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Alexander Alekhine vs Leon Colman Lerner
Clock simul, 8b (1926), Buenos Aires ARG, Sep-09
Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack. Modern Defense (B13)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-26-05  popski: Ahhh, 26.♖e3 I can almost see Colman's face after this depressing move...
Nov-26-05  CapablancaFan: 26. Re3! is great! Black must lose a piece or be mated! Just as Colman thought he was consolidating well! Hehe.
Nov-26-05  Calli: Alekhine blunders with 23.Qd5? because Black has 23...Bxh2+ 24.Kxh2 Qc7+

Coleman probably lamented missing the win more than final move.

Nov-26-05  popski: Nice call Calli! You are right, it does look like blunder! Even better 24.♔f1 ♖xe1 25.♖xe1 ♕xd5 26.♘xd5 ♗xd5 27.♗xb8 does not work because of 27... ♗c4+ 28.♖e2 ♗xe2 29.♔xe2 ♗xb8 and white is piece down...
Nov-26-05  CapablancaFan: <Calli> I find your automatic assumption that Alekhine would recapture disturbing. 23...Bxh2? 24. Kh1! Now black has 2 pieces enprise! (Remember the rook on b8 is being attacked). Ahhh not so simple is it?
Nov-26-05  Petrocephalon: While there may be many "disturbing" posts on this site, I doubt anything Calli has ever submitted qualifies ;)

I don't think 23..Bxh2+ is a completely simple move either (I wouldn't have seen popski's variation over the board), but 23..Bxh2+ 24.Kh1 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qh6 wins.

Nov-26-05  EmperorAtahualpa: Wow, I love 26.Re3!! I've never seen that kind of move! (if you know what I mean)

<calli> <popski> <capablancafan> <Petrocephalon>

Crafty suggests that 22.Ba7?? is actually the biggest blunder.

It's a difficult combination to see but a beautiful one: after 22.Ba7, black can play 22...Bxh2+! 23.Kf1 Bxg2+!! 24.Kxg2 Rg6+! 25.Kf1 (Kxh2 Rh6+ 26.Kg3 Qh3+ 27.Kf4 Rb4+ 28.Bd4 Rf6+ 29.Ke4 Qf3+ 30.Ke5 Qf5#) Rg1+ 26.Ke2 Rxe1+ 27.Kxe1 Qe8+ 28.Be3 Rxb3 and the White queen goes:


click for larger view

Nov-26-05  Petrocephalon: <EmperorA> Spectacular! After reading Calli's post I contemplated the double bishop sac at move 22, but being no Shredder I couldn't work it out.

(Note 22..Bxh7+ 23.Kxh7 Rh6+ 24.Kg1 Rh1+ 24.Kxh1 Qh3+.)

<26.Re3!! I've never seen that kind of move! > 26.Re3 is a kind of waiting move I've seen before -- I wonder if it's a named motif?

Nov-26-05  Calli: Yes, 22...Bh2!+ with the double bishop sac is even better. Now I am feelin very disturbed ;->

I don't think these sacs are particularly difficult. Look at the position after 22.Ba7. Two bishops, a rook and the queen ready to assault the king. White has only a rook on his kingside. Its a position that could have come right out of Vukovic's "The Art of the Attack" where he tells you the requirements for such sacrifices.

Nov-26-05  popski: Well, I can also almost feel Colman's psychological pressure. It reminds me on my last game with eminent GM Bruno Parma. Here you can see my bitter game: http://wikisophia.org/wiki/User:Igo...
Nov-26-05  Petrocephalon: <popski> Entertaining game, entertaining comments.
Nov-26-05  Calli: <popski> Sorry to see that one bad move ruined your game with Parma.

You make a good point. I can imagine Coleman looking at Bxh2 during this game and thinking "It can't be good if Alekhine has allowed me to play it". The psychological factor enters into it.

Sep-26-15  TheFocus: This game is from a clock simultaneous exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the Club Argentino on September 9, 1926.

Alekhine played at 40 moves/hour while his opponents had 15 moves/hour.

Alekhine scored +8=0-0.

See <Kagan's Neueste Schachnachrichten 1927>.

Mar-14-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: Wow, what an amazing comedy of errors behind the scenes - more than any other games so far I checked of Alekhine recently. Engines have a field day with this game for both sides. Some beautiful tactics available.

But as mentioned if we "step back from it", we can see Black has two bishops looking quite aggressive. And there is an h2 softspot which only the King protects :) Resisting the bad psychology of playing Alekhine, i guess one sometimes must try and step back and evaluate the positive facts of the position - and how tactics could flow from those positive facts.

Alexander Alekhine - Leon Colman Lerner 1-0 0.0, Buenos Aires 1926


click for larger view

Analysis by Stockfish 16 - one thread version:

1. -+ (-5.46): 23.Kh1 Bxg2+ 24.Kxg2 Rg6+ 25.Kf1 Rg1+ 26.Ke2 Rxe1+ 27.Kxe1 Qe7+ Black is clearly winning

(Gavriel, 14.03.2024)

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