Opening chess moves names series#

In the early 1940’s three anti-Semitic articles were published in Nazi Germany under Alekhine’s authorship, which he later denied.

Yet, after defeating the brilliant Cuban, Alekhine did everything he could to avoid a rematch, and often denigrated the previous champion in his annotations. He lusted after Capablanca’s title, and was careful to cultivate his friendship so that Capa would accept his challenge. For more on this, read my previous blog by clicking on its title, “ Blindfold Chess”.)Īlekhine was not well liked, and has been described as devious and untrustworthy. (However, that world record has long since been crushed.

In 1925 Alekhine set a new world record by playing 28 simultaneous games of blindfold chess, winning 22 of them and only losing 3. The Soviets only forgot about his anti-Soviet statements after his death, when they tried to claim him for their own benefit, but his widow refused to allow his burial in Russia.Īlekhine was absolutely addicted to chess, studying 8 hours a day from boyhood, but he was addicted to alcohol as well, and it was likely due to this that he lost his world title to Euwe in 1935, though he regained it in 1937. A former member of the Communist Party, Alekhine renounced the party while living in France, then later tried to ingratiate himself to the Soviet regime after that nation began to dominate chess. Perhaps his turbulent life led to this style of play, for Alekhine had been taken a prisoner of war by the Germans in 1914, and had anything but a quiet life even afterwards. It is no wonder then that he is the namesake for this opening, which Nick de Firmian, author of MCO-14, describes as provocative and combative. e4 Nf6.Īlthough the opening was studied a century earlier by Allgaier, it takes its name from Russian Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946), who gained the world championship title by easily – and completely unexpectedly – defeating Capablanca in 1927 ( click here for the match games) to become only the 4th world champion (+6 =25 –3).Īlekhine was famous for his exciting attacks, often featuring sacrifices. The opening is identified by the simple moves 1.

Opening chess moves names series#

This is the first of a series of blogs that will share with you a bit of the history regarding those creative individuals whose names you will recognize.Īlekhine’s Defense is one of the “hypermodern” openings that are characterized by allowing the opponent to establish pawn control over the center, and then undermining that control by attacking it.

In Modern Chess Openings, vol 14 (MCO-14) there are 47 major named openings, many of which draw those names from either their creators or their proponents.