WEBVTT 00:00.980 --> 00:01.650 Hi there. 00:02.210 --> 00:07.400 In this lecture, we see Alexander Alekhine playing against Akiba Rubinstein in 1921. 00:07.400 --> 00:14.240 The whole tournament around the Haig tournament, rather round nine d4 from Alekhine we have Rubinstein 00:14.240 --> 00:18.590 playing D5 Knight's f3 e6 c4. 00:18.590 --> 00:27.140 Now the quirky A6 this does actually invite C5 without such an effective undermining. 00:27.140 --> 00:37.430 So this is taken up this opportunity and we have 96 if b6 here instead one should play C takes B6. 00:37.910 --> 00:45.470 So this position of the C tanks is interesting when it has more pieces to and it's about even though 00:45.470 --> 00:49.070 Planck hasn't really done anything too badly wrong. 00:49.400 --> 00:55.070 If one is too adventurous with B4, the classic undermining A5 can be used. 00:55.280 --> 00:58.850 So if A3 just A6 and white pawn is pinned, that's horrible. 00:59.240 --> 01:02.270 And if b5 this is also horrible beating C5. 01:02.270 --> 01:04.910 So that's not to be recommended at all. 01:05.150 --> 01:07.130 So B6 just C thanks. 01:07.130 --> 01:16.700 B6 okay, so C5 nine C6 is played Bishop F4 trying to grip on the E5 square and now seven trying to 01:16.700 --> 01:18.320 fight for that E5 square. 01:18.620 --> 01:20.420 So another kind of very creative move. 01:20.420 --> 01:26.030 We have a knight blocking the C pawn and the other night blocking the bishop here, the fake bishop. 01:26.030 --> 01:28.040 So it's an interesting opening sequence. 01:28.190 --> 01:31.940 Knight C three Knight G6 And the bishop actually goes back to E3. 01:33.350 --> 01:39.500 This actually is a very interesting position, quite unusual of Bishop kind of block blocking in the 01:39.500 --> 01:42.260 E to pawn this knight's kind of on G6. 01:42.260 --> 01:53.060 It looks weird if now well B6 was played if E5 the problem is with E5 is d5 white can just take on E5 01:53.060 --> 01:58.610 here and the bishop you can see the bishop's kind of useful is protecting C5. 01:58.610 --> 02:00.290 So there's no bishop take C5. 02:00.290 --> 02:08.000 So in this case, the big problem is 1965 1965 and just context E5 as you might suspect. 02:08.120 --> 02:14.150 So Bishop E4 is a useful kind of prophylaxis move against E5 as an undermining resource. 02:14.150 --> 02:16.820 So we have B6 here. 02:17.840 --> 02:25.520 C Thanks B c Thanks B6 and now H for trying to chase the knight, but also a potential from pawn insulation. 02:25.520 --> 02:29.390 C h own now from pawns. 02:29.390 --> 02:33.680 I kind of observed this from neural networks and it's become quite a popular term. 02:33.950 --> 02:41.450 There's even a collection at chess games come about from pawns and yeah, we do have a form pawn example 02:41.450 --> 02:41.810 here. 02:41.810 --> 02:49.550 So Bishop D6 is played so allowing you know, potentially h5 and H with a kind of form pawn potential 02:49.910 --> 02:57.620 if h5 it does weaken G5 and we can actually play Bishop G5 and provoke more weaknesses. 02:57.620 --> 03:02.600 Bishop could drop back Bishop d6 if the bishop drops back here on e pawn can be used now. 03:02.630 --> 03:04.250 E3 Bishop seven. 03:04.250 --> 03:11.900 Bishop D Frank 9c7 Rook C1 and one has a small edge if Knight ge7 instead. 03:13.560 --> 03:14.190 In advance. 03:14.190 --> 03:22.170 This actually might be quite palatable for Black either Bishop d6 Tactical looking at F4 and this position 03:22.170 --> 03:27.840 is going to be only a small change for whites that has that dance membership which might be useful one 03:27.840 --> 03:34.140 day, but also just 96 here, just moving the night back and this position of H six should be only a 03:34.140 --> 03:36.720 small change for whites in the game. 03:37.950 --> 03:48.180 Bishop D six is played and now we have h59g7 If Knight fights h6g6 this position of G. 03:48.180 --> 03:49.320 Frank Bishop e seven. 03:49.320 --> 03:54.720 Bishop G two should be a small arch for one that form pawn is kind of useful potential thing. 03:55.230 --> 03:59.660 So anyway ge7h6 now g Thanks. 04:00.060 --> 04:00.780 And you might wonder. 04:00.780 --> 04:02.010 Well, hold on, hold on. 04:02.010 --> 04:03.630 King's Crusher Why are we blocking out things? 04:03.630 --> 04:04.710 The whole art of attack? 04:04.710 --> 04:08.460 Surely the answer is about opening up lines to the king. 04:08.460 --> 04:09.420 Where are the cold winds? 04:09.420 --> 04:10.080 The king? 04:11.670 --> 04:19.230 Well, one thing about this game, there's a magical property of pawns, actually, which I want to 04:19.230 --> 04:20.220 mention here. 04:20.340 --> 04:22.560 These pawns might not always be there. 04:22.560 --> 04:30.630 And when they're released, when they're like taken in some way or the pawns move, we do get new resource 04:30.630 --> 04:31.260 options. 04:31.260 --> 04:35.910 We become more resourceful because they are kind of making moves illegal. 04:35.910 --> 04:38.640 If you think about it, it's making this move illegal. 04:38.640 --> 04:39.780 It's making this move illegal. 04:39.780 --> 04:45.540 So even though the pawns are currently blockers in various ways, not just opening up files, but actually 04:45.540 --> 04:50.070 just by the fact that occupying key squares, they're restraining our resources. 04:50.070 --> 04:54.240 But here there's a dark square grab strategy as well. 04:54.300 --> 04:57.210 Bishop, do you find why is intensifying the dance? 04:57.240 --> 05:02.670 Why grip And there are threats here for black. 05:03.150 --> 05:11.610 If black doesn't castle hair white could end up playing essentially Bishop f6 move moves the rook and 05:11.610 --> 05:14.220 a knight G5 which would hit H7. 05:14.220 --> 05:18.330 So it is a problem this dance a strategy. 05:18.330 --> 05:21.780 There is some bite to it here. 05:21.990 --> 05:23.460 You know there can be some problems. 05:23.610 --> 05:24.570 Let's put that on the board. 05:24.570 --> 05:27.420 You know Bishop f6 and a knight G5. 05:27.420 --> 05:28.380 What is black doing here? 05:28.380 --> 05:32.940 Black's going to lose a pawn and be a big pass pawn and it can be super dangerous. 05:33.150 --> 05:37.380 So Black decides to Castle Rubenstein Castles. 05:37.380 --> 05:39.210 So we have Bishop F6 here. 05:40.470 --> 05:42.900 Nevertheless, we have B5. 05:42.930 --> 05:46.440 So Bishop F6 holds that E5 square again. 05:46.440 --> 05:51.030 Control of E5 is a key theme in this game against Black trying to break out. 05:51.060 --> 06:01.170 So B5 we have E3 and now Bishop D7 maybe slightly better as Knight B Eights trying to reroute things 06:01.170 --> 06:02.070 potentially. 06:02.850 --> 06:05.490 And you might wonder what on earth why? 06:05.490 --> 06:14.070 Why would that be if we could take Black, could take on E5 and then F6 and then come back with a vengeance, 06:14.070 --> 06:15.270 but it's still an advantage. 06:15.270 --> 06:24.660 White So anyway, swiftly moving along Bishop D7 Bishop, different route C eight and now this is this 06:24.660 --> 06:27.900 is a key kind of magical thing about this position. 06:29.670 --> 06:35.160 Remember I said about this --, if it wasn't there, it's like it is restraining our resources through 06:35.160 --> 06:35.790 the legality. 06:35.790 --> 06:37.000 We can't use that square. 06:37.020 --> 06:40.320 Sometimes we might want to drop, you know, drop a piece into that square. 06:41.700 --> 06:48.630 We have a plan which actually is in a way based on liberating the D4 square. 06:48.630 --> 06:58.650 It starts with A4 if want just castles, then actually if every place b4 they're A4 and they're similar, 06:58.680 --> 07:04.260 there's a similar idea actually that sometimes 95 is going to be useful in its own right. 07:04.260 --> 07:11.310 But even if de tanks happens and white loses a pawn, we have that D4 square to play, which is dangerous 07:11.670 --> 07:13.980 for Black's potential king safety. 07:14.700 --> 07:21.630 So just bear that in mind this would be advantageous as well if B4 is played by A4 try to prompt b4 07:21.870 --> 07:23.790 nine E to Queen B six. 07:24.180 --> 07:24.750 And now. 07:24.750 --> 07:29.760 Yeah, this key idea of trying to get a knight to see five is use knight C one. 07:31.890 --> 07:39.030 Maybe blacks should have taken this opportunity to sack a pawn for a bit of counterplay with a move 07:39.210 --> 07:44.130 like be free just to try and get a bit of counterplay. 07:44.130 --> 07:48.870 But it's still going to be very interesting for White to take in a knight C5 later just to open up the 07:48.870 --> 07:49.770 D4 square. 07:49.770 --> 07:58.350 So okay, Rook C7 was played and then we have Knight be Free Knight A5 And now yes, this key point 07:58.350 --> 08:01.680 about this restraints that we have on the D4 square. 08:01.680 --> 08:02.360 So guess what? 08:02.370 --> 08:05.730 Why it plays here we are restrained by a form pawn. 08:05.730 --> 08:09.860 We are restrained by the d4 pawn these pawns on dark squares. 08:09.870 --> 08:14.250 We could be resourceful on these dark squares, potentially under certain conditions. 08:14.370 --> 08:16.440 So what do you think white plays here? 08:16.620 --> 08:18.690 So think about this 200 points. 08:19.020 --> 08:24.630 This makes the point a little bit more concretely now about this opening up of squares, being resourceful 08:25.290 --> 08:30.390 pawns, going to think they're restraining us. 08:30.390 --> 08:32.730 They like blockading our own pieces. 08:32.730 --> 08:33.360 Pawns. 08:33.870 --> 08:36.420 Okay, so I'm about to reveal Knight C5. 08:38.940 --> 08:41.280 And this works like a charm here. 08:41.310 --> 08:44.760 This 9594 is played. 08:44.760 --> 08:46.200 So why does it work like a charm? 08:46.230 --> 08:49.560 If Bishop takes C5, D takes. 08:49.560 --> 08:52.320 Now note that the Queen is attacked, the night is attacked. 08:52.530 --> 08:53.940 And let's say Queen. 08:54.660 --> 08:56.640 Queen B seven, which is taking E seven. 08:56.640 --> 08:56.940 Right? 08:56.940 --> 09:00.060 So let's assume queen take C five. 09:00.060 --> 09:03.630 So guess what we have here, which we never had before. 09:05.580 --> 09:11.340 We have the data foursquare as a resource and in fact, Bishop default is a key tempo gainer. 09:13.790 --> 09:17.030 And it's very difficult for blank in this position. 09:17.040 --> 09:18.620 One of the key things. 09:19.640 --> 09:22.310 If Quincy sinks, then 95. 09:23.240 --> 09:24.500 Big tempo game. 09:24.710 --> 09:31.130 And here all of a sudden hold on like for. 09:32.150 --> 09:34.040 And this is kind of vicious. 09:34.490 --> 09:40.580 Look at the glare through the dark squares and the girl hanging -- all of a sudden makes a lot more 09:40.580 --> 09:44.600 sense now that we've got an access route by this amazing default square. 09:44.630 --> 09:50.150 We've got all sorts of frats like Night of Sex or even Bishop G-7, the sex meeting. 09:50.450 --> 09:53.180 This is such a dangerous position to consider. 09:55.640 --> 09:56.750 So, yes. 09:56.750 --> 10:05.180 And if I mean one else, the thing is Queen D sex, there's bishop E5 skewing Queen and rook. 10:05.210 --> 10:05.840 This position. 10:05.840 --> 10:10.070 Winning an exchange like this and winning a sex is not good news for black. 10:10.850 --> 10:16.070 If Rook take C5 instead, by the way, then we just take you on E7. 10:16.430 --> 10:19.640 So yeah, this is a really cute move here in this game. 10:19.640 --> 10:25.940 Knight C5 the form pawn marking out dark squares. 10:27.470 --> 10:30.440 This is maybe an important thing to note about form pawns. 10:30.870 --> 10:34.760 They're go hanging pawns, but they need the ball to be passed to that, to be able to score. 10:34.760 --> 10:42.170 And if we can open up access routes to G seven by getting rid of the D4 pawn like this, this move represents, 10:42.170 --> 10:43.970 then that's absolutely amazing. 10:44.780 --> 10:48.560 So anyway, Black tried nine C4, Rubenstein tried Knight C4. 10:48.830 --> 10:56.330 We have Bishop Tank C4 D tanks and now 95 putting pressure on D seven. 10:56.330 --> 10:57.980 Both lines are ganging up here. 10:58.130 --> 11:02.370 Bishop takes E5 his plate if Bishop takes c5 D tanks. 11:02.390 --> 11:07.010 We're hitting the Queen and we're also hitting D7 and we're also hitting E seven. 11:07.400 --> 11:09.180 Black's just losing material like this. 11:09.200 --> 11:10.160 We're hitting the queen. 11:10.160 --> 11:11.420 There's no point pinning. 11:11.630 --> 11:15.500 If taking, then we're just a rook up. 11:15.860 --> 11:16.640 So. 11:18.180 --> 11:21.090 Yeah, this is highly kind of problematic. 11:23.550 --> 11:30.230 So yes, 95 is highly problematic if Bishop eight, 1964, and then we're back to a skewer. 11:30.240 --> 11:35.400 1996 Queen takes Bishop E5 and I'm winning the exchange there. 11:36.000 --> 11:37.100 So wonderful stuff. 11:37.110 --> 11:38.320 So Bishop takes E5. 11:38.340 --> 11:43.620 So we have now a dance queen, bishop of our counterpart, and Bishop takes 87, is employed. 11:43.650 --> 11:47.340 It turns out Bishop takes E5 is also good, maybe even slightly better. 11:47.430 --> 11:50.400 This situation with Bishop G seven. 11:52.610 --> 11:55.400 And we might rush in for 94. 11:55.400 --> 11:59.420 But actually that's not that exciting as E-4 actually if 94. 11:59.450 --> 12:02.180 The thing is, there's 95 preventing the mate. 12:03.010 --> 12:04.180 On f6. 12:04.180 --> 12:09.010 If black's serious, then there's a mate on f6. 12:09.520 --> 12:12.340 But 95 and White does have the advantage. 12:12.340 --> 12:14.530 But it's better just to play E4 here. 12:14.560 --> 12:17.590 Leave the light on C5 and this is a big advantage. 12:17.740 --> 12:18.820 So anyway. 12:21.170 --> 12:23.870 So Bishop takes if I was a viable option as well. 12:23.870 --> 12:27.740 So Bishop takes East seven, then we have Bishop dissects. 12:29.420 --> 12:33.590 If rookie ain't here, D takes E5. 12:34.960 --> 12:42.610 Route 67 one has a strong move here with 94 and you can see 96 is pretty nasty. 12:42.610 --> 12:50.620 And if King Fay might have six looking at 87 and what he's doing this queen, these six here and this 12:50.620 --> 12:55.180 is an overwhelming position actually, this was a sham of this installation. 12:55.180 --> 12:57.250 It's a very, very nasty one. 12:57.250 --> 13:01.240 It could cash out here taking out h seven check. 13:01.240 --> 13:04.600 And then this position is just a winning position for one. 13:05.050 --> 13:07.840 If we look at this again, we've looked at C five. 13:07.840 --> 13:08.560 That's hopeless. 13:08.560 --> 13:11.680 Bishop takes, then Queen takes a rook up. 13:11.950 --> 13:17.860 So Bishop D six is tried and that just offers a whole exchange. 13:17.890 --> 13:25.750 Alekhine takes the exchange we have Bishop takes Fay and now Knight 67, which is actually a slight 13:25.750 --> 13:28.120 inaccuracy, as it turns out. 13:28.120 --> 13:29.740 But it's still winning. 13:30.370 --> 13:32.170 It's still a winning advantage. 13:32.440 --> 13:38.980 But actually, Rook C one, just for the record, could have been played here and he might want the 13:39.540 --> 13:44.140 Y if Black takes on c5d Thanks, Queen Sex. 13:44.140 --> 13:46.810 There's a key move here, which is rather elegant. 13:47.950 --> 13:49.750 Can you find it for 100 points? 13:50.810 --> 13:55.400 We've got this goal hanging pawn marking key dot square G. 13:56.240 --> 13:59.690 We can actually try and get onto the back row with rib cage four. 13:59.720 --> 14:04.820 Well, if you found this, it's very difficult to see free rook deform. 14:06.590 --> 14:07.370 Beautiful stuff. 14:07.370 --> 14:08.540 And black's on the back foot. 14:08.570 --> 14:13.910 Hair of bishop if Queen e7b tanks, B tanks. 14:13.940 --> 14:19.280 Guess what we can play here celebrating the form pawn and the potentially weak back row. 14:19.310 --> 14:20.090 What are we playing? 14:20.100 --> 14:22.280 Well, we can actually just deflect. 14:22.430 --> 14:27.580 Rook, take C Frank Rook takes, then Rook takes D7 and then we're getting onto the back row. 14:27.590 --> 14:28.520 Thanks very much. 14:29.940 --> 14:32.880 So that would have been a very interesting way of playing at Roxy one. 14:32.880 --> 14:38.190 But 1967 was played to 67, A five. 14:38.190 --> 14:39.240 Queen C six. 14:39.420 --> 14:44.520 Queen F three Protecting G2 Rook 85 Rook C one, Queen C seven. 14:45.570 --> 14:46.670 And now Queen E two. 14:46.680 --> 14:53.640 Tempting will encouraging the pawns move beating speed tanks and now Queen takes A6 rook takes eight 14:53.640 --> 14:56.940 five the Queen drops back Bishop affray and now rook C2. 14:57.060 --> 14:58.300 This is quite cosy. 14:58.320 --> 15:01.380 How White's wrapping around the pawn. 15:01.650 --> 15:10.980 The lone square squares are okay to use her king's safe enough queen c6 f3 f5 rook b one So threatening 15:10.980 --> 15:16.470 rook takes B2 because the queen also holds the b one square. 15:17.160 --> 15:22.050 So Queen D six Queen C4 King of seven and now queen. 15:22.440 --> 15:25.650 Can you see what the fret here is with Queen C eight? 15:25.680 --> 15:28.020 That form pawn is still useful in endgames. 15:28.020 --> 15:29.550 This is a property of form pawns. 15:29.550 --> 15:30.210 Quite useful. 15:30.210 --> 15:30.810 That interesting. 15:30.840 --> 15:31.350 Interesting. 15:31.770 --> 15:33.030 Very interesting possibilities. 15:33.030 --> 15:40.950 Later Queen a6 just exchanging Queen's is employed if e5 The problem is Queen H ain't and there's a 15:40.950 --> 15:42.270 big passport. 15:42.270 --> 15:43.920 Only two steps way here. 15:43.950 --> 15:46.430 So Queen G seven shank e tanks. 15:46.440 --> 15:48.330 This is a big advantage for white. 15:48.450 --> 15:54.720 So anyway, Black decided to get the Queen's off, but now it has a plan of creating a pass de pawn 15:54.720 --> 15:55.230 here. 15:56.670 --> 16:01.110 So we have G five King D free King G six. 16:02.240 --> 16:03.460 And now D5. 16:03.470 --> 16:05.240 The plan is in action. 16:05.330 --> 16:09.340 F tanks f or check f Thanks e for E takes D5. 16:09.350 --> 16:14.150 So there's a big pass de pawn here which is fairly problematic. 16:16.220 --> 16:18.140 Rook a A4 and now rook D one. 16:18.140 --> 16:19.640 So black takes the form pawn. 16:19.640 --> 16:20.530 But at what cost? 16:20.540 --> 16:24.770 D6 king h5 D seven goes back. 16:24.770 --> 16:27.710 King E for the rook has to stop the pawn. 16:27.710 --> 16:36.800 But now King F5 and all of a sudden you know this this is dangerous potentially for might in one. 16:37.340 --> 16:44.690 But also you know there's G4 and the other rook to be used so black actually gave up here with King 16:44.700 --> 16:50.540 H4 funny going into a mate so Rook H one check King G3 Rock H3 is checkmate. 16:52.340 --> 17:00.350 Something I wanted to emphasize about this game is the dark square grip strategy. 17:00.350 --> 17:07.340 But if we've got a goal hanging from pawn, the idea of maximizing access routes to it is actually protecting 17:07.340 --> 17:08.150 to create a killer. 17:08.150 --> 17:11.000 Common square on G7 is highlighted. 17:11.030 --> 17:17.810 I hope that's a takeaway point, to think about our pawns as restraints for our own resourcefulness. 17:18.050 --> 17:24.680 And you know, this whole A4 plan is very deep sighted, totally ahead of his time for form pawn play, 17:24.690 --> 17:25.490 actually. 17:25.640 --> 17:29.510 And the coin here making sure that that form pawn is not just in vain. 17:29.860 --> 17:36.650 The offer of getting rid of this D4 is also a good tactic because the bishop sitting on other dark square 17:36.650 --> 17:37.310 pressures. 17:37.310 --> 17:39.140 So it's a wonderful move. 17:39.140 --> 17:47.600 Knight C5 really amazing calculations here, dynamic foresight that things are, although they seem 17:47.600 --> 17:48.590 blocked up. 17:48.620 --> 17:55.280 If you're prepared to sacrifice pawns, you're kind of liberating pieces, but you're also liberating 17:55.280 --> 17:57.830 resource squares like D4. 17:57.830 --> 18:03.560 So that is a fascinating thing highlighted for me about this game and the form pawn. 18:03.560 --> 18:05.090 It's totally ahead of its time. 18:05.090 --> 18:10.970 The neural network started emphasizing form pawns as both a middle game element and an endgame element. 18:10.970 --> 18:17.390 And sometimes it seems paradoxical to classic attacking chess, which is often about opening up things, 18:17.390 --> 18:23.330 having things which are just, you know, looking to lock down dark squares, don't square pressure 18:23.330 --> 18:27.530 seems a bit subtle, but actually it's quite effective quite often. 18:28.010 --> 18:28.420 Okay. 18:28.460 --> 18:32.870 As been as has been proven by many neural network games. 18:32.990 --> 18:35.210 Okay, that's very much.