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Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
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Using today's ratings, I would rate Dudley LeDain in the 2100-2200 range at his peak (1920's-1930's). When I started playing (late 1960's) he was playing at 1850-1900 strength (in 1960's ratings) - add at least 100 points to convert to today's ratings.
Why is black winning at the end of this? Material is perfectly equal, both K's are still on their castled home squares. The pawn weaknesses seem about equal, the number of pawn islands per side is the same and last of all Fritz sees nothing but complete equality.
Alekhine-Saint-Pierre Montreal 1923 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 Nbd7 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 c5 9.0-0 b6 10.a4 Ne4 11.Qc2 f5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.c4 Ba6 14.a5 Bxc4 15.Bxc4 dxc4 16.Qxc4+ Kh8 17.Rd1 Ndf6 18.Ba3 Qc7 19.Ne5 Nd6 20.Qc2 Nb5 21.Bb2 Ng4 22.Nxg4 fxg4 23.axb6 axb6 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.dxc5 bxc5 26.Qe4 Ra7 27.Qxg4 Nd6 28.Rxd6 1-0 A well played game that ends in a comedy of errors. Black's 26th allows checkmate in one move. Alekhine was so focused on winning the pawn on g4 that he missed it. However Alekhine does not miss the black blunder on the next move and because of checkmate on c8 he captures the knight on d6 and the rook is immune.
Alekhine never did a major blindfold simultaneous exhibition in Toronto ( I was under that mistaken impression for a long time). However on Jan 23, 1924, after touring and doing exhibitions in many eastern American cities he came to Toronto and did a 34 board normal simultaneous exhibition with two blindfolded games on the side. The simul took place in the old Central YMCA ballroom on College Street. Alekhine scored 31 wins (including both blindfold games) 4 draws and 1 loss (to C.N. Ritchie of Hamilton). One of the draws was against later 8 time Canadian Champion Maurice Fox - a wild affair which was much talked about. The fact that he was also playing two blindfold games on the side caused quite a stir as well. The following blindfold game was a positionally well played game where Alekhine finishes with customary flair but in the endgame (43.Nh4! was an excellent move setting up unstoppable threats) Alekhine-Alpert 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.0-0 Rd8 12.Qe2 0-0 13.Rfd1 Qf5 14.Rac1 Nce4 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Nb5 a6 17.Nbd4 Qd7 18.Qc2 Rc8 19.Qb3 Rxc1 20.Rxc1 Rd8 21.h3 h6 22.Qb6 Rc8 23.Rd1 Qc7 24.Qb3 Qd7 25.Ne2 Rc5 26.Nf4 Qb5 27.Nxd5 Qxb3 28.Nxf6+ Nxf6 29.axb3 Rc2 30.Rd2 Rc1+ 31.Kh2 Ne4 32.Rd8+ Kh7 33.Rd7 f6 34.Rxb7 Rc2 35.Nd4 Rxf2 36.Ne6 Rxb2 37.Rxg7+ Kh8 38.Rg4 f5 39.Rg6 Kh7 40.Nf8+ Kh8 41.Rxa6 Rxb3 42.Ng6+ Kh7 43.Nh4 Rb5 44.Ra7+ Kg8 45.Ng6 h5 46.h4 Nf6 47.Kg3 Nd5 48.Kf3 Rb3 49.Ne7+ Nxe7 50.Rxe7 Rb4 51.g3 1-0 The following day Alekhine played two Kriegspiel games against Sydney Gale and Maurice Fox before leaving to see Niagara Falls.
The following day Alekhine played two Kriegspiel games against Sydney Gale and Maurice Fox before leaving to see Niagara Falls.
Did he play the Kriegspiel games blindfolded? I witnessed (with a little bit of persuasion) Leo Williams playing three games of Kriegspiel simultaneously blindfolded. Somewhere I have the scoreheets (1 win, 1 loss, 1 draw).
(Kriegspiel is a variant in which the two players see only their own pieces, and try to figure out the placement of the opponent's pieces by various moves (or attempted moves). A referee plays the pieces of both players on the "master board" out of sight of both players, and alerts them to illegal move attempts, checks, and captures. Generally - the players sit back-to-back with the master board between them. It is most amusing for the referee and the spectators. Leo (not literally blindfolded - but unable to see any boards) would write his move attempts on paper, and the referee would inform him of the consequences. Bxa8 ["Illegal!"]. Bxb7 ["White has captured on b7".])
Good question. There was no mention of playing Kriegspiel blindfolded in the article but its possible. I'll have to ask Erik Malmsten. He is the expert on Toronto chess history and Kriegspiel. I'll send him an email.
On April 27, 1924, after the famous New York 1924 tournament, Alekhine took on 26 opponents in a blindfold simultaneous exhibition at the Hotel Alamac to break Breyer's world record. Alekhine scored 16 wins, 5 draws, and 5 losses or more than 70%. Amongst the opposition were later famous players Kashdan (grandmaster), Herman Steiner (IM and Olympic Teams), Pinkus and Tholfsen. The following game appears in Alekhine's "My Best Games of Chess 1924-1937" with good notes. Alekhine - Frieman New York 1924 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.cxd4 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Nf6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 b6 11.c4 Qd8 12.d5 Ne7 13.Nd4 Bb7 14.Bb2 c6 15.Bf3 cxd5 16.Re1 Re8 17.Qd2 Rb8 18.Qg5 Ng6 19.Nf5 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 dxc4 21.Bxb7 Rxb7 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Qh6 Qf8 24.Re8 1-0 Alekhine played another Gambit - the Danish, followed it up with sprightly pawn play in the center (helped by his opponent) and finished with a trademark kingside attack.
Alekhine-Milton Pinkus New York 1924 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.Be3 0-0 9.Nb3 Bd7 10.f4 Rc8 11.Bf3 Re8 12.Qd2 Ng4 13.Bxg4 Bxg4 14.f5 gxf5 15.Bh6 e6 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.h3 Bh5 18.exf5 exf5 19.Nd5 Re2 20.Qf4 Bg6 21.Nd4 Nxd4 22.Qxd4+ Re5 23.c4 Qf8 24.b3 b6 25.Rad1 Rd8 26.Rfe1 f6 27.Nf4 Qe7 28.Rf1 Re4 29.Qc3 Qe5 30.Qc1 Kf7 31.h4 Qc5+ 32.Kh1 Bh5 33.Rd5 Qc8 34.Nh3 Bg6 35.h5 Bxh5 36.Rdxf5 Bg6 37.Rxf6+ Kg7 38.Qc3 Kg8 39.Qg3 Rg4 40.Qf2 Be4 41.Nf4 Qb7 42.Ne6 Bxg2+ 43.Kh2 and White will checkmate on f8. 1-0 A Dragon Sicilian where White plays a thematic f5 breakthru leading to extensive operations on the F-file. The position after move 41 is a beautiful picture that deserves to be framed and makes a clear statement about the F-file.
Alekhine - Monsky New York 1924 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Rc1 c6 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Nd5 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Ne4 N5f6 13.Ng3 e5 14.0-0 exd4 15.exd4 Nb6 16.Re1 Qd6 17.Bb3 Bg4 18.h3 Bxf3 19.Qxf3 Nbd5 20.Re5 Nd7 21.Re2 Nf4 22.Re4 Ng6 23.Nf5 Qf6 24.Rce1 Kh7 25.h4 Nb6 26.h5 Nh8 27.Bc2 Nd5 28.Rh4 Kg8 29.Rg4 g5 30.hxg6 fxg6 31.Nxh6+ Kg7 32.Nf5+ Kh7 33.Qh3+ Kg8 34.Qh6 Rf7 35.Re5 Rh7 36.Qd2 Rf8 37.Be4 Nc7 38.Qc2 Ne6 39.Qc4 Re8 40.Nd6 Ree7 41.Bf5 Rhf7 42.Nxf7 Rxf7 43.Qxe6 1-0
A fascinating game. After an opening that might put the reader to sleep (Queens Gambit Declined) Alekhine played a new idea of his (12.Ne4) which he later played against Capablanca in the famous 1927 World Championship match. The "book" assesses this as equal. Regardless after much maneuvering and fighting on the central squares the white knight settles on f5 with all complimenting pieces around it. The square f5 is the most important binding square on the board from move 23 to the end of the game but it is not until White moves the knight from f5 and puts the bishop there that Black's position totally collapses. Alekhine was very critical of the many winning tactics that he missed in this game but it took the chess genius of Alekhine to recognize the strength of the f5 square and keep building on it. A picturesque positional game that stands alone but one marvels that Alekhine found his way with 25 other games on the go.
Only five scoresheets have been found and published from the New York 1924 blindfold simul and it is a pity as Alekhine considered this simul the strongest opposition he had ever faced in a blindfold exhibition. (21 games missing) The next game was against his strongest opponent Herman Steiner who played on 4 US Olympic Teams. (The US Olympic Team of chess was number 1 in the world several times before World War 2.) In the game after some tense maneuvering Alekhine blunders on move 33 allowing a nasty knight fork and entering an endgame a pawn down. However Alekhine's resourcefulness shows itself again in an amazing way as in the next 3 moves he sets up a winning swindle! 38.Ba6!! (exclams by Alekhine) is a nasty provocative attacking move and gets a knee-jerk reaction from his opponent. (Its all about removing the defender and helping a passed pawn thru) A sensational combination! Alekhine - Steiner 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Be3 d6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Be2 Bd7 9.f3 0-0 10.Rc1 Rc8 11.0-0 a6 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Nb8 14.Qd2 a5 15.Rfe1 Na6 16.b3 Nc5 17.Rcd1 Qc7 18.Bh6 Bxh6 19.Qxh6 e5 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.Nb5 Bxb5 22.cxb5 d5 23.Bf1 Rf5 24.Qe3 Qd6 25.a3 Re8 26.b4 axb4 27.axb4 Nd7 28.Qc3 Rh5 29.g3 Qb6+ 30.Kg2 Rf8 31.Qd4 Qxd4 32.Rxd4 Ne5 33.f4 Rxh2+ 34.Kxh2 Nf3+ 35.Kg2 Nxd4 36.Rc1 Rf7 37.b6 Nc6 38.Ba6 Nxb4 39.Bxb7 Re7 40.Bc8 Kf7 41.b7 Na6 42.Ra1 Nb8 43.Ra8 Nc6 44.b8=Q Nxb8 45.Rxb8 Kf6 46.Kf3 h6 47.Rb6 g5 48.fxg5+ hxg5 49.Kg4 Re8 50.Bb7 Re7 51.Bc6 d4 52.Be4 Ke5 53.Bd3 Rc7 54.Rb5+ Kf6 55.Kf3 Rc1 56.Rb1 Rc3 57.Rd1 Ke5 58.Kg4 Kd5 59.Kxg5 e5 60.Kf5 Rxd3 61.Rxd3 e4 62.Rd1 d3 63.Kf4 Kd4 64.Ra1 d2 65.Ra8 1-0
The next game is a game I overlooked from the Montreal 1923 exhibition. Alekhine starts with the English Opening but his opponent wants nothing to do with it and play transposes into a Dutch Stonewall type position. Alekhine's play from the opening is a model buildup of a closed position. However almost like a separate thread in the weaving of the game is the maneuvering of the queen's knight (Na3-c2-e1-f3-d2-f1) The last move by Alekhine in the game is Nf1 but if he had played 36.Ne4 what would have happened? Very creative play by Alekhine in a game lost in obscurity probably because of the drawn result. Alekhine-Beique 1.c4 e6 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Be7 4.Nf3 0-0 5.0-0 c6 6.b3 d5 7.Bb2 Re8 8.Na3 Nbd7 9.Nc2 Nf8 10.Ne5 N6d7 11.d4 Bd6 12.f4 f6 13.Nd3 f5 14.Ne5 Nf6 15.e3 Ne4 16.g4 g6 17.Qe2 Qf6 18.Rad1 Qg7 19.Ne1 Bd7 20.N1f3 Re7 21.Nd2 Nf6 22.h3 Rae8 23.c5 Bb8 24.b4 a6 25.a4 Rc8 26.Bc3 Be8 27.Bf3 Rcc7 28.Rf2 Rc8 29.Rg2 Kh8 30.Kf2 Qg8 31.Rh1 Rg7 32.h4 h5 33.gxh5 gxh5 34.Rg5 Ng4+ 35.Bxg4 fxg4 36.Nf1 Nh7 .5 -.5
The next game involves an interesting story from Alekhines simul tour in 1924.
Alekhine was giving one of his usual 30+ board exhibitions with two blindfold games on the side in Chicago when the organisers were approached by a woman who insisted on playing blindfolded! against Alekhine in one of the two blindfolded games. The organisers thought this an interesting idea which would give the 200 spectators something extra to talk about. The game is not of the highest quality. Alekhine had the advantage out of the opening as Black and won a central pawn and his advantage continued thru much of the middlegame. However he did not press his advantage in the usual way and then surprisingly moved his dominant knight off of e4 which made the position equal (which leads me to guess that Alekhine was playing to the crowd) but on the last move of the game his opponent blunders allowing checkmate.
Florence Gleason - Alekhine 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.e3 c5 5.Nc3 a6 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.00 Bg4 9.Be2 Be7 10.b3 00 11.Bb2 Rc8 12.Qc2 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 cxd4 14.exd4 Nxd4 15.Qd3 Bc5 16.Na4 Nxf3+ 17.Qxf3 Ne4 18.Rad1 Qg5 19.Nxc5 Rxc5 20.Rfe1 Rfc8 21.h3 Rc2 22.Re2 h6 23.Rde1 Qg6 24.a3 Nd2 25.Qxd5 Rxb2 26.Rxd2 Rxd2 27.Qxd2 Rc2 28.Qd8+ Kh7 29.Qd7 Rc3 30.Qxb7 Rxh3 31.Re8 Qb1+ 0-1 Who was Florence Gleason? Obviously a strong player if she could play a complete game of blindfold chess (and with the confidence to challenge a grandmaster) but there is no further record of her. Where did she learn to play blindofld chess? Curious.
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