WEBVTT 00:01.020 --> 00:01.860 Hi there. 00:01.890 --> 00:06.090 In this lecture, we see Alekhine playing against an anonymous player. 00:06.090 --> 00:09.660 And then this is in 1915, Moscow. 00:09.810 --> 00:12.280 Now, this could be made up by Alekhine. 00:12.280 --> 00:17.190 And he does have these amazing flights of fancy, a bit like David Bronstein. 00:17.220 --> 00:19.740 They have these games which they've dreamt up. 00:19.950 --> 00:26.370 They have such a passion for combinations and alekhine in particular. 00:26.370 --> 00:29.270 Laska said he's like born out of the chess combination. 00:29.280 --> 00:33.180 So all his is infrastructure, you know, starts from that. 00:33.180 --> 00:38.160 It's like if you want it to be a programmer, but you have a passion for games, maybe it's from games 00:38.160 --> 00:42.490 you branch out to get all the relevant resources you need. 00:42.510 --> 00:49.620 So he's like branching out from combinations and this is just a combination dream from alekhine so e4 00:50.340 --> 01:00.810 and his opponent's e6 French defense d4 from Alekhine d5 nine c3 nine f6 Bishop g5 and now this McCutchen 01:00.810 --> 01:07.620 variation Bishop before this counter pin countering a relative pin with an absolute pin, we have E5 01:07.620 --> 01:11.160 and now aged six and now here he takes F6 is played. 01:11.160 --> 01:14.310 This is not thought to be that good nowadays. 01:14.430 --> 01:20.250 A surprise weapon which is doing well statistically at the moment in both casual and more serious games 01:20.250 --> 01:21.300 is Bishop C1. 01:21.300 --> 01:26.100 It's funny, it's not a target as much as on D2 sometimes. 01:26.100 --> 01:30.990 So for example 90 E4 Queen G4, I know this looks a little bit crazy. 01:31.350 --> 01:36.330 Not to protect C3 but Queen takes G7 her. 01:39.300 --> 01:42.240 The thing is, yeah, there are lots of resources here. 01:42.240 --> 01:46.710 94 the sea free to block the track and the rocks still hanging. 01:46.710 --> 01:48.510 So let's imagine Rook fight. 01:48.600 --> 01:52.740 Bishop RD2 e4 Bishop takes b4 c5. 01:52.770 --> 01:57.840 This is one variation which is pretty sharp and basically off the Queen A5. 01:57.840 --> 02:07.140 Check here and see 3d4 9296 A3 won't does stand better here. 02:08.190 --> 02:15.510 It's very very sharp stuff, but I am interested in investigating for myself as a bishop. 02:15.550 --> 02:18.360 C1 Because this is kind of annoying, tricky variation. 02:18.570 --> 02:26.700 If we have a look at this again, if Black Castle's bishop takes H6 and this is just intolerable, we 02:26.700 --> 02:29.880 can play like this and then here, play a free. 02:33.350 --> 02:41.000 And if Bishop e seven, Bishop de Free one is getting quite a vicious attack here. 02:41.690 --> 02:44.150 So this position not even bothering to take on sea freight. 02:44.180 --> 02:45.570 It's quite a vicious attack. 02:45.590 --> 02:47.360 Yeah, but that doesn't really want to play like that. 02:47.630 --> 02:50.500 That's a bad way of managing king safety. 02:50.510 --> 02:51.790 It's crazy stuff. 02:51.800 --> 02:54.800 But here you can see that there's quite a vicious attack. 02:55.910 --> 02:59.130 So, yeah, on Bishop St C three, B six. 02:59.150 --> 03:00.110 There's no problem here. 03:00.110 --> 03:00.940 King effect. 03:01.250 --> 03:14.720 We can now see three F-3 and here h4h7f4 with an advantage on King F eight Here might get to see five. 03:14.870 --> 03:19.400 We can play a frink if H five Queen ef four. 03:21.750 --> 03:23.640 Now H5 is important here. 03:24.270 --> 03:28.380 If C takes D4 attacks, White ends up with this bishop without a counterpart. 03:28.950 --> 03:33.660 And this position generally, even though we've got double pawns, it's actually quite interesting for 03:33.660 --> 03:35.370 us this position. 03:35.370 --> 03:37.120 We can even give up E5. 03:37.140 --> 03:44.160 Yeah, I mean, it's complicated territory, I would say so, you know, pretty interesting territory 03:44.190 --> 03:45.450 to investigate. 03:46.170 --> 03:48.660 And the king's like, you know, remains in the center. 03:48.660 --> 03:50.010 It's funny stuff. 03:50.310 --> 04:00.420 But yeah, if h5 that nudge we get sharp situations here with B4 sea tanks, Knight tanks D tanks atx 04:00.420 --> 04:09.660 b4 Bishop tanks b4 C free Bishop a5 Queen tanks e4 and white dart stands pretty well here. 04:09.780 --> 04:15.600 So anyway, that's Bishop C one in a nutshell, just in case you're wondering. 04:15.600 --> 04:17.220 So anyway, he takes f6. 04:17.220 --> 04:18.570 Let's get back to the game. 04:18.990 --> 04:20.220 We have H tanks. 04:20.220 --> 04:26.700 g5f Thanks G seven, rook G eight and now H four. 04:27.150 --> 04:28.320 Now here. 04:30.120 --> 04:36.630 Black plate G tanks H four Black could just take this on g seven And if H tanks, Queen tanks. 04:36.630 --> 04:41.100 White's advantage here is only going to be small if anything. 04:41.700 --> 04:48.900 So for example, Rook H, H and Bishop F eight might be five, Queenie, seven and White could play 04:48.900 --> 04:56.730 queen A free queen tanks in certainly take C seven check to get an advantage, a little advantage based 04:56.730 --> 04:58.020 on taking the bishop. 04:58.680 --> 05:05.520 So yeah G takes H four though was played instead of rook test G7 and that pawn is kind of potentially 05:05.520 --> 05:07.380 dangerous so that's interesting. 05:07.380 --> 05:12.480 G tanks H four We have Queen's before the pawn protected, but now Bishop E seven black could equalize 05:12.480 --> 05:13.890 here with Queen f6. 05:14.160 --> 05:17.520 This is the whole big snag of this variation. 05:17.970 --> 05:24.510 And so I wouldn't actually recommend this opening sequence from Alcuin is one of his flights of fancy. 05:24.510 --> 05:31.650 That's why I labeled Bishop C one actually, because this position doesn't really offer quite anything. 05:33.560 --> 05:34.920 You know, there's no problem. 05:34.920 --> 05:40.500 Check Bishop F eight 9596 black and respond to the France. 05:40.500 --> 05:42.090 There's absolutely no problem here. 05:42.090 --> 05:47.850 So this is this is the whole problem this line queen of things but in his flight of fancy Bishop E seven 05:47.850 --> 05:56.730 was played and we have G and we get this very interesting situation now after Geoffrey where White is 05:56.730 --> 06:00.750 doing their thing, Black is doing their thing. 06:01.140 --> 06:07.740 And that reminds me of a famous quotation of Capablanca about thinking about the opponent's moves. 06:07.740 --> 06:12.480 And Capablanca said, basically, what I think about my opponent's moves and I let my opponent think 06:12.480 --> 06:13.230 about theirs. 06:13.230 --> 06:17.040 This game is is like a representation of that. 06:17.670 --> 06:20.190 If black dead playing age tanks. 06:20.190 --> 06:30.210 Geoffrey The problem is Rook h8 Now this isn't so simple because there's King D7 and here there's a 06:30.210 --> 06:32.310 problem move to find. 06:32.310 --> 06:33.480 What would you play here? 06:33.510 --> 06:37.560 We've got the rook pinned to the queen, but black is running. 06:37.560 --> 06:40.140 Rook takes h eights to eliminate that pawn. 06:40.350 --> 06:42.660 So for 100 points, what would you play here? 06:45.650 --> 06:46.790 OC Yeah. 06:46.820 --> 06:50.690 Queen H five actually threatens Queen H seven. 06:50.690 --> 06:54.380 These pieces are not too relevant for H eight right now. 06:54.650 --> 07:02.630 So let's say Queenie eight because if g tanks have to, we can take hair and this position. 07:04.520 --> 07:07.550 We're you know, we've got extra pressure now on page four and seven. 07:07.550 --> 07:13.310 It's not really helped Black to have a piece of lunch for this position with Bishop H three look at. 07:13.730 --> 07:19.250 So yeah, the pressure is mounting and this starts to be very problematic. 07:19.280 --> 07:27.050 As example, this position where White is winning material and on Bishop f6 you have D5 drops looking 07:27.050 --> 07:28.250 at C seven now. 07:28.400 --> 07:28.820 Yeah. 07:28.820 --> 07:31.160 This is just pretty clear that White's winning. 07:32.030 --> 07:37.430 If Bishop takes g7967 check and 968 White's winning. 07:37.760 --> 07:42.350 So anyway C five was played so Black is doing their thing. 07:42.350 --> 07:43.790 White is doing his thing. 07:43.790 --> 07:50.030 So it's quite amusing now that we get a situation off the G takes h, c takes h five, just totally 07:50.030 --> 07:56.060 ignoring Black's threat to the night to get these two connected pass pawns so often this is very dangerous. 07:56.060 --> 08:00.230 Two connected pass pawns are worth their weight in gold, especially, you know, on the sixth rank. 08:00.230 --> 08:04.280 But one's on the seventh C takes me to now here. 08:04.280 --> 08:10.910 Yes a reaction rook B one queen A5 shank king to queen takes a two, which is a mistake. 08:11.060 --> 08:16.970 Black should play it seems queen a six check if king, a free queen, a free check. 08:17.150 --> 08:18.980 And now Bishop Defreeze needed. 08:20.300 --> 08:23.000 If the king steps on to the G file here. 08:23.930 --> 08:26.780 Actually, Black does have a nice resource. 08:26.780 --> 08:28.880 Can you see what that resource is? 08:28.880 --> 08:35.330 If I give you 5 seconds to pawn with video, how does black play from here if king G2 in inspiration? 08:37.100 --> 08:37.640 Yeah. 08:39.270 --> 08:40.770 There's Bishop Faint. 08:42.300 --> 08:47.960 And now if G takes a king, takes blanks. 08:47.970 --> 08:49.230 Got the advantage? 08:49.380 --> 08:50.410 What do we do? 08:50.430 --> 08:56.920 90 to 96 blacks are going to get any advantage here that kicks the queen. 08:56.940 --> 08:58.290 Sure, but look at this. 08:58.710 --> 09:00.330 So, Bishop D7. 09:01.620 --> 09:01.950 Yeah. 09:01.980 --> 09:02.460 Anytime. 09:02.460 --> 09:03.350 H7. 09:03.360 --> 09:04.440 There's rook takes. 09:06.060 --> 09:06.780 G seven. 09:06.780 --> 09:14.190 So if taking hit rock takes this position, blacks in the driving seat, that's got the advantage there. 09:14.430 --> 09:19.290 So anyway, so in a nutshell, Queen a six check was absolutely needed. 09:19.770 --> 09:22.590 And if bishop defray this position. 09:23.790 --> 09:27.330 G takes queen thanks Queen H for. 09:28.320 --> 09:31.650 And here this this should approach equality. 09:31.650 --> 09:40.400 It's very complicated still but it approaches a quality with check Rook takes B2 and Queen f6. 09:40.410 --> 09:48.780 And even though even though it seems well black's piece up it's it's not a problem actually here after 09:48.780 --> 09:53.250 Knight and free black's really tied up here and white can play C4. 09:53.700 --> 10:02.040 This is crazy stuff if D4 Queen takes E5 check c5 and you can see why it's got quite a lot of compensation. 10:03.100 --> 10:05.290 For the PC, it's about equal. 10:05.710 --> 10:10.900 You might ask if Knight take C4, Rook takes b7 Rook C7. 10:11.410 --> 10:14.860 And this possession is also it's an advantage for white. 10:15.190 --> 10:21.910 So there are ways to navigate based on Queen A6 In a nutshell, Queen A6 was the way to go and I'm Bishop 10:21.910 --> 10:29.860 D3, so we have that variation here where it leads to approximate equality. 10:30.280 --> 10:33.520 Key thing is the king is not stepping on that G so quickly. 10:33.520 --> 10:35.770 But anyway, Queen takes a two back to the game. 10:35.770 --> 10:43.080 Queen Thanks A2 We have H seven and now this is why the game was nicknamed Harem by by Chess Gamescom. 10:43.090 --> 10:45.220 There's so many queens that are about to emerge. 10:45.220 --> 10:47.050 We've got three queens now. 10:48.160 --> 10:59.650 Queens x f7, Queens Taxi two King F3, Knight c6g, Queen on G takes E6 check, which is an inaccuracy 10:59.650 --> 11:03.400 actually why it should play G ain't quitting. 11:03.400 --> 11:11.950 So for Queen situation with King C seven, we have Rook seven here and here there's Queen f7 seven for 11:11.980 --> 11:12.760 check. 11:13.180 --> 11:16.990 And here Queen six, eight, Queen six, eight, seven. 11:17.950 --> 11:21.160 Queen efficient King C seven Queen B3. 11:21.160 --> 11:24.400 This should end up with an advantage for white. 11:24.400 --> 11:27.910 That is one way of playing it for an advantage it seems. 11:28.960 --> 11:37.540 Okay, but in the game in the analysis, Queen G takes e6 change King C7 Queen four check King B since 11:37.570 --> 11:46.690 Queen E six to E3 check inaccuracy here it seems Bishop de Frey is the way to go. 11:46.690 --> 11:47.770 It seems we've advantage. 11:47.770 --> 11:52.840 But let's go with this Queen E to e for Bishop c5 G ain't quitting. 11:54.040 --> 11:57.490 Okay, so back to four queens, and now five queens are on the board. 11:57.850 --> 12:00.430 So it's a magnificent flight of fancy. 12:00.430 --> 12:01.360 And you might wonder. 12:01.390 --> 12:05.200 Yeah, I just think Alekhine dreams of combinations. 12:05.200 --> 12:10.360 His whole infrastructure, his whole basis of playing chess revolves around the combination. 12:10.510 --> 12:17.830 And the fact that he has these strange dreams is a testament to something very special. 12:18.340 --> 12:24.640 So, yes, this this five queen scenario he's dreamt up to dreamt up here is remarkable. 12:25.150 --> 12:32.740 So if Black had played instead, Bishop takes E3, then Queen takes E free check. 12:32.740 --> 12:39.010 And if D for that opens up this queen on G eight for Queen eight to be free chatter and this clears 12:39.010 --> 12:47.890 things up for advantage for white So and you might wonder if King A5 then Queen takes the E5 check and 12:47.890 --> 12:52.160 the queens are converging for the checkmate there so okay. 12:53.410 --> 12:55.180 So be one cleaning. 12:55.180 --> 12:56.410 And now there's only one. 12:56.680 --> 12:59.260 Funny enough, there's only one move for advantage here. 12:59.260 --> 12:59.920 For why? 12:59.950 --> 13:02.770 This is the fascinating thing about this move. 13:02.830 --> 13:07.540 24 He does this amazing conception where there's only one move here. 13:07.630 --> 13:09.790 It looks as though, well, the bishop's attacked. 13:09.820 --> 13:11.380 Do we move that? 13:11.470 --> 13:12.820 What would you play here for? 13:12.820 --> 13:13.960 200 points. 13:15.760 --> 13:23.110 So if there's any sort of attack here, I think it's this like this this move is iconic and iconic move 13:23.110 --> 13:26.320 to actually give advantage for why only one move. 13:26.320 --> 13:27.390 So what would you play here? 13:27.400 --> 13:28.630 You might want to pause the video. 13:29.110 --> 13:30.670 Think about it carefully. 13:37.140 --> 13:37.420 Okay. 13:37.470 --> 13:39.900 The move is actually important. 13:40.590 --> 13:42.120 Rookie sex is an ingredient. 13:42.120 --> 13:46.870 Quite often pinning is an ingredient part of successful attacks. 13:46.890 --> 13:53.610 So by pinning in the night, you know, all of a sudden data is more sensitive, for example, or before 13:53.640 --> 13:57.210 these points where the night doesn't have any real influence. 13:57.210 --> 14:01.980 The power of the pin piece is illusionary, is important for our attack potential. 14:03.390 --> 14:07.410 Now, here, I'm not going to go into the other moves because there's already been extensive analysis 14:07.410 --> 14:08.180 so far. 14:08.190 --> 14:09.330 So let's just. 14:09.870 --> 14:13.210 Well, apart from one, though, let's let's just give another example. 14:13.380 --> 14:14.220 Just one example. 14:14.220 --> 14:15.300 Bishop e2. 14:16.080 --> 14:24.480 If Bishop E2 plank takes on E3 and site F tanks, there's Queen E for check, Queen taxi, E for Queen 14:24.490 --> 14:26.280 Saint's, E for King F2. 14:26.430 --> 14:31.440 And in fact, the poor rook drops and black is actually winning here. 14:32.370 --> 14:32.850 Yeah. 14:32.850 --> 14:33.470 So? 14:34.450 --> 14:35.940 So Bishop A2 doesn't help. 14:35.940 --> 14:44.430 So yeah, the key point is to this pin and now Queen text F one is played, but this is actually going 14:44.430 --> 14:48.450 into a mate force champ mate queen thanks. 14:48.450 --> 15:00.870 F1 black had to play bishop G4 check if Queen G tanks G4 Bishop takes E3 Queen Tanks e3 Shank Queen 15:00.870 --> 15:01.800 C5. 15:04.040 --> 15:07.490 And here queen takes king takes king, too. 15:07.700 --> 15:13.400 So Black had to go in for this for a bit more fight. 15:15.700 --> 15:25.410 If head d4 Queen G takes the Falkirk C, that pins piece comes into its hand, its pendant. 15:25.600 --> 15:27.580 And this is just mating. 15:28.060 --> 15:28.630 So okay. 15:28.660 --> 15:29.940 But Queen takes F one. 15:29.950 --> 15:31.600 We see the power of the pins. 15:31.630 --> 15:35.860 P So we're saying this knight's illusionary on these kind of key squares. 15:36.160 --> 15:42.790 So just bear this in mind that rook h sex is a, is a kind of pivotal part of this attack that this 15:42.790 --> 15:43.690 knights pins. 15:43.720 --> 15:48.820 So just to amplify this a little bit more visually, so this it's kind of completely paralyzed. 15:49.630 --> 15:58.040 And we have here a move which exploits also you know it's there's also another pin against the bishop. 15:58.060 --> 16:04.530 So multiply that illusion effects and what what square is spectacularly undefended here. 16:04.540 --> 16:06.820 And there's also a weakness of the last move. 16:07.030 --> 16:12.820 So, in fact, we have if you think about the intersection of the pin pieces and the weakness of the 16:12.820 --> 16:19.500 last move that's joined that in, there's an Achilles heel that has been created in Black's position. 16:19.510 --> 16:25.480 That's the whole point of pinning and the pinning head, Well, there's an Achilles heel that has been 16:25.480 --> 16:26.430 generated. 16:26.440 --> 16:29.680 So what is the key move here for 200 points? 16:29.710 --> 16:36.010 There are two pieces that are absolutely pinned to the king, and this helps drive forward our attack 16:36.010 --> 16:40.180 using key squares, which are pretty devastating to make use of. 16:40.210 --> 16:43.180 So which square is my use of? 16:45.940 --> 16:48.770 Okay, I'm about to show it's Queen Bee for Shaq. 16:48.780 --> 16:50.970 You know, we can play queen before they're both pinned. 16:51.480 --> 16:58.560 Queen Bee five And now another square, not really defended now is made use of queen the check after 16:58.560 --> 17:00.240 King six. 17:00.600 --> 17:09.540 We have now Queen E to a free check Queen seeds A4 and now Queen A takes A4 check. 17:09.720 --> 17:13.290 Queen thanks A4 queen size A4 is checkmate. 17:14.520 --> 17:22.140 Yeah it's it's a fun stuff it's it's really an amazing flight of fancy and shows You know the queen 17:22.140 --> 17:28.740 really has dreams about combinations and he grows his whole attacking chess around that to try and create 17:28.740 --> 17:33.270 these wonderful combinations key features of this you know, combination. 17:33.270 --> 17:37.650 For me, it's the power of the pen pieces, the squares that you get access to. 17:37.650 --> 17:43.020 And in combination with the weakness of the last move, that B force crowd was absolutely pivotal in 17:43.020 --> 17:45.270 a final combination part of this. 17:45.270 --> 17:50.580 So I hope, yeah, it's instructive to think about pin pieces when attacking basically. 17:50.760 --> 17:55.340 I mean, that's the big theme here overall as far as the opening theory is concerned. 17:55.350 --> 17:55.710 Sure. 17:55.710 --> 17:58.890 Yeah, it's nice to have a weapon and a surprise weapon. 17:58.890 --> 18:03.660 So I would recommend Bishop C one if you want to take this analysis and build on it for your repertoire. 18:03.660 --> 18:10.950 Because the reason I also am kind of excited to analyze that is we're in territory which is very, very 18:10.950 --> 18:11.820 exciting here. 18:11.820 --> 18:14.010 If Bishop is having the Alekhine shattered gambit. 18:14.010 --> 18:17.780 So this could make form part of a strong repertoire. 18:17.790 --> 18:25.440 This whole system here, if you get the McCUTCHEON system, kind of have something against McCUTCHEON 18:25.470 --> 18:29.400 Bishop before CounterSpin Okay, I hope you enjoyed that analysis. 18:29.400 --> 18:31.680 Got something from it that's so much.