WEBVTT 00:00.990 --> 00:01.770 Hi there. 00:01.800 --> 00:06.990 In this lecture, we see Alexander Alekhine playing against a Fletcher in a simultaneous display in 00:06.990 --> 00:16.020 1928, 9396 C4 from Alekhine Plain White c5 d4 96. 00:16.020 --> 00:17.850 So this is not such a good move. 00:17.850 --> 00:19.230 This is an amateur player. 00:19.230 --> 00:22.770 So we're seeing what can happen if White takes over the center here. 00:23.040 --> 00:28.530 D five is played by Alekhine advancing in the center ninth c3d sense. 00:28.530 --> 00:30.750 This is already a very pleasant position. 00:31.140 --> 00:35.580 G free G6, Bishop, G2, Bishop G-7, both sides. 00:35.580 --> 00:39.660 Castle Bishop f4 H six. 00:39.960 --> 00:43.500 Queen D two, King H seven e4. 00:44.160 --> 00:47.580 So it looks as though there's a scary E5 prank. 00:47.580 --> 00:53.400 Black tries to address this with Knight H five so wants to preserve the bishop. 00:53.430 --> 01:01.770 Bishop drops back 97 so at least Planck has established some control over the E5 square Rook 81 Rook 01:01.770 --> 01:02.430 B ain't. 01:02.430 --> 01:11.130 But now Knight h4 with the idea of repeating a kind of positional threat of F4 maybe five later or just 01:11.140 --> 01:22.980 F5, there are dangerous options emerging Knight D F6 and H3 90 8g4 Knights f6 f4. 01:24.210 --> 01:26.700 So black slides are kind of getting passive. 01:26.700 --> 01:33.900 Here we have E6 and this introduces the possibility of Knight tanks G4 for Queen. 01:33.900 --> 01:37.530 Thanks H for this is addressed with Knight free. 01:37.530 --> 01:43.170 I mean White's position is actually rather strong here and White could actually have played D tanks, 01:43.170 --> 01:45.540 SNCF Knight tanks, G4 H tanks. 01:45.630 --> 01:49.380 This position is still quite strong for white after F5. 01:49.710 --> 01:51.120 What is black doing here? 01:51.810 --> 01:56.850 If Queen tanks G4 for example Rook F4 just to show the strength of White's position. 01:56.850 --> 02:00.630 Knight E two, Queen G5 Queen 66. 02:00.630 --> 02:07.500 Looking at both Rooks and this is just terrible of two F tanks G6 for example, material was dropping 02:07.500 --> 02:08.070 off. 02:08.580 --> 02:12.330 So yeah, details is just showing the strength of White's position. 02:12.330 --> 02:16.350 But also Bishop F2 is good just to protect h4 e takes. 02:16.350 --> 02:19.140 This is a big advantage for white as well this position. 02:19.500 --> 02:27.840 So anyway the knight goes back to F3, E takes d5c thanks B five, E five. 02:27.840 --> 02:30.630 And one is establishing now a very dangerous position. 02:30.630 --> 02:37.560 In the center we have Knight D one not minding the possibility of d tanks e5 which perhaps should have 02:37.560 --> 02:39.930 been played 94 was played. 02:39.930 --> 02:47.460 If d takes e5 White's can play bishop take C5 hitting the rook. 02:48.060 --> 02:52.110 So if rookie eight this is just a crushing position here. 02:52.530 --> 03:00.060 Black can't even take on D5 because of 96 hitting the Queen and things like Bishop 6g7 later, It's 03:00.060 --> 03:01.530 just devastating. 03:02.250 --> 03:07.050 So yeah, there isn't too much of a fair in this position with Bishop. 03:07.080 --> 03:13.200 Take c5 if e4 hand light e5 is also strong, this is just ridiculously strong for white. 03:13.650 --> 03:14.440 So okay. 03:14.460 --> 03:20.520 94 was tried Queen D3 and the Queen is X-raying the King. 03:20.520 --> 03:21.750 This is really interesting. 03:22.320 --> 03:30.540 F5 is played and yes, the position of white is so strong here there are nice options essential which 03:30.540 --> 03:32.880 option is chosen, which is very, very nice. 03:32.880 --> 03:38.430 It cuts off resources, a little bit of defensive resources potentially from the king. 03:39.000 --> 03:44.280 But you might wonder at this point, well, how do we get into the king of the white pieces for the 03:44.280 --> 03:44.970 moment? 03:45.210 --> 03:49.470 This before we get into that he takes f6 is also good. 03:49.470 --> 03:53.160 If Knight e times f6 there's a G6 target here. 03:53.760 --> 03:56.130 So no change for this position. 03:56.580 --> 04:03.690 Bishop D2 kind of has the idea of rotates E seven This is a dangerous situation as well for black Black's 04:03.690 --> 04:07.320 best is C4 it seems if A5. 04:07.320 --> 04:14.720 Just as an example, Rook takes Queen takes Knight, St's G6 is very strong C4 we can just take on a 04:14.760 --> 04:17.070 double check forcing the king to move. 04:17.850 --> 04:21.360 And in here Knight G6 is a nifty way of winning material. 04:21.960 --> 04:24.630 So this position then the Queen can come to C2. 04:25.440 --> 04:27.180 So given that's the case. 04:28.450 --> 04:28.900 Yeah. 04:28.900 --> 04:36.940 If C4 turns the queen away from that sensitive G6, this is still going to be quite nice for white. 04:37.330 --> 04:38.230 But. 04:39.380 --> 04:40.730 It's a little bit more tricky. 04:40.730 --> 04:42.220 Black has moved. 04:42.230 --> 04:44.450 Black isn't so cut off as in the game. 04:44.450 --> 04:49.220 So even if that might be a technically better continuation to play, it takes f6. 04:49.580 --> 04:52.020 It's a little bit more intricate in nature. 04:52.040 --> 05:00.140 Whilst E6 being played, E6 is just very nice, aesthetically pleasing way of kind of trying to shut 05:00.140 --> 05:01.490 down Black's counterplay. 05:03.290 --> 05:09.890 We have Queen a five, which doesn't really help blacks, cause blacks should try this nudge C4. 05:10.190 --> 05:12.050 This makes a big difference. 05:12.050 --> 05:14.600 The queen away from this dangerous arch range. 05:14.600 --> 05:15.830 So Queen A5. 05:15.860 --> 05:16.520 G Tanks. 05:16.520 --> 05:17.450 G tanks, for example. 05:17.450 --> 05:21.020 Night eight for night G frame. 05:21.050 --> 05:28.020 Because white is French thing to just take how f five and then take out E4 in various ways, but not 05:28.040 --> 05:28.370 g three. 05:28.370 --> 05:33.290 Just in time, Black can secure down the f five pawn. 05:33.500 --> 05:40.280 So that pawn sac would have been a practical try here instead of Queen A five. 05:40.370 --> 05:41.990 Now horrible things happen here. 05:42.020 --> 05:43.490 G tanks F five. 05:43.820 --> 05:47.610 There's no time for Bishop A6 here because of Queen tanks. 05:47.750 --> 05:50.300 E4 So black tanks back. 05:50.300 --> 05:56.240 And now a really amazing conception in this position which makes this game kind of iconic. 05:56.240 --> 06:02.840 Even though it's a simple game, it's an absolutely brilliant combination is set up here based on this 06:02.840 --> 06:04.960 Queen X rang the King. 06:04.970 --> 06:07.340 Can you spot what Alekhine played and why? 06:07.340 --> 06:10.070 The magical reasons why it's so strong? 06:11.690 --> 06:13.940 So for 100 points, can you get this next move? 06:16.400 --> 06:16.970 Okay. 06:17.000 --> 06:21.530 I'm about to reveal night h four and which seems to invite Bishop eight six. 06:21.530 --> 06:23.120 And now what's the point here? 06:23.720 --> 06:24.920 What is Alekhine's point? 06:24.920 --> 06:26.810 This is a beautiful point being made. 06:27.440 --> 06:28.280 Indeed. 06:29.810 --> 06:30.390 Okay. 06:31.760 --> 06:33.530 It's a lovely queen. 06:33.530 --> 06:34.370 Sacrifice, Queen. 06:34.370 --> 06:34.830 Thanks. 06:36.530 --> 06:38.450 Black actually took the queen. 06:38.450 --> 06:43.280 We have Bishop takes E4, Czech King and now Knight G6. 06:43.280 --> 06:43.670 Check. 06:43.700 --> 06:45.170 This is really great stuff. 06:45.170 --> 06:47.540 Knocking out the F-8 defender. 06:48.970 --> 06:51.580 So that's like F seven. 06:52.440 --> 06:54.120 I'm not addressed anymore. 06:54.150 --> 06:59.580 And now Night G six Jack Cage 7/9 E five Check. 07:01.530 --> 07:04.790 I know using the F seven squared F seven is charming. 07:04.800 --> 07:06.870 It's wonderful stuff. 07:06.870 --> 07:10.590 A wonderful combination there from airplane sat off of that night. 07:10.590 --> 07:18.900 H four But the prelude to this, yes the positional advantages gains and it's easier against more amateur 07:18.900 --> 07:25.680 players perhaps, but it's still incredible given it's a simultaneous display to to play with this quality 07:25.680 --> 07:33.900 in a single is remarkable so yeah it's a very interesting game getting this central pool match which 07:33.900 --> 07:39.060 does shut down counterplay forces black to play extremely accurately the central pawn, which kind of 07:39.060 --> 07:46.650 disconnects communication to five, which in turn has impact for this diagonal being potentially amplified 07:46.650 --> 07:47.790 through sacrifice. 07:48.030 --> 07:49.290 Sacrifice gains time. 07:49.290 --> 07:50.130 So this possession. 07:50.130 --> 07:53.490 Yeah, it's just a crusher queen takes e4. 07:53.490 --> 07:55.410 So yes, everyone loves a queen. 07:55.410 --> 07:56.190 Sacrifice. 07:56.190 --> 07:57.330 Absolutely beautiful. 07:57.360 --> 07:59.610 It doesn't really matter if Bishop have one. 07:59.940 --> 08:05.310 We would simply take back on F1 and have a material advantage here. 08:05.640 --> 08:12.720 So yeah, about black test, the Queen sacrifice and we're left with a nice masterpiece. 08:12.900 --> 08:14.190 So Knight G six Shank. 08:14.190 --> 08:23.220 This kind of windmill tactic taking out F8 is important for the F7 square and the Knight returns to 08:23.220 --> 08:28.980 use the F7 square via these windmill checks, keeping the checks up. 08:28.980 --> 08:30.570 So a really beautiful game. 08:30.570 --> 08:34.980 Beautiful queen sacrifice, an iconic classic of Alexander Alekhine. 08:34.980 --> 08:38.760 I hope you've enjoyed this game as much as me and so much.