14. Alekhine's Defense - HYPERMODERNISM IN DEFENSE

A he last word in hypermodernism is Alekhine's Defense. In this weird ripost to 1 P-K4, Black brings out his Knight to KB3 on the very first move, where it can be mauled and pummeled and driven clear across the board to what appears to be in­nocuous desuetude. Yet Black's play is not buffoonery; it is pur­poseful. It is a designed attempt to lure an onrush of enemy Pawns and set them up as fixed targets. In doing so, Black completely cedes the center. This is, however, the essence of hypermodernism.

Alekhine's Defense is named after late world champion Alexander Alekhine, who introduced it to master play at Buda­pest, 1921. Long before this time, it made an occasional appearance, and its debut can be traced to the International Handi­cap Tournament of London, 1862. In the game, Anderssen-Pearson, at odds of a Knight, play proceeded 1 P-K4, N-KB3. This provoked two question marks from annotator von Got-schall, who went on to say that 1 . . . N-KB3 must lose quickly, even at Knight odds. Schallopp's seventh edition of Bil-guer's Handbuch* had a kindlier word for Black's enigmatic first move. "If you are playing an inferior player," it reads, "you can try 1 P-K4, N-KB3; 2 P-K5, N-Nl, as your opponent will often not be in position to prevent the break-up of his ad­vanced center."

So it goes. Ideas, frowned upon one hundred years ago, en­joy the limelight today. Others that were significantly promi­nent have fallen from grace and are looked upon askance. Chess marches on!

The defense arises as follows:

1 P-K4 N-KB3

Black's move is forcefully provocative. The Knight attacks the King Pawn. Hence White must defend or advance.

The defense of the Pawn with 2 N-QB3 or 2 P-Q3 is hardly within the spirit of rebuttal. In a game of chess, nevertheless, the spirit is to be counted lightly. If the move produces a plus, it is to be played; if it leads to equality or a minus, it is to be discarded.

* Schallopp, E., Handbuch des Schachspiéls, Leipzig, Veit &· Comp.

2 N-QB3 fails mainly because Black is able to continue with . . . P-Q4, without loss of time. This move is usually barred to Black. For, after 1 P-K4, P-Q4; 2 PxP, Black must recapture with the Queen. Then 3 N-QB3 gains a vital tempo for White. Here, if 1 P-K4, N-KB3; 2 N-QB3, P-Q4; 3 PxP, NxP and Black has nothing to fear.

The line beginning with 2 N-QB3 might run as follows: 2 ... P-Q4; 3 PxP, NxP; 4 B-B4, P-K3; 5 N-B3, P-QB4; 6 O-O, B-K2; 7 P-Q4, NxN; 8 PxN, O-O; 9 N-K5, Q-B2, with about even chances.

In this line, if 3 P-K5, Black can equalize with 3 . . . P-Q5 or 3 . . . KN-Q2.

The passive 2 P-Q3, however, conceals tricky tactical plays which must be parried exactly. A game, Nimzóvich—Alekhine, New York, 1927, went as follows: 2 P-Q3, P-K4; 3 P-KB4, N-B3; 4 PxP, QNxP; 5 N-KB3, NxNch; 6 QxN, P-Q4; 7 P-K5, Q-K2; 8 P-Q4, N-K5; 9 B-Q3, Q-R5ch; 10 P-N3, Q-N5; 11 N-Q2, QxQ; 12 NxQ, with equality.

2 P-K5 . . . .

2 . . . . N-Q4

In view of the above, White advances his Pawn and attacks the Knight out of compulsion and choice. Since the Pawn can­not be defended to advantage, it must advance. Since White gains time in the advance, he is satisfied.

All part of the grand hypermodern plan. The Knight where it may be directly attacked again in order to lure on­wards White's center Pawns.

3 P-QB4 . . . .

White accepts the challenge. He is willing to be lured on.

From here on, the issue is whether the time gained by ad­vancing the Pawns at Black's expense is equal to the minimal inherent weakness in the center Pawn structure. So fine is the line drawn.

Observe that it is important to drive Black's Knight from the center field. This can be done in another way: 3 N-QB3, NxN; 4 NPxN, P-Q3; 5 P-KB4, P-KN3; 6 N-B3, B-N2; 7 P-Q4, P-QB4; 8 B-Q3, O-O; 9 O-O, Q-B2; 10 Q-Kl, BPxP; 22 BPxP, N-B3; 12 P-B3, N-R4. The position is equal.

4 P-Q4 . . . .

3 . . . . N-N3

White enjoys what appears to be an imposing center. Black has other ideas about the strength of the center.

An interesting alternative here is 4 P-B5, N-Q4; 5 N-QB3. After 5 ... NxN; 6 NPxN, P-Q3, Black can equalize. Also in this line, 5 B-QB4 develops into a lively gambit.

4 . . . . P-Q3

The first thrust at the opposing center. Curiously, 4 ... N-B3 loses a piece! 5 P-Q5, NxKP; 6 P-B5, N/3-B5; 7 Q-Q4, threatening P-KB4 and P-QN3, each of which forces the aban­donment of one of the Knights.

5 PxP . . . .

The all-out acceptance of Black's plan is 5 P-B4. In that case, White obtains a commanding array of center Pawns. Whether they are strong or weak, however, is the question. In any event, after 5 P-B4, Black enjoys quite a lot of counterplay, and White must continue accurately. This line might go as fol­lows: 5 P-B4, PxP; 6 BPxP, N-B3; 7 B-K3, B-B4; 8 N-QB3, P-K3; 9 N-B3, N-N5; 10 R-B1, P-B4; 11 B-K2, PxP; 12 NxP, B-N3; 13 P-QR3, N-B3; 14 NxN, PxN; 15 QxQch, KxQ. Despite Black's weak Queen-side Pawn structure, the chances are level. White has no easy way of exploiting the weaknesses and Black enjoys a free and easy development for all his forces.

Of course, Black can also go wrong. For instance, if 9 ... B-K2 (instead of 9 ... N-N5), White gets a terrific on­slaught by 10 P-Q5, PxP; 11 PxP, N-N5; 12 N-Q4, B-N3; 13 B-N5ch, K-B1; 14 O-O. The threat of 15 N-K6ch gains more time, and Black's position is extremely critical.

The text move consolidates White's position and maintains the advantage of a stable center.

5            . . . . KPxP

5 ... BPxP is an alternative which keeps the Pawn posi­tion unbalanced and consequently creates greater winning and losing chances for both sides. White, however, can obtain an excellent bind on the position with correct play, thus: 6 N-KB3, P-N3; 7 B-K2, B-N2; 8 N-R3! N-B3; 9 P-Q5, N-K4; 10 N-Q4. The advance of P-KB4 compels a retreat and cramps Black. Moreover, Black cannot free his game easily by ... P-K3, as, after PxP, PxP, his center is weak.

Observe the unique move of 8 N-R3. The immediate pur­pose of the move is to defend the Queen Bishop Pawn, so that when Black plays 8 . . . N-QB3, White can immediately play 9 P-Q5, N-K4; 10 N-Q4, and not worry about exchanging his King Knight. He might have to—if the QBP were not de­fended.

1. N-KB3 B-K2
2. B-K2 O-O
3. O-O B-N5

9 N-R3

All the foregoing moves are good developing moves. White's last, however, is unusual. Oddly enough, it is not made with the intention of defending the Queen Bishop Pawn. For Black does not threaten 9 ... BxN; 10 BxB, NxP. In such an instance, White could reply BxP and win the exchange. The reason for 9 N-R3 becomes clear later.

9 . . . . B-B3

10 P-QN3 N-B3

11 N-B2 . . . .

Observe the maneuver of White's Queen Knight.

1. . . . . R-Kl
2. B-N2 Q-Q2
3. N-K3! . . . .

The final destination of the Knight.

White is for choice. On the surface, Black appears to have an adequate development. The fact is, Black has just about reached his maximum development and can hardly improve his position. White, on the other hand, has a flexible position. His future plan may be to play 14 Q-Q2, followed by P-Q5 and N-Q4. Then, he will be in command of greater terrain, which he should be able to exploit and capitalize.

Conclusions

Alekhine's Defense, which has all the earmarks of arrogant nonsense, is really a comparatively sound weapon in the hands of those looking for a lively encounter. While White's prospects are brighter, with sound play, the chance for error is greater than in most other defenses.

Chess Movie

OLD WHAM IN NEW BATTLES

Slow plodding, positional Hypermodernism tussles with old Modernism. A long, drawn-out contest is in store. Tactics makes an entry. The scene changes and the play is over. U. S. Championship Tournament, New York, 1942, produced this contest between Horowitz and Seidman. Follow the game "movie style." 1 P-K4, N-KB3; 2 P-K5, N-Q4; 3 P-QB4, N-N3; 4 P-Q4, P-Q3. (See diagram No. 1.)

1

 White plays the Four Pawn game. There fol­lows 5 P-B4. Black counters with the infrequent 5 ... P-N3. His King Bish­op is destined for a wing de­velopment, from which point of vantage it will bear directly on the opposing center. 6 N-QB3, B-N2 are next in order, reaching diagram No. 2.

2N-B3, PxP; 8 BPxP, B-N5 is the sequence. White's impressively ex­panded, though also somewhat shaky, center is under fire. How is White to capitalize his advantage in terrain, before his midsection crumbles? This is the perpetual problem of the obstreperously hypermodern opening.

3

 9 P-B5 sets the men in motion. Black is prod­ded from his compla­cency and the picture changes. Immediate, tactical plays overrule the strategic concept. There follows 9 ... N-Q4; JO Ó-N3, BxN; 11 PxB, P-K3. Black wishes to cash in on the weakness in White's King's camp.

4

 12 NxN cuts down the wood and takes the sting out of any brew­ing counter-attack. Because the ending is unfavorable, Black does not swap Queens. He gambles on molesting the White King. There follows 12 . . . Q-R5ch; 13 K-K2, PxN. White s Kingdom for a Rook is the tempting (?) offer.

5

 White accepts a Pawn with 14 QxNP and Black plays 14 . . . QxQP. Then White goes after the Black King. 15 Q-B8ch, K-K2; 16 B-N5ch, P-B3; 17 QxPch, N-Q2 are the moves. Both Kings are insecure, and it is a question of who brings out his attacking forces more rapidly. It is White's turn.

6

 18 PxPch opens new lines, and Black plays 18 . . . BxP. Then fol­lows 19 Q-Q6ch. Black is compelled to retreat and cut the communication of his Rooks—a decisive factor here and now. 19 . . . K-Kl is Black's move. Both Kings eye each other reproachfully on the open King file.

7

 White brings up rein­forcements, as 20 R-Ql drives the opposing Queen with tempo. Black re­plies 20 . . . QxPch, and White interposes 21 R-Q2. Again, the Queen must move. Now it is 21 . . . Q-B6. White's last two moves have enabled him to swing the fa­vorable balance of power.

8

 White initiates a double threat with 22 QxP. It is too late to parry ev­erything. Black goes in for a mad scramble. 22 . . . BxB is the move. White plays 23 QxRch and Black replies 23 . . . K-K2. Now it is neces­sary to consolidate, if it is at all possible to consolidate.

9

 24 Q-K4ch is the right move in that direction. Black holds on to ev­erything with 24 . . . K-Ql. Comes a positional move: 25 R-B2, reinforcing the danger­ous passed Queen Bishop Pawn. Black retreats 25 ... Q-B3. With an active majority of men, White overwhelms his adversary.

10

26 P-B6 does the trick. Suddenly the passed Pawn has assumed ma­jor significance. Vainly, Black pins the opposing Queen with 26 . . . R-Kl. Who would dream that the game would be over with one fell blow? White replies 27 P-B7ch. The mite is now mighty. Black re­signs.

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