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Chess 03 Apr 1946, Wed The Winnipeg Tribune (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) Newspapers.com
Middle-Game Study No. 80
Black, having the move in this position, is to play and win. This is a gem from one of Alekhine's games.
VALE, ALEKHINE!
Dr. Alexander Alexandrovitch Alekhine, chess champion of the world, whose death was announced in the news early this week, was born in Moscow, on Nov. 1, 1892. He came of a wealthy Russian family. At 18, he had become a chess-player of repute, and in 1914, tied for first place in the all-Russian championship. At the great International Tournament at St. Petersburg. Alekhine placed third, following the giants Lasker and Capablanca.
Czar Nicholas II personally awarded to the five top-ranking players in that tournament the title of “Grandmaster of Chess”, and Alekhine was the last survivor of these five original “Grandmasters”.
At a tournament in Mannheim, Germany, late in July, 1914, Alekhine was already sure of first place, when World War I broke out, and he was interned. The wealth of his family was subsequently swept away in the Russian Revolution, and Alekhine became a refugee. He made his way to Paris, where he re-established himself by his chess ability, and later, became a French citizen.
In 1927, he won the World's Championship from Capablanca in an epic struggle, by a score of 6 to 3, with 25 draws, and unheard of number of draws in a chess match, up to that time.
In 1935, he lost his championship to Dr. Euwe of Holland, but regained it again in a return match in 1937. Alekhine was noted in play for his attacking style; his ability to exploit the most trifling advantage; and his profound intuition into opening strategy, which often enabled him to “set problems” for his opponents quite early in his games.
With the occupation of France in 1940, the Nazis rounded him up and he was afterwards accused of lending himself to their theories and anti-Semitic propaganda, in certain articles which were published under his name.
Later, Alekhine defended himself, alleging that the articles were not really his, merely published under his name by the Nazis, without his consent.
He was at all events, one of the greatest masters of chess, and as such, will remain immortal in the literature and history of the game.
