxe3; probably gives Black
excellent play.);
Var. #
2b.)
27...Raa3?!; (Maybe - '?')
This is NOT the best way to
continue the attack.
28.Ncb3, "+/=" Now White is just a little better. )
***
(Returning to the analysis of Variation # 2, the main analysis
line, here.)
28.bxc6, "+/="
White is clearly just a little better.
***
Var. # 3.)
27.Kh2!?, (Maybe - '!') ('!' - GM J. Nunn.)
(This is best - according to Nunn; and also according to Alekhine.)
27...Raa3!?; (Maybe - '!')
This is best, according to Nunn.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM John Nunn.
Black
could also play:
Junior 6.0: 27...Bh5!?;
28.Bf3, "+/="
0.20/6
Or 27...Re5!?;
28.bxc6,
"+/=" White is clearly a little better.
(In both lines.)
28.Nd3!, "+/="
- line by GM A. Soltis. (Among others.)
( 28.Nd3, is best - and our main analysis line in this variation.)
***
Some
alternatives to 28. Nd3! here are:
Var. # 3a.)
28.Ncb3!?
Bh5!?; This is best, according to
several computers. (But...)
***
Nunn
{instead} gives: 28...Qe5!;
This is probably better
than all the moves
given
by the computers.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
29.bxc6!?,
"+/" (Maybe - '!')
Without this move, White
could
actually risk losing.
***
Or
29.fxe3!?
Qh5+; 30.Kg1
Qh3; 31.Bxd5
Nxd5!;
"This is better than forcing
the immediate draw." - GM J. Nunn.
Or
31...Qxg3+; 32.Kh1,
( 32.Bg2??
Bh3; "-/+"
). 32...Qh3+;
33.Kg1
Qg3+; 34.Kh1=
, is a draw,
by repetition of position.
( Not 34.Kf1??
Bh3+; 35.Bg2
Qxg2+; 36.Ke1
Qg1#. )
32.Nf3 Qxg3+; 33.Kh1 Bxf3+; The most forcing and probably best.
33...Nxe3!?;
34.Rd8+
Kh7; 35.Ng5+
Kh6;
( Not 35...Kg6??;
36.Qxf7+
,
wins for White. "+/-" )
36.Nxf7+
Kg6; 37.Nh8+
Kh6; "=" ... "is a dead draw."
- GM J. Nunn. ).
34.exf3
Qxf3+; 35.Kh2
Qxe3!; ...
... "and White is in difficulties."
- GM J. Nunn.
36.Rd3,
It is hard to suggest moves
here for White.
But it may be
that 36.Qh4, is the best move
here for White.
Or
36.Re2
Qh6+; 37.Kg1
Rxb3!; "/+";
... and ...
"a clear advantage
for Black." - GM J. Nunn.
Or 36.Qh4!?,
(Maybe - '!') This might be the best
line for White.
36...Rxb3; "="; (Maybe - "=/+") Black
is only a little better.
(Nunn did not give
this line.);
Or 36.Rxd5!?, ('?!')
36...cxd5; 37.Qc8+
Kh7; 38.Qc2+
g6; "-/+";
... "with a clear
advantage for Black." - GM J. Nunn.
36...Qf2+; 37.Kh1
Ra2; 38.Rd2
Rxd2;
39.Nxd2
Qxd2; "/+" (Maybe
"-/+") Black is better. - GM J. Nunn.
***
(Returning
to the analysis line of the sub-variation: 28...Qe5!; 29. bxc6!?)
29...bxc6!; 30.fxe3
Qh5+; 31.Kg1
Qh3;
"=" and ...
"Alekhine stopped his analysis
here; implying that Black is
better;
however it seems to
be only a draw." - GM J. Nunn.
32.Bxd5,
It is hard to determine exactly what is best here.
(Or 32.Bf3
Qxg3+; 33.Kh1,
"=" ... "is also a draw." - GM J. Nunn. ).
32...Nxd5!;
33.Nf3
Qxg3+; This has got to be the best here.
( Not 33...Nxe3?;
34.Rd8+,
"+/-" "wins for White."
- GM J. Nunn. ).
34.Kh1,
Box, or 100% forced. (Not
34.Kf1??
Nxe3#
). 34...Bxf3+;
35.exf3
Qxf3+; 36.Kh2
Qxe3; 37.Qxc6,
(White can do this
thanks to the
preliminary
exchange on c6.) 37...Rxb3;
38.Qc8+ Kh7;
39.Qf5+
Kh6;
40.Rc6+
g6; 41.Rxg6+
fxg6; 42.Qf8+,
... "with perpetual check."
- GM J. Nunn. ).
(Returning
to the analysis of the sub-line 3a: 28.Ncb3!? Bh5!?;)
29.Bxd5, "+/="
White is clearly just a little better.
***
Var. #
3b.)
28.Ndb3
Re5;
"<=>" ("With good counterplay for
Black.")
"Black's pieces are very active." - GM J. Nunn.
(
Or 28...Qe5!?; ('?!')
29.fxe3
Qh5+; 30.Kg1
Qh3;
31.Bxd5
Qxg3+; 32.Kh1
Qh3+; "=" ... "is a draw."
- GM J. Nunn. ).
***
Var. #
3c.)
Kasparov gives:
28.fxe3?!; (Maybe - '?')
28...Nxe3; 29.Qb4
Nf1+!;
30.Kg1
Qxg3+; 31.Bg2,
( Or 31.Kxf1
Bh3+; ("-/+")
and Black wins. ).
31...Ne3; ... "and mates."
- GM Garry Kasparov.
(ChessBase.)
***
(Returning
to the analysis of variation # 3, with 27. Kh2!?, Raa3; 28. Nd3!,)
"The critical line, worked out
by John Nunn is:
28...Nh5; (Maybe - '!')
This might be best.
(
Black could also play: 28...Rxg3?;
29.fxg3
Nh5; 30.Rg1
Ne3;
31.Qc1
Rc3; 32.Qe1,
"+/-" ... "wins for White." - GM J.
Nunn.
Or 28...Ne4?!; 29.Bxe4
Rxe4; 30.Qxd5
cxd5; 31.Rxc7
Rxd4;
32.Rxb7
Bxe2; 33.Rxe2
Raxd3; 34.Rb8+
Kh7; and
now:
35.Re7, ... "gives White a very
favorable ending." - GM J. Nunn. ).
***
29.Qxd5!, Easily the best.
***
Nunn also gives: 29.Bxd5?! Rxg3!; "~" Best - GM John Nunn.
*
--->
( Nunn gives the following
line(s), but it is riddled with
errors.
29...Nxg3?; 30.Bxf7+!,
{ Or 30.fxg3?
Qxg3+; 31.Kh1
Qh3+; 32.Kg1
cxd5;
33.Qc2, Nunn now gives:
"33...Nf4; and Black wins."
But this move is not possible ... There are no Black Knights
on the board!!
33...Rg3+;
34.Kf2
Rg2+; 35.Ke1
Qh1#. }
30...Kf8!?; Forced. (Looks best.)
Or 30...Kh8;
31.Kg2!, "+/-" and White should win.
(Nunn does NOT give this
move, ... but all the computers
find it instantly!)
Nunn gives: 31.fxg3??
Qxg3+; 32.Kh1,
"with perpetual check."
- GM J. Nunn.
In actuality, the position is a
mate is 5 for Black!! ("-/+");
(Or) Nunn also gives: 31.Nf4??
Qxf4; This looks
best.
Nunn gives: "31...Nf1+; 32. Kg1; refutes the attack."
("+/-")
- GM J. Nunn.
(This is dead wrong!!) 32.Kg1
Qh6; "-/+" Black wins easily.
31.Nf4,
( Or 31.Qc5+
Kxf7; 32.Kg1!,
"+/-" ). 31...Nf1+;
32.Kg1!, "+/-"
... "refutes the attack."
- GM J. Nunn. ) <---
*
(Returning
to the sub-variant with: 29. Bxd5?!, Rxg3!)
30.Bxf7+!,
(
Not 30.fxg3??
Qxg3+; 31.Kh1
Qh3+; 32.Kg1
cxd5;
33.Qc2
Nf4; "-/+" and Black wins.
- GM J. Nunn. )
30...Kh8; (Forced?) This may be best.
30...Kf8?; 31.Qc5+
Kxf7; 32.Ne5+
Kg8; 33.fxg3,
"+/-"
... "wins for White."
- GM J. Nunn.
31.fxg3
, (31.f4??
Qe7-+
).
31...Qxg3+; 32.Kh1=
,
... "with a perpetual check."
- GM J. Nunn.
(The computer gives: "=/+"
This line may merit further
investigation. {A.J.G.} )
***
(Back
to the main analysis line here.)
29...Nxg3;
Forced?
( Not 29...Rxg3?; 30.Qe5!, "+/-" - GM J. Nunn. ).
30.Kg1 Nxe2+; This is probably forced or best.
Not
30...Qa5?!; 31.bxc6!
Qxd2; 32.cxb7!
Re8; 33.Rb1!
Rxd3;
34.b8Q
Qd1+; 35.Rxd1
Rxd1+; 36.Kg2
Rxb8; 37.Kxg3
Bxe2;
38.Qe5
Rd8; 39.Nf5,
"+/-" ... "wins for White."
- GM J. Nunn.
31.Nxe2
Rxe2; 32.Qc5!?,
"+/" (Exclam,
according to Nunn.)
(Maybe - '?!')
when White is slightly better,
but does not have real
winning chances."
- FM G. Burgess.
(GM J. Nunn, in the book, "The
World's Greatest Chess Games,"
gives
many lines, but ends with
this crucial one, and concludes that
the game
should be drawn.)
My computer likes:
32.bxc6!?, (Maybe - '!/!!')
This looks a lot better
than Nunn's suggestion. 32...bxc6;
This looks forced.
(Or 32...Rxd2?!;
33.cxb7!,
"+/-" A student sent me an e-mail, and said he
was not convinced this line was a win for White. So: 33...Qb8;
34.Rc8+! Bxc8; 35.Qd8+ Kh7; 36.Be4+! f5; 37.Qh4+! Kg8;
38.Bd5+! Be6;
39.Bxe6+ Kf8; 40.Qh8+ Ke7; 41.Qxb8, "+/-" This is of course an easy win
for White! (I extended this line to it's logical conclusion because many
of students could not follow it.)
33.Rxe2
Bxe2; 34.Qe5,
"+/-"
Over an hour's worth of analysis,
and
checks of 3 different strong
computer chess analysis engines;
confirms
this is a win for White!
(A BIG hole in Nunn's work!).
This refutes Alekhine's entire
concept, ... and his whole combination!!!
***
I sent this whole analysis to
GM A. Soltis during the time period of
Oct.-Dec, 2001. I waited several months, and this was his exact reply:
"Dear A.J.,
Your analysis looks good to me. Maybe no one considered the the line:
32. bxc6, (!) before, because they didn't see 32...Rxd2; 33.cxb7, Qb8;
34. Rc8+!"
"As to what this means for the game, I'm not sure. Maybe Black
isn't so
badly off after 28...Bh5;
after all."
(Soltis is basically agreeing here with what I said in my analysis, and
my letter to him.)
"I'm surprised you found so many
Nunn errors. I never use a computer to
verify my analysis, but I assumed that he did."
"Good work!!"
Sincerely, GM Andy Soltis.
(No date on the note, but the letter's
envelope was post-marked,
February 13, 2002.)
***
Nunn finishes this line with:
32...Rxd2; 33.Qxa3
Qd8; 34.Ne1
cxb5; 35.Bxb7,
"+/"
"White only has 1 pawn left, so
his winning chances are near zero."
- GM J. Nunn.
( [The Mammoth Book Of] "The World's Greatest
Chess
Games."
Page # 137. );
***
Var. # 4.)
Not 27.Rdc2?!
Rxg3+!!; 28.Bg2,
( 28.fxg3?
Qxg3+; 29.Bg2
Ne3; "-/+" ).
28...Bh3; 29.fxg3
Qxg3; 30.e4
Ne3; "-/+"
***
Var. # 5.)
27.fxe3??
Qxg3+; 28.Bg2
Nxe3; "-/+"
***
Var. # 6.)
27.bxc6?
Rxg3+; 28.Bg2,
( 28.fxg3??
Qxg3+; 29.Bg2
Ne3; "-/+" ).
28...Ne3!; 29.fxe3
Bh3; "-/+" Variation by
- GM John Nunn.
Probably
the deepest analysis of the possibilities after White's 27th
move here that you will ever see!
(This concludes my analysis of White's alternatives on
move 27.) ].
***
27...cxb5; "=/+" (Maybe even - "/+")
(According to several strong computer programs, Black is now clearly better.)
Many writers consider this a good
move ... Black isolates his QNP,
but
blows the game wide open.
'!' - GM G. Kasparov.
'!' - J.F. Kirby.
[ 27...Raa3!? ].
28. Qxb5
Nc3!;
"/+"
"A second critical phase of the
combination. White's e-pawn falls."
- GM A. Soltis.
(The computers are already awarding Black a fair-sized advantage here.)
"The fireworks continue." - Irving Chernev.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
29. Qxb7,
This looks forced again.
(Black seeks the safety of a
simplified position, with the
Queens off the board.)
[
29.Qc4!?
b5; "/+" (and
"Black is clearly better.");
... "and the Queen cannot
continue to defend e2." - GM John Nunn.
Or 29.Qb2?!
Ra2; "/+" and
"Black is clearly better." ].
29...Qxb7; (Maybe - '!')
The best, according to
GM John Nunn.
[
29...Nxe2+!?; 30.Rxe2,
(30.Kh2!?
) 30...Qxb7;
31.Rxe3!, {"Compensation."}
"when the resulting position
offers few winning prospects."
- GM John Nunn.
(This line originates with
Alekhine.) ].
30. Nxb7
Nxe2+; 31.
Kh2,
This looks best. (Forced.)
"A fantastic position; so much
is en prise. Yet the material is even,
and
one would ordinarily expect a
quick draw. But Alekhine has a trick
up his
sleeve: he will win White's QN
at N7 (b7) after twelve (12) forced
moves!"
- GM R. Fine.
[
31.Kf1
Nxg3+!; 32.fxg3
Bxf3;
33.Bxf3
Rxf3+; 34.Kg2,
(Or 34.Ke2
Rxg3; "-/+").
34...Raa3; 35.Rd8+
Kh7;
36.Rh1+
Kg6; 37.Rh3
Rfb3!;
("-/+")
... "and Black should win." - GM A. Soltis.
***
Or: ... "with a decisive attack." - GM John Nunn.
... "White must give up the Knight
or be mated in two moves by
the
Black Rooks." - Irving Chernev.
... "and wins." - GM A. Alekhine. ].
31...Ne4!; (Maybe - '!!')
"Just when you think the
combination must be over ...
- because of the absence of Queens -
Alekhine continues to find tactics."
- GM A. Soltis.
"What a move!" - GM G. Kasparov.
One of the greatest queenless attacks of all time.
'!!' - GM G. Kasparov.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
[
31...Rxf3!?; 32.Rxe2,
(32.Bxf3??
Nxc1; "-/+").
32...Rxg3;
33.Kxg3
Bxe2; "=/+"
(Maybe - "/+")
This should be a draw, ('!') according
to GM John Nunn. ].
32. Rc4, (Maybe - '!?')
"This move has been praised as
clever defense." - GM A. Soltis.
"Relatively best." - GM R. Fine.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
[
Var. # 32W1.)
"A superior defense was:
32.Rd8+!
Rxd8; 33.fxe3,
was best from a pragmatic
point of view. It would force
Black to find the difficult 33...Rd5!; 34.Rc4
N2xg3;
after which 35.Bg2
Nf1+!; ("-/+")
{ '!!' - FM G. Burgess, GM J. Nunn. }
(and) wins." - GM A. Soltis.
Continuing
this line, we get:
36.Kg1
Rd1; 37.Bxf1
Bxf3; "-/+"
... and "the threat of 38...Nd2; is decisive."
- FM G. Burgess.
(and GM John Nunn.);
Var. # 32W2.)
Probably bad was:
32.fxe3?!
Nxd2; 33.Rc2,
( 33.Nxd2?!
Nxc1; "-/+" - GM R. Fine.
).
33...Nxf3+; 34.Bxf3,
( Not 34.Kg2?
Ne1+; ("-/+") ).
34...Bxf3;
"-/+"
... "when Black has gained
a piece." - I. Chernev. ].
32...Nxf2!;
The best, and also given
an exclam by GM Soltis.
[
Var. # 32B1.)
"Black had to see through
32...Bxf3!?; ('?' - Soltis.)
33.Rxe4!
; (Maybe - '!!')
'!!' - GM G. Kasparov.
( 33.fxe3?
Nxd2; "/+" Probably "-/+"
). 33...Rxe4?;"
(Soltis only gives this move,
which is a huge error.)
(
Black has the far superior: 33...Bxe4!;
34.fxe3, (Forced.)
( Not 34.Nc5??
Bxh1; "-/+" ).
34...Bxh1; 35.Kxh1
Nxg3+;
36.Kg2
Ne4; "-/+"
when Black is much better.
But now White could play:
37.Rd8+
Rxd8; 38.Nxd8,
"with good drawing chances."
- GM Garry Kasparov. )
"34.Bxf3; "=" ."
Soltis stops
here, but the general conclusion
is that White is OK.
( Not 34.Rxe2?? Rxe2; 35.Bxf3 Rxf2+; ("-/+") Black wins easily. ).
Continuing
this line, we get:
34...Nc3; 35.Bxe4
Nxe4; "=" ...
... "and White is out of the woods."
- Irving Chernev.
***
Var. # 32B2.)
(Soltis gives a line before this one,
saying that, "Black had to
see through {this line} ...") etc. ...
" as well as
32...Nxd2; ('?') 33.Nxd2!
Rd3;
( Maybe 33...Be6!?
).
34.Nc5!
Rxd2; 35.Bxa8,
"=". " - GM A. Soltis. ].
33. Bg2,
White is lost, but Reti makes
Alekhine find the most difficult
win!
"This avoids the Black threat
of NxB/h1 and then BxN/f3+."
- Irving Chernev.
[
Var. # 33W1.)
White could have also played: 33.Ng5!?
Nxh1; "-/+"
Or Var. # 33W2.)
33.Nd6, ('?!') 33...Be6;
"-/+"
Or Var. # 33W3.)
33.Rcc2
Nxh1; 34.Rxe2,
( Or 34.Kxh1?
Bxf3+; and now play
could
proceed:
35.Kh2
Ra1!; ("-/+") The threat of ...Rh1 mate
is decisive. )
34...Rxe2+; 35.Rxe2
Bxf3; "-/+" ].
33...Be6!; (Maybe - '!!')
(Very pretty.)
Another beautiful move, also given an exclam by GM Andy Soltis.
"Black clears g4 for 34...Ng4+; 35. Kh1, Ra1+." - GM A. Soltis.
"Gains a decisive tempo." - Irving Chernev.
Black continues to find the most beautiful and artistic lines.
***
"The remaining moves are all now forced." - GM John Nunn.
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - GM G. Kasparov.
[
Var. 33B1.) Maybe also winning for Black was:
Junior 6.0: 33...Ne4!?;
34.Rb2
Bxf3; 35.Bxf3
N2xg3; "/+" (Maybe even "-/+")
Black is clearly better.
(Nunn also gives this line.) -1.84/12;
Var. 33B2.)
But not
33...Bxf3?!; ('?') 34.Bxf3
Rxf3;
35.Rxe2
Nd1; "/+"
when Black is much better,
but will have to win the game
all over again.
Var. 33B3.) 33...Raa3!?;
"=/+" (Maybe - "/+") Interesting, but probably
not the best. (But Black still
seems clearly better here.);
Var. 33B4.)
33...Ra6!?; (Maybe - '!'/'!!')
This probably wins for Black, too.
34.Rd8+
Kh7; 35.Ng5+
Kg6;
36.Rd5
f5!; 37.Nh3
Bxh3;
38.Bxh3
Nxh3; "-/+" and
Black wins easily. ].
34. Rcc2, (Maybe - '!?')
White is just doing the best he
can here.
To his credit, Reti seems to be holding his own.
[
White could have tried:
34.Rb4!?, although this
probably will not save him.
After 34...Ng4+;
35.Kh3
Nh6+; 36.Kh2
Nf5; "/+" (Maybe "-/+")
when
Black will probably win
without too much difficulty. ].
34...Ng4+;
A nice - but kind of obvious - check by Black.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
35. Kh3, (Forced.)
Its not often that a player walks
willingly into a discovered check!
"Forced, for if 35. K-R1, R-R8ch." - GM R. Fine.
[
35.Kh1??
Ra1+; ("-/+")
and Black wins easily. - Irving Chernev. ].
35...Ne5+; 36.
Kh2,
Unfortunately for White,
this looks forced.
[
36.Kh4?
Ra4+; ("-/+")
and Black wins. ].
36...Rxf3!;
Yet one more beautiful tactical
shot by Alekhine.
(This move is also awarded an
exclam by Soltis.).
'!' - GM A. Alekhine.
'!' - GM R. Fine.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
37. Rxe2,
Forced again.
[ 37.Bxf3? Nxf3+; 38.Kg2 Nxd2; "-/+" - Irving Chernev. ].
37...Ng4+;
This forces White to walk into a discovered check.
'!' - Irving Chernev.
38. Kh3
Ne3+; 39.
Kh2
Nxc2; 40.
Bxf3,
And this is forced too.
It also looks like White has (nearly) escaped.
[ 40.Rxc2? Re3; "-/+" ].
40...Nd4!; White Resigns, 0 - 1.
[ White loses a piece after: 40...Nd4!; 41.Rf2 Nxf3+; 42.Rxf3 Bd5!; "-/+" ]
0 - 1
The final shot in a series of
hammer blows by Alekhine.
(This final move is also awarded an
exclam by Soltis.)
( '!' - Irving Chernev.
'!' - GM R. Fine. ).
***
"Despite the scarcity of pieces,
the tactics decide."
- GM A. Soltis.
"This game has its critics, as well
as fans ... but the fans prevail."
- GM A. Soltis.
"A wonderful combination, marked
by fantastic maneuvering of the
Black minor pieces."
- Irving Chernev.
C.S. Howell suggested:
"Every player should study this game.
Any player who fails to study it,
or who studies it and learns naught -
should give up chess for Mah Jong."
- Clarence Seaman Howell, (in 'The American Chess
Bulletin.').
{ Howell, [1881-1936];
was a famous
American Master, who was both a
good player OTB, an analyst, and
an excellent postal player.
He never
achieved much international
success, and is almost an non-entity
outside
the U.S.A.
His analysis of a new variation of the
Spanish, published in the
British
Chess Magazine in 1922, led to
the variation being named after him. }.
(
Isaak Linder was a Russian [chess]
historian. He asked dozens - if not
hundreds - of players many questions
about chess. His third question was
something like: "What is your favorite
game of chess?" {Should NOT be
one
of your own games.} OR ... "Which
game ... had the greatest impact
on you in your development as a
chess player?" And/or "Which game
do
you consider to be the best
or the greatest or the most artistic?" ).
Both GM Alexander Kotov and GM Andor Lilienthal
... BOTH
cited this
one game (ALONE) in response to
Linder's third question!!
This game is considered by many
to be the greatest game of chess
ever
played. It is certainly one of
the finest Queenless attacks ever
played in
all of the history of chess.
( Soltis ranks this as the twentieth
{#20} best game of chess in
his
book, "The 100 Best.").
A reader's survey in BCM,
('BCM' = British Chess Magazine) voted this
game, "One of the most
beautiful games of the first half of
the 20th Century."
Alekhine
himself said that he
considered this game ...
one of his
two best ever efforts!!
(The other was his game vs.
E. Bogolyubov, Hastings; 1922.).
" This game is,
'The Gem of all gems!' "
- Cecil J.S. Purdy.
(C.J.S. Purdy was a famous postal
player. He also wrote very well.).
"It is truly a game of bewildering
beauty, one of the greatest
masterpieces
in the entire literature
of chess." - Irving Chernev.
"A fantastic game, maybe one
of the best ever played!"
- Al Horowitz.
(From 'Chess Review.').
"I think there is reason to nominate
this game the most beautiful ever
played in the history of chess." - GM Garry Kasparov.
(I have seen this game in dozens
of books and magazines over
the years.
Below are the ones I
consider to be the best, or the
main sources of information.).
Bibliography:
(I consulted the following books,
[& sources] in the order given,
to annotate this game.)
***
# 1.) "The 100 Best,"
by GM Andy Soltis.
(The 100 Best Chess
Games Of The 20th Century, Ranked.)
# 2.) [The Mammoth Book Of] "The World's
Greatest
Chess Games,"
by GM John Nunn,
GM John Emms, and FM Graham Burgess.
# 3.) "Chess Highlights of
The 20th
Century,"
by FM Graham Burgess.
# 4.) "My Best Games Of
Chess, {Volume II} 1924-1937,"
by GM Alexander A.
Alekhine.
# 5.) "The Golden Dozen," by Irving Chernev.
# 6.) "The World's Great Chess Games," by GM Ruben Fine.
# 7.) I also studied very carefully
the former World Champion's notes,
{Super - GM Garry Kasparov}; on this
game from his excellent analysis
for
ChessBase.
(Not a book, but a database game.)
I first annotated this game in the 1970's.
(I think it was run in a Virginia [State] publication or magazine.)
(I sent it to several different sources, so I am unsure of who
used it and who did not.)
This game is pretty much
the full version of the game as it exists in my database.
(I have not shortened it for publication.)
If you would like a copy of that game to study, please contact
me.
***
This page last updated on: Wednesday, February 12, 2014 .
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Copyright,
(©) A.J. Goldsby I. © A.J.
Goldsby, 1985-2013.
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2014. All rights reserved.
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