[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: An Analysis Exercise: Can You Top Alekhine? - Part Two

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
An Analysis Exercise: Can You Top Alekhine? - Part Two
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1210130804.shtml


   In [1]this post I challenged all of you to make the best sense of this
   position, from the game Alekhine - J. Morrison, Manchester (simul)
   1923:
   [alekhine_morrison_simul_1923.jpg]
   It's White to move, and promising tactical possibilities are afoot on
   the h-file and the b1-h7 diagonal. In the game, Alekhine chose 20.Rxh7
   and won, but lamented this move in his notes. During the game, he
   calculated 20.Nxg4 Bxg4 21.Rxh7, but found only a perpetual with
   21...Kxh7 22.Qxg6+ Kxg6 23.Be4+ Kh5 24.Rh1+ Bh3 25.Bf3+ Kg6 26.Be4+
   etc. The problem is that the otherwise desirable 25.Rxh3+ Kg4 leaves
   both the Bf4 and the Rh3 hanging. An impressive calculation in a
   simul, but Alekhine claims in his notes that 20.Nxg4 was the right
   move, as long as 20...Bxg4 is met by 21.Be3. Black's queen will
   presumably run away from the various possible discoveries, and then
   White goes back to the Rxh7 idea. The bishop won't be hanging on f4
   after 22.Rxh7 Kxh7 23.Qxg6+ Kxg6 24.Be4+ Kh5 25.Rh1+ Bh3 26.Rxh3+ Kg4,
   so White can conveniently and attractively finish Black off with
   26.Bf5#.
   Now that you know a little of what Alekhine saw and was thinking, you
   might want to return to your chessboards (or monitors) and see what
   else you can come up with. When you've worked it all out, you can have
   a look [2]here.

References

   1. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1209785553.shtml
   2. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/files/alekhine_morrison_simul_1923.htm