Alexander Alekhine

Alekhine – Fahrni · 1914 · 1–0

Mannheim 1914 — a youthful masterpiece from the German Chess Congress that World War I cut short with Alekhine in the lead. Against Hans Fahrni's French Defence he flung his rook's pawn forward (6.h4), tore open the h-file, and broke through with the bishop sacrifice 18.Bxe4 to hunt down the king, forcing resignation in 23 moves.

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Tarrasch – Alekhine · 1922 · 0–1

Bad Pistyan 1922 — Alekhine's famous Blumenfeld Countergambit (4...b5), which took one of the tournament's brilliancy prizes. Playing Black against the veteran Siegbert Tarrasch, he rolled up a mobile pawn centre and finished with a mating storm crowned by 34...Bxh3 and 38...Rxh3+.

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Alekhine – Yates · 1922 · 1–0

London 1922 — a positional masterpiece Alekhine himself prized. In a Queen's Gambit Declined he built a lasting bind, marched his own king up the board into the attack (Kf2–g3–f4–e5), and broke through with the rook sacrifice 37.Rxg7 to beat Frederick Yates.

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Bogoljubow – Alekhine · 1922 · 0–1

Hastings 1922 — the game Irving Chernev called 'the most brilliant ever played' and Andrew Soltis ranked among the four best of the twentieth century. In a Dutch Defence Alekhine sacrificed his queen, let Efim Bogoljubow promote fresh queens and gave those up too, his own passed pawns crashing through to win.

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Alekhine – Saemisch · 1923 · 1–0

Berlin 1923 — a celebrated attacking miniature from an exhibition game, nicknamed 'Shots in the Dark'. Against Friedrich Sämisch's Sicilian, Alekhine built up on the kingside and sacrificed his queen with 18.fxe6; after 19.exf7+ Sämisch resigned into a mating net on move 20 (20.Nd5).

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Gruenfeld – Alekhine · 1923 · 0–1

Karlsbad 1923 — the 'Sixth Sense' game, in which Alekhine outplayed the great opening theoretician Ernst Grünfeld with the black pieces. He neutralised White's initiative, expanded in the centre with ...e5–e4, and won with the combination 30...Rxd4 and 34...Bd4+.

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Reti – Alekhine · 1925 · 0–1

Baden-Baden 1925 — one of the most beautiful games ever played, which Alekhine rated among his own finest and Kasparov called worthy to be named the most beautiful in chess history. Against Richard Réti's flank opening he launched a deep combination with 26...Re3, his knight and rook dancing through the position (...Nxe2+, ...Rxf3, ...Nd4) to a spectacular finish.

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Alekhine – Capablanca · 1927 · 1–0

World Championship, Buenos Aires 1927 — the 34th and final game, a textbook rook endgame won with an outside passed pawn. Capablanca resigned the adjourned game by note, and Alekhine became the fourth World Champion after the longest title match then played (+6 −3 =25).

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Alekhine – Nimzowitsch · 1930 · 1–0

San Remo 1930 — the origin of 'Alekhine's Gun'. Stacking both rooks behind his queen on the c-file, Alekhine built pressure so total that Aron Nimzowitsch was squeezed into near-zugzwang and resigned; it capped the tournament Alekhine won by 3½ points.

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Alekhine – Vasic · 1931 · 1–0

Banja Luka 1931 — a dazzling miniature from a simultaneous exhibition. In a French Winawer, Alekhine sacrificed his queen with 10.Qxe6+ and mated with the bishop, 11.Bg6#, in just eleven moves.

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Alekhine – Lasker · 1934 · 1–0

Zürich 1934 — a celebrated brilliancy against former World Champion Emanuel Lasker. From a Queen's Gambit Declined, Alekhine's pieces converged on the kingside and, after 25.Nf5+, he finished with the queen sacrifice 26.Qxg6, threatening unstoppable mate. Alekhine won the tournament with 13/15.

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Alekhine – Reshevsky · 1937 · 1–0

Kemeri 1937 — Alekhine refuting his own invention. Samuel Reshevsky met him with the Alekhine Defence, but Alekhine outplayed the American star, won material, and forced mate with 36.Qxe5+.

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Alekhine – Euwe · 1937 · 1–0

World Championship return match 1937 — a sharp win over the reigning champion Max Euwe. In a Slav, Alekhine sacrificed on f7 (16.Bxf7+) to strip the king and won in 23 moves. He took the rematch 15½–9½ to become the first player ever to regain the world title.

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Alekhine – Book · 1938 · 1–0

Margate 1938 — a crisp attacking brilliancy against Eero Book. Alekhine sacrificed the exchange with 14.Rxd7, seized the initiative in the centre, and forced resignation on move 25.

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Alekhine – Capablanca · 1938 · 1–0

AVRO 1938 — Alekhine's last win over his old rival Capablanca, in their final meeting. In a French Defence he advanced his kingside pawns (h4–h5, g4) and broke through with 26.Bg6+, a victory that helped him finish ahead of Capablanca for the first time.

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