WEBVTT 00:00.910 --> 00:01.510 Hi there. 00:01.540 --> 00:07.420 In this lecture, we see a fascinating offhand game played between Alexander Alekhine and often Kauffman. 00:07.420 --> 00:09.370 So this was played in 1918. 00:09.370 --> 00:13.390 Odessa So not, not part of an official tournament, just an offhand game. 00:13.390 --> 00:14.860 D4 From Alekhine. 00:14.980 --> 00:22.390 The five Knights have three C5 and we have a kind of London system, but it hasn't supported the center. 00:22.450 --> 00:23.860 So we've see three. 00:23.860 --> 00:26.620 So this is interesting just letting D4 go. 00:26.620 --> 00:33.490 We have now a very interesting move, which maybe it shouldn't have worked as well as it did. 00:33.490 --> 00:36.220 Bishop takes by an early forcing move. 00:37.090 --> 00:43.720 Its quite committed to give up the dance where Bishop rook takes the Queen takes D4 and Black is prompted 00:43.720 --> 00:50.200 here for a move which doesn't really help piece development B to shield the A7 pawn Much better would 00:50.200 --> 00:51.640 have been F6. 00:52.060 --> 00:57.490 And yeah, this really isn't much for White's after this counter. 00:57.670 --> 00:59.530 This this kind of pawn sac here. 00:59.560 --> 01:06.790 This doesn't really do much for white, this particular opening sequence if it was played like this. 01:09.110 --> 01:12.410 Because, yeah, blacks got a lot of compensation now with the two bishops. 01:12.410 --> 01:15.920 But here is a whole different story after Bs6. 01:16.100 --> 01:18.690 So what's the best way to proceed here? 01:18.710 --> 01:22.550 You think if I give you a five sentence pause video, what would you play? 01:27.080 --> 01:30.400 The natural tendency is to kind of open up the position. 01:30.410 --> 01:32.990 We've moved like E, which is what Alekhine played. 01:33.020 --> 01:41.720 It turns out here actually in sort of E-4 and Queens choice night C free is actually even better. 01:41.720 --> 01:43.450 If not have sex. 01:43.460 --> 01:48.320 We can play E4 for now and there are huge benefits in doing doing it like this. 01:48.770 --> 01:58.070 If e6 we can take on D5 and this position should be five check and here we can actually grab the five. 01:58.960 --> 02:02.970 So that night, putting pressure on day five here is very, very interesting. 02:02.980 --> 02:04.260 Taking out the five. 02:04.270 --> 02:05.320 Now here, you might ask. 02:05.320 --> 02:05.980 Hold on. 02:05.980 --> 02:08.380 Why can't black plate Bishop takes be five. 02:08.410 --> 02:10.770 Well, we have Queen E five chat. 02:10.780 --> 02:12.640 We're looking at Bates hair. 02:12.970 --> 02:14.260 So with this check. 02:15.130 --> 02:16.450 So what does Black do? 02:17.470 --> 02:18.310 Bishop e seven. 02:18.310 --> 02:19.840 We can cancel now. 02:20.650 --> 02:22.750 And black's in huge trouble here. 02:22.750 --> 02:26.470 If black cancels, we're taking out E seven winning the Queen. 02:26.980 --> 02:30.700 If black plays nine takes the five, we're taking the five. 02:31.240 --> 02:36.580 And the king stuck in the center hair of the queen size g seven. 02:37.000 --> 02:38.950 Let's say rook F eight, nine, five. 02:38.950 --> 02:44.080 We're going to get our material back with interest by piling up on D seven. 02:44.230 --> 02:46.810 This is a terrible situation for Black to be in. 02:46.990 --> 02:49.060 So here we're going to just take on D seven. 02:49.060 --> 02:51.460 We've a huge advantage here. 02:51.790 --> 02:52.210 Okay. 02:52.210 --> 02:56.350 So I hope that explains this situation with our bishop hanging on B5. 02:56.380 --> 03:00.910 But yeah, it shows the dangers of Knight C free taking out D5. 03:00.940 --> 03:03.280 It's a fascinating position really. 03:03.280 --> 03:06.760 Is this position where one is significantly better? 03:07.330 --> 03:15.670 Okay, so returning to analysis now, if Knight 65, this gets a very interesting situation where the 03:15.670 --> 03:24.160 king is still in the center and okay, we've sacrificed two pieces here, but Queen five we're looking 03:24.160 --> 03:26.080 at the rook on B eight, so let's imagine. 03:26.080 --> 03:31.060 Bishop E seven to avoid losing the B eight, Rook takes the E5. 03:31.060 --> 03:34.630 We're getting back our pieces with interest this position. 03:34.630 --> 03:39.460 So yes, Knight C Free is a very, very powerful move, putting pressure on D five here. 03:40.480 --> 03:42.940 So so we see here. 03:42.940 --> 03:43.270 Yeah. 03:43.270 --> 03:45.700 This, this situation is very, very interesting. 03:45.910 --> 03:48.010 But you might ask hold on. 03:48.010 --> 03:53.500 What about E three, E six here, E four again, this is really good. 03:53.500 --> 03:57.340 Bishop B five shank and here we can console queenside. 03:58.300 --> 04:00.700 This position might be five. 04:00.700 --> 04:08.110 Even if the Queen's come off, we have a huge possession with huge flats after the 9696. 04:08.110 --> 04:09.880 Check this position. 04:10.510 --> 04:14.530 We're going to end up winning Black's queenside, for example. 04:14.530 --> 04:15.880 This is just huge. 04:16.150 --> 04:22.690 So yes, Knight C free does have a lot going for it in this particular position, this pressure on D5 04:22.690 --> 04:25.270 rather than E4 immediately. 04:26.800 --> 04:28.330 So yes, interesting position. 04:28.330 --> 04:33.910 And here if Knight takes the five we can console queenside this position. 04:33.910 --> 04:39.820 Bishop C4 mounting the pressure on D5 here black is in big trouble. 04:39.820 --> 04:43.480 Rook takes D5 for example is winning material. 04:44.170 --> 04:48.850 So yes, all in all it does seem as though 94 is really interesting. 04:51.780 --> 04:53.910 There's another interesting possibility as well. 04:53.910 --> 04:57.640 9e5, another aggressive queen, 65. 04:57.660 --> 05:00.570 This situation is in its favor, too. 05:00.760 --> 05:04.560 But let's go with the game now. 05:04.590 --> 05:07.880 E-4 So we have three tanks. 05:07.890 --> 05:14.340 E-4 If might have 695 here because we've opened up the bishop with E-4. 05:14.370 --> 05:15.990 This is a huge France. 05:16.530 --> 05:20.130 So if Bishop de seven, we can now play knights free. 05:20.310 --> 05:22.860 967 Knight takes three seven. 05:22.860 --> 05:24.810 We're much stronger on the light squares. 05:24.840 --> 05:31.290 Bishop Without a counterpart, we can take out seven and put huge pressure on D5. 05:31.320 --> 05:33.870 So that's kind of crumbling here. 05:34.020 --> 05:39.360 Even if we simplify, this is just huge for white with the extra pawn, but pieces as well. 05:41.080 --> 05:45.400 So if three takes wasn't played, yeah, then. 05:45.430 --> 05:46.000 Sorry. 05:46.300 --> 05:51.010 So this position 95 is strong but say takes is played. 05:52.750 --> 05:55.510 Queen takes de check is the game. 05:55.510 --> 06:00.430 Well this is the game continuation Queen takes the eight Jack and this leaves the king. 06:01.590 --> 06:02.910 You know, not protecting. 06:03.180 --> 06:09.930 F7 So guess what Alekhine plays here, which is really strong and actually causes black to resign. 06:14.200 --> 06:19.360 Okay, So not if I Maybe the resignation is a little bit premature for a casual game. 06:19.660 --> 06:25.210 Black could have tried 96 because if King that is a true disaster. 06:25.210 --> 06:25.780 Just push it be. 06:25.870 --> 06:29.080 I will bring the king back to the eight winning the rook. 06:29.230 --> 06:35.380 But say Knight's age 69c6 Check here. 06:35.380 --> 06:44.620 OC White's advantage is only a small edge actually because Black does have the bishop pair and compensation 06:44.920 --> 06:45.670 for the exchange. 06:45.670 --> 06:47.650 It's not the end of the world necessarily. 06:47.650 --> 06:53.050 There's a bit of work to do, which is why I kind of wanted to highlight these other possibilities. 06:53.290 --> 06:57.370 So it's just the casual game, but it's interesting to put these on the scrutiny. 06:57.370 --> 07:03.190 These are kind of celebrated quite a bit as well, so it was quite a forceful opening. 07:03.190 --> 07:05.470 This is a very forceful kind of London system. 07:05.650 --> 07:09.280 Variation with Bishop takes bait. 07:09.280 --> 07:16.660 But yeah, if Black's willing to sacrifice a pawn, Black is celebrating the two bishops that bishop 07:16.660 --> 07:19.420 were a counterpart, the dark square bishop Black counterpart. 07:19.450 --> 07:24.070 This would have been the way to do it, just knowing f6 just offer up a seven. 07:24.700 --> 07:27.220 So that's the first issue here. 07:27.220 --> 07:28.060 With this casual game. 07:28.060 --> 07:29.080 It's just the casual game. 07:29.080 --> 07:30.430 Second issue is E4. 07:30.430 --> 07:39.100 Straight off the bat, it seems 93 is far superior in the various variations which could emerge here. 07:40.960 --> 07:44.230 So yes, 93 has a lot going for it as mentioned. 07:45.940 --> 07:52.750 But yeah, e4 black seemed to be just because the exchange down black seems to be quite willing to resign 07:52.750 --> 07:53.050 here. 07:53.050 --> 07:54.880 So a fascinating little game. 07:54.880 --> 07:56.440 I wouldn't read too much into it. 07:56.470 --> 07:58.720 It's what fascinates me mostly. 07:58.720 --> 08:07.030 That's why I'm showing you this is actually this temptation to play E4 here rather than Knight C free. 08:07.030 --> 08:09.640 I examined myself deeply. 08:09.640 --> 08:09.960 Why? 08:09.960 --> 08:11.550 Why is it that I'm not thinking Knight? 08:11.560 --> 08:13.120 C Free is strong. 08:13.120 --> 08:17.440 Knight C4 is one of my opening moves generally or anti systems. 08:17.440 --> 08:23.560 But yeah, this pressure on D5, that's another way of exerting pressure if you think about it on the 08:23.560 --> 08:24.790 D5 pawn. 08:24.790 --> 08:31.090 So it is a legitimate like developing move as well as I mean you could say well E4 develops this bishop 08:31.420 --> 08:36.820 but yeah, this is actually it does seem in this particular scenario it's got a lot going for it in 08:36.820 --> 08:38.410 comparison with E4. 08:38.410 --> 08:43.690 It actually seems to and also of course it facilitates castling queenside in many variations. 08:43.690 --> 08:46.810 So this is just a really interesting scenario. 08:46.810 --> 08:51.550 If you get this kind of scenario, how we can use this scenario and blast through the defile. 08:51.550 --> 08:58.480 So just maybe bear that in mind as well as a side effect of studying this game under the scrutiny. 08:58.630 --> 09:02.080 But anyway, thankfully, Alekhine's opponent just resigned here. 09:02.080 --> 09:05.530 Without further ado, short and sweet game. 09:05.680 --> 09:07.630 Okay, that's very much.