Alekhine grew out of the combination. He is in love with it. Everything strategic is only a preperation for him, almost a neccessary evil. The stunning blow, the unexpected thrust - this is his element... His imagination catches fire in the attack on the king. - Emanuel Lasker

I can comprehend Alekhine's combinations well enough; but where he gets his attacking chances from and how he infuses such life into the very opening - that is beyond me. – Rudolf Spielmann

Alekhine's real genius is in the preparation and construction of a position, long before combinations or mating attacks come into consideration at all.  - Max Euwe

Alekhine's attacks came suddenly, like destructive thunderstorms that erupted from a clear sky. – Garry Kasparov

In contrast to Fischer with his propensity for clarity, and to Karpov who grew up on Capablanca's games, from my early years I was enormously influenced by Alekhine's play and won over by his unprecedented feat in the 1927 match. I admired the refinement of his ideas, and I tried as far as possible to imitate his furious attacking style, with its sudden and thunderous sacrifices. - Garry Kasparov