AVRO, Round 13: Fine beats Alekhine

by Johannes Fischer
6/15/2020 – Reuben Fine started the AVRO Tournament with 5½/6, but then suffered a setback and scored only 1½ points in the next six rounds. But at the end of the tournament Fine seems to have found his form again and in round 13 he outplayed Alexander Alekhine with amazing ease. The other three games of the round ended in a draw and with one round to go Fine and Keres now share the lead with 8.0/13 each, and will decide the tournament winner in their direct duel in the last round. | Photo: Alekhine and Fine during their game in round 6

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

A seemingly effortless win

As he himself admits, Reuben Fine has learned a lot from Alekhine. He once wrote:

"It was around 1932 ... that I began to study chess books. ... I was fascinated by Alekhine's books and the story of his life. I studied his games, and came to know of them by heart, perhaps better than he himself. I came to know his strong points and his weak points."

This comprehensive preparation paid off at the AVRO Tournament: in round 6 Fine had won against Alekhine with Black and in round 13 Fine defeated the World Champion again, this time with White. After 13 moves, Fine was much better in a queenless middlegame and in the further course of the game the American confidently converted his advantage with calm and strong play.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4       e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bd7 6.c3 g6 7.d4 Bg7 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.f4! Bxa4 Not bad, but 10...Ne7 or maybe even 10...Nf6 also seem to be playable. 11.Qxa4+ Qd7?! This leads to an endgame in which Black is on the defensive. Much better is 11...b5 with chances for both sides. 12.Qxd7+ Kxd7 13.fxe5 Ke6 14.Bf4 Rf8 15.Nd2 Bxe5 16.Nb3 Bxf4 17.Rxf4 b6 18.a4! Ke5?! This only costs time. Better was 18...Nf6 19.a5 19.g3! 19...Ke5 20.g3 Nxe4 21.axb6 cxb6 22.Rxa6 f5 23.Nd4 Kd5 24.Rxb6 Rb8 25.Rb5+ Rxb5 26.Nxb5 Rb8 27.b3 Ke5 28.c4 Rd8 29.Rf3 Rd1+ 30.Kg2 Rd2+ 31.Kg1 Rd1+ 1/2-1/2 Tringov,G-Kovacevic, V/Stara Pazova 1988/EXT 97 (31) 19.g3 Simple and strong. Nf6 19...Ne7 20.a5+- 20.Nd2 Defending e4 and threatening Nc4+. Nh5? This again seems to win time but only worsens Black's position. 20...Ke6 21.a5 b5 22.Nb3 Nd7 23.Nd4+ Ke7 24.Nc6+ Ke6 seems to be hold though White is still better. 21.Rf2! Ke6 21...a5 22.b4! 21...f6 22.a5 b5 23.Nf3+ Ke6 23...Kxe4 24.Rd1 Rd8 25.Nd4+- 24.Nd4+ Kf7 25.Raf1 c5 26.Nb3 c4 27.Nc5+- 22.a5 Ra8 22...b5 23.Nb3 Ke7 24.Nc5 Ra8 25.Rd1+- 23.Raf1 Now White wins a pawn while keeping the initiative. Rhd8 23...Rhf8 24.g4 Ng7 25.axb6 cxb6 26.Rf6++- 24.Nf3 Ke7 25.axb6 cxb6 26.Ng5 h6 27.Rxf7+ Kd6 28.Nf3 g5 29.Nd4 Re8 30.Rh7 Rh8 31.Rff7 Rxh7 32.Rxh7 Rf8 33.Rxh6+ Nf6 34.Nf3 Kc5 35.Nd2 g4 36.Rg6 Nd7 37.Rxg4 Ne5 38.Rg5 Kd6 39.Rf5 Rd8 40.Nf3 Nd3 41.Rd5+ Ke7 42.Rxd8 Kxd8 43.b3 Ke7 44.Nd2 a5 45.Kf1 b5 46.Ke2 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Fine,R-Alekhine,A-1–01938C76AVRO13

The three other games of the round all ended with a draw.

After the opening Mikhail Botvinnik was better against Salo Flohr, but Flohr managed to neutralize White's initiative and the game soon petered out into a draw.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 c6 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Bg5 e6 8.e4 dxe4 9.Bb5+ Kf8 10.Nxe4 h6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nxf6 Qxf6 13.Rc1 Qd8 14.0-0 a6 15.Bd3 Nc6 16.Be4 Ne7 17.Rc5 Ra7 18.Rfc1 b6 19.R5c2 Kg7 20.Qa3 Bd7 21.Ne5 Bb5 22.Qb4 Rf8 23.a4 Be8 24.b3 a5 25.Qd2 f6 26.Nf3 Qd6 27.h3 Bf7 28.Qe3 Rd8 29.g3 Rdd7 30.Qe2 Rac7 31.Rxc7 Rxc7 32.Rxc7 Qxc7 33.Qd2 Be8 34.h4 h5 ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Botvinnik,M-Flohr,S-½–½1938D96AVRO13

The game between Samuel Reshevsky and Max Euwe was more exciting. In a Queen's Gamit Reshevsky attacked on the queenside while Euwe tried to create threats on the kingside. But after a short tactical intermezzo an equal rook ending appeared on the board and a couple of moves later the game ended in a draw.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Rc1 h6 7.Bh4 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.cxd5 Nxc3 10.Rxc3 exd5 11.Bd3 c6 12.Ne2 Nd7 13.0-0 Nf6 14.Nf4 Bg4 15.Qc2 Nh5 16.Nxh5 Bxh5 17.Rc5 Bg4 18.Rb1 Rae8 19.b4 Qg5 20.Kh1 a6 21.a4 f5 22.f4 Qe7 23.Re1 Rf6 24.h3 Re6 25.Qf2 Rxe3 26.Rxe3 Qxe3 27.Qxe3 Rxe3 28.Bxa6 bxa6 29.hxg4 fxg4 30.Kh2 Rd3 31.Rxc6 Rxd4 32.Rxa6 Rxb4 33.Kg3 ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Reshevsky,S-Euwe,M-½–½1938D54AVRO13

The game between José Raúl Capablanca and Paul Keres seemed to be a fight of nerves and fatigue. After a slightly unusual by Capablanca Keres equalized quickly but then did not play cautiously enough and suddenly was in danger of losing. But then Capablanca once again seemed to lack the energy to take advantage of this and with some luck Keres managed to escape to a draw.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+ 3.Nc3 c5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nge2 cxd4 6.exd4 0-0 7.a3 Be7 8.Nf4 d5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nfxd5 exd5 11.Qb3 Nc6 12.Be3 Bf6 13.Rd1 Bg4 14.Be2 Bxe2 15.Kxe2 Re8 16.Kf1 Ne7 17.g3 Qd7 18.Kg2 Rad8 19.Qb5 Nf5 20.Qxd7 Rxd7 21.Rd3 h6 22.h4 Rc8 23.h5 b5 24.g4 Nxe3+ 25.fxe3 a5?! Due to the weak pawn on d5 the position is more dangerous for Black as it seems. But the text-move weakens Black's b-pawn and this makes things worse for Black. More careful was 25...a6 with approximate equality. 26.b4 axb4 27.axb4 Be7 28.Rb1 Rc4 29.Nxb5 Rxb4 30.Rxb4 Bxb4 31.Kf3 g6 32.Rb3 Ba5 33.Ra3 Bd2 34.Ke2 Rb7 35.Nd6 Rb2 36.Ra8+ Kh7 37.Nxf7 A good alternative was 37.Ne8 e.g. Bb4+ 38.Kf3 Be1 39.Nf6+ Kg7 40.Nxd5 and White has good winning chances. 37...gxh5 38.Ne5?! Not energetic enough. Much more dangerous was 38.gxh5 e.g. Bc1+ 39.Kf3 Rh2 40.Ra7 Rh3+ 41.Kg4 Rxe3 42.Kf5 and White has a dangerous initiative. 38...Bc1+ 39.Kd3 Rd2+ 40.Kc3 Rg2 41.gxh5 Bxe3 42.Ra7+ ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Capablanca,J-Keres,P-½–½1938E42AVRO13

Before the last and decisive round Keres and Fine now have both 8.0/13 and share the lead and are one point ahead of Botvinnik who is sole third with 7.0/13. As chance would have it, Fine and Keres meet in the final round and decide the tournament in their direct encounter. However, Fine must win this game if he wants to win the tournament, because in the event of a tie, the direct encounter is decisive, and that is good for Keres, who won against Fine in round 7.

Results of round 13

R. Fine 1-0 A. Alekhine
J.R. Capablanca ½-½ P. Keres
S. Reshevsky ½-½ M. Euwe
M. Botvinnik ½-½ S. Flohr

Standings after round 13

Loading Table...

Games

 
Loading...
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.

Links


Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.