Annotated chess game: Tournament game, Paris 1913

ANNOTATED GAME

Tournament game, Paris 1913
Rodzynski vs. Alekhine
Annotated by: last_archimedean

(1564)
Chess opening: Philidor (C41), Steinitz variation

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The young Alekhine shows the brilliance that would lead him to the World's Championship, quickly dispatching Rodzynski.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6	Philidor's Defense isn't supposed to lead to quick, smashing wins by BLACK. But with the genius of Alekhine, anything is possible!
	1 comment black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 31-Dec-10: Is it? And here I thought it was a quiet sort of opening ... oh wait, you said isn't - sorry! lol


3. Bc4 Nc6 4. c3	Too slow, and interferes with the development of the QN. Against Alekhine, you can't make these kind of small mistakes!
	2 comments black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 31-Dec-10: Prepares a central break - a sound enough idea -nosferatu- (1200) on 31-Dec-10: It is committal in an opening where every tempo counts, especially since ...Bg4 is an obvious idea for Black. The immediate 4. d4 or 4. O-O are better.


4... Bg4	Alekhine was never one to be passive.



5. Qb3	Unpinning.
	1 comment -nosferatu- (1200) on 31-Dec-10: But now it's Alekhine who blunders where with 5. ...Qe7, when 5. ...Na5 is absolutely necessary.


5... Qe7 6. Ng5	This attack is easily repulsed, as the Q-side pieces are still undeveloped.
	2 comments black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 31-Dec-10: 6...QxN 7.BxPch wins a pawn, because BxN comes when the king moves -nosferatu- (1200) on 31-Dec-10: 6. Ng5 is a gross error motivated by all the wrong impulses in an opening where white has yet to castle or complete development. Besides, white has the much stronger 6. Qxb7 at his disposal, a pawn-snatch that works in this position when his c-pawn prevents incursions at b4 and d4. And doesn't it pocket a piece outright? I don't see a black counter to the double-attack at c6 and a8.


6... Nh6 7. Bxf7+ Nxf7 8. Nxf7 Qxf7	White's "attack" is gone. Now Alekhine will prepare a devastating counterstrike.



9. Qxb7	Removing the Q from the defense, his only active piece. White would have been better served with a move such as 9 P-Q3, allowing the development of his Q-side pieces with B-K3 and N-Q2.
	1 comment nuntar (1702) on 31-Dec-10: After 9. P-Q3 QxQ White is simply a piece down, and in grandmaster play would probably resign.


9... Kd7 10. Qxa8	At least he has the consolation of winning some material before being buried by Black's coming onslaught.



10... Qc4	Threatening mate on the move with ...Q-K7! White's undeveloped Q-side is useless.



11. f3 Bxf3 12. gxf3 Nd4	Renewing the mate threat.
	2 comments black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 31-Dec-10: I love the bishop sacrifice - Alekhine already sees the quiet B-K2 [or Be7, if I did that wrong] nuntar (1702) on 31-Dec-10: B-K2 is far from quiet -- one hears the deafening roar of the KR1 siege tower revving up its engine!


13. d3 Qxd3	Sacrificing the Knight as well. But if mate is in the offing...



14. cxd4 Be7	White overlooks the threat. 15 K-B2 is the only way to prolong the game.
	1 comment nuntar (1702) on 31-Dec-10: Though after 15. K-B2 QxQPch 16. B-K3 QxNPch 17. any RxQ resignation is again compulsory.


15. Qxh8	Blinded by greed.
	1 comment black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 31-Dec-10: I'd have done this move too... White is lost, so he might as well have a spite capture!


15... Bh4#	Proving that material is less important than skill. Well done by the young Alekhine.
	1 comment -nosferatu- (1200) on 31-Dec-10: Not one of Alekhine's best games, since Rodzynsky is such a patzer, overlooking the simple win of a piece on move six with ...Qxb7 and instead throwing away one of his minor pieces on f7. Alekhine's refutation of his inaccurate attack from moves 10-15 are pretty though.