Alekhine vs Book - Margate 1938

[@vyrtilanyrwen3071]

I heard a story about this game from Yasser Seirawan in I want to say 2014. Of course it’s Seirawan telling all of the chess stories. He’s a fantastic story teller, as well as a fantastic player (and a fantastic person). Now, I’ve met Yasser on more than one occasion. He’s been the resident GM at the St. Louis Chess Club, which is where I grew up. He was pretty instrumental in me getting to where I am today, and I’m hoping to climb a little higher. I’m a FM now, but I’m close to IM, and I’m not even 20. So I don’t think that GM is out of the question for me at some point. Will I ever be a top player? No. But I can definitely try to make GM. I mean, I already have one of my GM norms. But anyways, what Yasser told me was something that Miguel Najdorf told him. Miguel Najdorf said that he went to this tournament, and he saw Alekhine sacrifice the rook on d7. And he just couldn’t see anything. That’s like a full rook if you tally in the knight sacrifice the move prior. Things seemed okay for black. Of course, they didn’t have chess engines back then to tell them otherwise. But apparently, Alekhine got up from the game and gave Najdorf a little nudge on the shoulder as of to say, “Come over here, I have something to tell you.” And what Alekhine told Najdorf was, “I sense something in the position.” So this sacrifice wasn’t even calculated! It was a purely intuitive rook sacrifice. And it led to one of the great, but rather unknown, brilliancies of the 20th century.

[@LJLMETAL]

Great game, Mato. I enjoyed watching it

[@driptcg]

hi mato, i used to watch ur channel a few years back, its incredible to see that u still do these videos; i wish u success!

[@sparrowhwk23]

I liked it when you used to review the critical position again at the end of the game. All the same, love your videos and commentary(:

[@omriavital6309]

such an amazing attack by alekhine. his pieces were so very amazingly active. thanks for uploading this amazing game

[@deb1847]

mato pls upload games of leonid stein and tigran v petrosian your analysis and commentary is a delight to watch

[@azy63]

I guess this is a case where playing "Book moves" wouldn't be a good idea.

[@thequeensconquerer316]

I see what you did there

[@TheKimmoA]

+The QueensConquerer Black players name is incorrect, Eero Böök is correct. The joke is funny though.

[@thequeensconquerer316]

TheKimmoA I see

[@andrewcady9443]

Nevertheless, Eero Böök spent his entire chess career groaning at that joke. In the end it finally drove him to Go.

[@azy63]

+Andrew Cady I guess he was "Go Crazy!" . . . I'll be quiet now.

[@melodychest9020]

Amazing game! Too good! Thanks Mato!

[@shadedness]

There is a funny story about Alekhine. He was requested his passport in the border. He had a harsh character, and said: "I am Alekhine. I am chess world champion. I have a cat whose name is "Chess"." I don´t need any passport"...

[@elegomeskin]

Book apparently didn't read his Steinitz. In QGA, black needs to advance Q-side P's quickly in the right move order ( like c5 instead of b5) looking for a small tactical advantage to pounce on.

[@_tartaros_1138]

this game was like a pologame, fast and with alot of movements

[@Watermelon_Man92]

There goes Alekhine; hanging a bunch of pieces. It would almost grant a sense of hope to his opponent if only it didn't mean that Alekhine was on the verge of a winning combination/move. It has undoubtedly made many impressive tacticians jealous.

[@Narrowcros]

I like how Alkhine used all his army with such efficiency and attack, good stuff.

[@Arisudev]

me too

[@brianestwick5181]

Just curious: at 5:00 does Nxg6+ work looking for e5 next?

[@edancoll3250]

Black's h pawn will capture your knight, leaving you with no defense against black's Rd8.

[@nickb6302]

I just played a game with my grandfather who is brilliant at chess, we drew one game that I attacked on and I won a game after I was almost checkmated several times, to promote my attack.in the end there was no hope for my grandfather.

[@samuelbruyneel]

Yeah, I found the "incredible" Knight to d7 move! :-D

[@sezayful]

Mato, has any1 ever won against this Alexander Alienkhine 😄? could u upload some of his losing games please :)

[@olliorkoneva1689]

Many did, and also his opponent in this game, Eero E. Böök played a draw against him in year 1937. (BTW, the wovels of Böök's name are pronunced long and like in "heard")

[@locutusdborg126]

Olli, very interesting. Thanks.

[@baxterbrown8088]

2:56 if you have to ask "what is the obvious" it is not obvious. Tbh Rxd7 was not obvious, I thought it would be Ne5

[@HumongousMist]

Theres a reason he played the rook in that position quite obvious

[@dannyboy12357]

I agree it is not quite obvious he has 3 defenders and white has 2 attackers. upon first quick observation it isn't that obvious.

[@AlintraxAika]

That was a joke, he was saying "what is the obvious?", pointing the move bxc3, but Alekhine made a surprising move.

[@fporretto]

I was surprised that Black's Queenside advance proved so weak. Modern QGA players (from the White side) usually interpolate 7. a4 to slow such an advance. But giving Alekhine any time advantage in an open position -- especially before castling -- was always a bad idea, so maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised.

[@wladyslawderstreiter9078]

Very good Attack!

[@pavankumar-io1vb]

Excellent Game

[@moseskujinga3271]

thank you Mato

[@NitrosS]

Alekhine = Amazing

[@Hallands.]

About this game I think that b4 was a silly move which doesn't leave much "hop" for black. White can win comfortably from there without flashy sacrifices, but it seems Alekhine was a very shrewd judge of his opponents strength and let loose with a little fireworks...

[@bimalpudasaini9526]

Alekhine read his opponent like a book.

[@Watermelon_Man92]

Well, nobody could read Alekhine, that's for sure. Probably not even the great Tal would have been able to do that.

[@scottrackley4457]

mato, pls stop using the electric blue background. sorry for the criticism, makes my eyes hurt

[@MatoJelic]

Can I use electric white?

[@scottrackley4457]

the blue hurts, sorry for the criticism

[@scottrackley4457]

I'll endure it for the games tho :P

[@singhbackONtrack]

He is glowing u should have sunglasses

[@rojinphilip2909]

The blue you use was in old ATM machines. Imagine that background with red text!!! We still have some of them left.

[@moshariff6320]

Amazing game

[@edlawrence5059]

By the book.

[@yacinechina4770]

very beautifule game

[@baxterbrown8088]

This is why you don't play Book moves against Alekhine! EDIT: although honestly that was not a bad game at all, much closer than most of AA's wins

[@brianestwick5181]

Nxg6 hxg6 e5 Rd8 Rxd8 Qxd8 exf6+ Bxf6 Bxf6+ Kxf6 Qf4+ (not any mate just an idea) K moves g3 (but white Bishop is still lost l think)

[@youngpatrick29]

i wish my girlfriend had mato's voice

[@kelvinamoah8766]

guess he is a different "book"

[@HollyMartins]

For the first time I tried the computer on the highest level.........It sucks. The computer remainds me of Alekhine and others. I agree with scott rackley..........Dont break your old good patton

[@brianestwick5181]

also Black still does have many more pieces so I'm sure it's still losing for White

[@darkog8153]

if you are GM would you resign if you have a chance of saving a draw?

[@vikrambharadwaj6349]

1 minute ago! I'm first! :P

[@bebeto6861]

kind of play by black which is not working against alekhine and players of his rank

[@marcusmiguel1850]

Mato, reply.

[@lowlypeasant]

insane

[@samuelbruyneel]

The 1 person that disliked this lecture is probably Mr. Book. ;-)

[@bimalpudasaini9526]

more likely his grandchildren.

[@samuelbruyneel]

Already 3 of them that didn't get over the defeat in 1938 yet...

[@pashapasovski5860]

He became Finished champion, hahahaha!

[@charlesyang1258]

more tactics to memorize, kill me pls

[@nickb6302]

Don't memorize anything

[@charlesyang1258]

what i meant was that i need to reconize patterns and tactics... my bad for the bad wording. Sorry!

[@KillberZomL4D42494]

Book was cooked.

[@atokath1602]

L

[@zaytzev45]

Book dislike the video.

[@pavankumar-io1vb]

Excellent Game