WEBVTT 00:00.800 --> 00:01.550 Hi there. 00:01.580 --> 00:07.400 In this lecture, we see Capablanca playing against Alekhine in the 1927 World Championship match, 00:07.400 --> 00:08.660 round 21. 00:09.020 --> 00:11.090 So Alekhine was playing. 00:11.090 --> 00:18.410 It seemed a little bit more positionally, less risky play of this epic world chess championship match. 00:18.530 --> 00:23.900 And this particular game I'd actually stumbled on many, many years back in the middle game book and 00:23.900 --> 00:29.900 it inspired me for the use of a night out post as a prelude to attacking potential. 00:30.260 --> 00:36.090 So we have here Bishop G five from Capablanca Knight, BD seven e4 E7. 00:36.140 --> 00:41.000 I have three Black Rook C1 and then this move a six. 00:41.000 --> 00:42.890 So this is kind of interesting. 00:42.890 --> 00:51.770 We have a free H six and now we have Bishop H for this might actually be a slightly inaccurate move. 00:51.980 --> 00:57.680 There is another way of playing this position based on its peculiarities of E6, which is to actually 00:57.680 --> 00:58.910 take on F6. 00:58.910 --> 01:04.910 Now normally you don't want to give up the dance square Bishop, but here after Knight takes F6, there's 01:04.910 --> 01:09.140 C5 as a move and as a plan basically. 01:09.150 --> 01:11.930 Knight These D7 Bishop D freed this position. 01:13.280 --> 01:20.180 It has interesting dynamic prospects for White based on the Knight Squares and potentially a need for 01:20.180 --> 01:20.510 break. 01:20.510 --> 01:23.990 So that's it should be about even this particular position. 01:23.990 --> 01:31.970 But Bishop h4 was played and this allows details C4 now Bishop takes C4 and now B5 and this is actually 01:31.970 --> 01:33.590 rather comfortable for black already. 01:33.590 --> 01:41.510 Bishop These seven white castles, perhaps white should have put the safety look on the C5 break so 01:41.840 --> 01:47.120 B4 to stop C5 would seem also to be about equal here. 01:50.870 --> 01:53.440 And yeah, I mean, B5 is loose hair. 01:53.450 --> 01:55.550 This is just a swapping beef. 01:56.060 --> 01:57.320 Beef, beef horns. 01:57.800 --> 02:04.760 If a five is played so but anyway, and if a five isn't played, black might have a, you know, quite 02:04.760 --> 02:06.020 a passive position here. 02:06.710 --> 02:13.490 So White Castle though we have C5, D takes 98 C5 and now 94. 02:13.520 --> 02:17.420 This is actually another kind of little tiny inaccuracy. 02:17.420 --> 02:21.350 And these really build up potentially one should have played. 02:21.350 --> 02:28.400 It seems Bishop takes f6 for tactical reasons that this nine is a slight target on the x ray so Bishop 02:28.400 --> 02:34.280 takes f6 there will be Knight takes B5 and the thing is yeah, what does Black do here. 02:34.280 --> 02:37.760 It takes this should be even overall. 02:38.960 --> 02:43.340 And if Queen 61 F takes the one. 02:43.340 --> 02:47.270 This position is interesting. 02:47.270 --> 02:49.970 After Rook C seven, Bishop takes F3. 02:49.970 --> 02:52.310 Bishop takes F3 eighteenths. 02:52.640 --> 02:53.800 Bishop takes eight. 02:53.870 --> 02:57.690 This position ends up to be about even. 02:57.710 --> 03:04.520 This is quite a weird and wacky sequence, but overall so 92 forces this rook to take as the Lord's 03:04.550 --> 03:05.540 back row mate. 03:05.570 --> 03:06.740 Or just winning with zero. 03:06.740 --> 03:11.300 So this rook takes 9/10 and we just go into an equal wang game. 03:11.300 --> 03:13.140 So that is a way of equalizing. 03:13.160 --> 03:15.800 It seems Bishop takes f6, but this. 03:15.800 --> 03:19.890 Yeah, some tiny advantages are accumulating for black hair. 03:19.940 --> 03:26.960 Already we have rook C eight and now b4 this looks as though it was like a key mistake of this game. 03:26.960 --> 03:32.570 But actually it's actually 94 it seems on closer inspection than modern engines. 03:32.570 --> 03:39.470 Black is already better even if b4 isn't played, which I felt for a long time was just weakening C4. 03:39.470 --> 03:44.510 But actually the position here is not great for white. 03:45.110 --> 03:50.720 If Bishop Geoffrey Queen B sinks, Bishop takes Queen's hands. 03:50.870 --> 03:53.390 Black's pieces are slightly better here. 03:53.600 --> 03:55.520 After Knight takes Queen takes, for example. 03:55.550 --> 04:00.590 Bishop G3 FTA You can see that the black pieces, the better, more aggressive. 04:01.070 --> 04:10.430 So something has happened, but b4 is not arguably it's not actually the key mistake, but it is offering 04:10.430 --> 04:13.220 this Achilles heel to make use of. 04:13.550 --> 04:15.440 And you might think, you know, why? 04:15.470 --> 04:16.670 Why would I show you this game? 04:16.850 --> 04:22.370 This is about attacking chess, but sometimes attacking chess does have a positional prelude to accumulate 04:22.370 --> 04:23.930 advantages very subtly. 04:23.930 --> 04:29.390 And this is such a high profile iconic game from a world championship match. 04:29.840 --> 04:37.220 It would be remiss of me not to show you this game, especially as it had a profound influence on some 04:37.220 --> 04:38.840 of my positional as well. 04:38.840 --> 04:45.560 But yeah, positional play will amplify attacking chess later if we have a strong knight outpost on 04:45.560 --> 04:49.110 C4 is looking at a related square for the king. 04:49.110 --> 04:51.560 You know, the king's on a dark square. 04:51.560 --> 04:53.990 So we have a Knight Square outpost. 04:53.990 --> 04:59.270 This could help some attacking potential or combination of possibilities against the king later. 04:59.390 --> 05:08.180 So bear that in mind we have Knight B six, Queen B Free Knight 55, Bishop F3 here. 05:08.180 --> 05:15.300 If Knight E4 one could actually pounce on the A4 square, install a knight on A4 here. 05:15.710 --> 05:22.250 This position of Queen D seven is also it's kind of slightly favorable to blank smaller H4 black. 05:22.250 --> 05:25.100 So Bishop Alfredo's played and now rook C4. 05:25.130 --> 05:28.550 This is actually, it seems a slight inaccuracy. 05:29.210 --> 05:36.470 It is ambitious for things like Queen A8 this looks very, very hyper modern ish, but actually it turns 05:36.470 --> 05:43.220 out Knight C4 is actually rather interesting for 92 as a France concretely, but also it's just good 05:43.220 --> 05:44.150 on C4. 05:44.180 --> 05:52.130 If Knight e4 Queen B syncs this position for example, let's just take this position. 05:52.130 --> 05:57.410 Black does have the edge, it's just nicely installed knights on C4 and D5. 05:57.530 --> 06:05.960 If we go again and just have a look at 1965 Bishop tanks Rook 41 Black has knight D2 tactically here 06:06.080 --> 06:13.640 so if rook takes rook take C1 if Queen b2 rook take C1 and then Knight takes F3, G takes a bit of structural 06:13.640 --> 06:17.750 damage and black stands quite well here in this position. 06:18.320 --> 06:21.980 So for example E4 Bishop C4 Black is standing very well. 06:22.370 --> 06:31.130 So anyway, the more exotic rook C4 is played, we have Knight E4 if Bishop e to her. 06:32.600 --> 06:40.400 The funny thing is, I could just play Rook, take C frame and this position simplifying queen. 06:40.400 --> 06:42.190 Take three for Queen 88. 06:42.200 --> 06:45.400 So that's a good move here. 06:45.410 --> 06:47.720 And what does won't do if Bishop Geoffrey. 06:49.460 --> 06:56.490 Because if every black just plays basically rook, he ain't seizing control from the farm. 06:56.510 --> 06:57.140 Black's better there. 06:57.140 --> 07:05.240 But let's imagine also, Bishop, every rook since this position ends up being slightly advanced like, 07:05.240 --> 07:07.620 well, more than slightly advantageous to black. 07:07.640 --> 07:12.620 There's no rook c one because we're going to snap that off and say This position Queen C. 07:12.800 --> 07:14.330 This infiltration is rather painful. 07:14.330 --> 07:18.560 Black's got all the positional trump cards here. 07:19.430 --> 07:21.980 You know this position, the knight's coming to look at A3. 07:21.980 --> 07:24.410 It's just very unpleasant for white indeed. 07:24.530 --> 07:31.010 So yeah, this is it's showing that things have gone slightly wrong here for Capablanca. 07:31.430 --> 07:38.480 There's been a subtle accumulation of advantages and we have now Queen C ain't, you know, for black 07:38.480 --> 07:39.440 having the advantage. 07:39.440 --> 07:49.520 So Queen's Rook, take C4 now Knight takes C4, Rook C one queen 88 Knight C3 and now Rook C ain't knight. 07:49.520 --> 07:57.710 Take C was also possible inviting Bishop Thanks B seven Queen takes this position with Bishop f6 h4 07:57.710 --> 08:03.790 Queen D five Black is rather dominant here overall with with more than a slight edge positioning. 08:04.310 --> 08:06.570 So anyway Rook C eight was played. 08:06.590 --> 08:08.150 Knight Thanks, Bishop. 08:08.150 --> 08:09.410 Thanks, Bishop Thanks. 08:09.410 --> 08:10.430 Queen Thanks. 08:10.520 --> 08:15.830 And yes, this knight outpost, as I mentioned, is exerting influence on EA Fray and the king's not 08:15.830 --> 08:17.000 too far away. 08:17.570 --> 08:24.530 So sometimes especially against super positional players who like endgames, like Capablanca weak as 08:24.530 --> 08:31.130 an attacking player, it also shows us that we have to sometimes fight for tiny advantages first before 08:31.130 --> 08:34.190 we can think of any combination possibilities. 08:34.190 --> 08:42.170 So we see a for an ambition of things like F3, but things are not too far away from a disaster here, 08:42.200 --> 08:43.280 believe it or not. 08:43.400 --> 08:46.190 Bishop B2 We have rookie one. 08:48.530 --> 08:51.260 And here we have the eight. 08:52.750 --> 08:56.740 So stamping authority on that defile for a moment. 08:56.770 --> 08:59.780 Eight tanks, eight tanks H three and now E5. 08:59.800 --> 09:04.840 This restricts that Bishop, but it also means E4 is coming up. 09:06.120 --> 09:13.480 Rugby one and now E4 is played here might default if Knight's age to this Bishop of sex. 09:13.480 --> 09:16.780 And in this position Black is doing very nicely. 09:16.780 --> 09:18.810 For example G five and King G seven. 09:18.820 --> 09:22.480 Black has control in this position. 09:23.380 --> 09:29.320 So Knight before was played and now we are close to the disaster. 09:29.620 --> 09:35.350 This is not so clever, this move as 19 two, in fact. 09:35.710 --> 09:39.010 So guess what Alekhine plays here. 09:40.270 --> 09:42.500 If I give you 5 seconds to pause the video. 09:43.880 --> 09:44.570 Okay. 09:44.870 --> 09:45.470 Yeah, just. 09:45.470 --> 09:46.280 Bishop takes the four. 09:46.310 --> 09:48.380 It seems to invite a dangerous pin. 09:50.110 --> 09:51.040 So clearly. 09:51.040 --> 09:51.590 Well, not clear. 09:51.610 --> 09:52.360 I'll just show you it. 09:52.630 --> 09:55.240 Queen Tanks is in Black's favor. 09:55.270 --> 09:56.620 Just taking out that pawn. 09:56.620 --> 09:58.170 There isn't too much of a penalty. 09:58.180 --> 10:00.340 This force is a simplification. 10:00.940 --> 10:04.480 So this position would be just totally in blacks favor. 10:04.750 --> 10:05.350 Clear advantage. 10:05.350 --> 10:06.920 So Rook D one was played. 10:06.940 --> 10:10.310 So what's the problem with this pinning move? 10:10.330 --> 10:14.470 So ideally, White wants to take and get back in the game. 10:14.470 --> 10:20.770 But Alekhine has another idea here, a specific concrete idea which actually ends the game at move 32. 10:20.770 --> 10:23.440 So that Knight outpost is involved here. 10:24.400 --> 10:26.620 It's not just pretty, it's pretty functional. 10:26.740 --> 10:31.000 So what would you play in this position of playing for 200 points? 10:35.870 --> 10:37.070 Which actually does two things. 10:37.070 --> 10:37.370 It's not. 10:37.400 --> 10:38.240 It takes E3. 10:38.240 --> 10:40.820 We're actually looking at the queen hair, which is unprotected. 10:42.660 --> 10:50.940 So, yes, if Ruth takes the fall, we can actually play even queen sized for her. 10:51.110 --> 10:58.590 This is a way of playing it instead of taking the Queen, because one could take it and say only three 10:58.770 --> 11:01.590 potentially, but we could even just take hair for advantage. 11:01.830 --> 11:03.930 This position is advantage. 11:05.490 --> 11:08.610 And if we look at this again with knights takes E3. 11:09.030 --> 11:09.960 If F takes. 11:09.960 --> 11:15.870 Yeah, we're just taking the Queen in this case because if Rook takes, we're taking our E and then 11:16.050 --> 11:19.350 we're just a rook up after Bishop 24 rook up. 11:20.730 --> 11:31.440 And if rook takes the E4, would we just rather, you know, if we can also as well as Queen takes E4, 11:31.530 --> 11:34.940 we can also just play Rook, takes the E4 and win G4 either. 11:34.950 --> 11:39.090 So anyway, Knight takes E4, he basically ends the game. 11:40.080 --> 11:43.860 So yes, we can take our pick of winning alternatives here. 11:44.430 --> 11:52.020 So taking hair as also it looks to be quite favourable for black overall this position as well. 11:52.650 --> 11:59.130 So anyway, it shows it's iconic for me because I remember this game clearly one of my middle game books. 11:59.260 --> 12:02.370 I thought it was cute how this knight maneuvered to C4. 12:02.400 --> 12:09.540 And of course at that time was years ago there was an engine showing all the tiny inaccuracies in White's 12:09.540 --> 12:10.020 play. 12:10.020 --> 12:15.570 So it's difficult to actually decipher what the actual mistake was actually, you know, it's like the 12:15.570 --> 12:22.320 book indicated maybe B4 was a bit of a mistake, but actually it is a difficult position after 94 here, 12:22.320 --> 12:24.950 it seems all is not what it seems. 12:24.960 --> 12:26.310 94. 12:26.340 --> 12:33.150 In this particular possession there is a tactical opportunity to be used with Bishop takes f6. 12:33.150 --> 12:39.450 So it's interesting, these tiny little advantages are accumulating for black hair that black has a 12:39.450 --> 12:42.870 slightly more comfortable position and that shouldn't be the case really, should it? 12:42.960 --> 12:46.920 If you think about it, why should Black be getting an advantage out of the opening? 12:46.920 --> 12:53.070 Something's gone wrong here and you know, some little aspects of the position. 12:53.070 --> 12:57.180 But yeah, like C4 here would even it seems to be an improvement. 12:57.510 --> 12:59.460 So yes, a very, very comfortable. 13:00.310 --> 13:05.910 Possession led to a strong attacking possibility against the king, basically. 13:05.920 --> 13:08.530 So I hope you enjoyed this and got a bit inspired. 13:08.830 --> 13:14.110 Trying to accumulate just small advantages against the positional player is important sometimes. 13:14.440 --> 13:16.630 Okay, that's very much.