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794.122 m689 modern cheas openings 1939.

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jul i

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printed in the united states of america

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preface to the sixth edition in the sixth edition of change which this book there all is a notable will we are sure that our supporters while we were considering the advisability of appreciate it out in the current bringing year we were approached by mr reuben fine with a suggestion that he should undertake the task of revision and we gladly agreed to those reuben fine needs no introduction interested in the who are his past achievements had game him famous and he added another glorious already made chapter to the story of his career just as he had finished his of chess work for us by tieing for the first place in the great a.v.r.o tournament towards the end of 1938 naturally we gave our reviser a free hand in dealing with his task merely reserving to ourselves the editorial right of making such slight changes in his text as might seem to us necessary mr fine however scrupulously adhered to the traditions of modern chess openings while availing himself fully of the privilege which must be conceded to a master of his rank of expressing his personal opinions on the lines of play which are illustrated in the book and altering as he thought fit the introductions to the various openings in comparing this new edition with its predecessor we may note that it contains 332 pages and 1,215 columns as we against 300 pages and 1,060 columns of seven years ago have gladly got rid of the cumbrous device of addenda which was forced upon us by circumstances of production we have also in deference to mr fine s wishes abandoned the use of starred columns to indicate what in 1932 in his preface the reviser explains the system adopted by him in appraising lines of play so no comment on it is needed appears to be the best line of play for both sides from us.

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preface to the sixth edition of difficulty which arose in the completion was caused by our desire to introduce new variations from the a.v.r.o tournament after the manuscript had been sent to the printers and was in process of being set up the printer s work was held back the only edition this permit the mention of the most important of these and it so happened that this delay made it possible to put in some of the novelties from the hastings tournament of 1938-39 and a few from the leningrad-moscow sufficiently to tournament this year in conclusion we thanks to mr fine for the admirable carried should like to convey our personal way in which he has out his revision on which point we think our readers will agree and to acknowledge how little he left us to do the manuscript was typed by his wife and the printers had no difficulty on the score of illegibility desire also to express our gratitude to all who have helped us in the preparation of this new editi6n and especially to we our assistants in the exacting work of reading the proofs with particular mention of messrs f j camm and r hutter and sir gilbert jackson t&e editors london januar 1939.

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preface task of revising modern chess openings has been both arduous and pleasant arduous because of the almost endless ramifications of modern opening theory which necessitated the examination of the openings of thousands of games pleasant because the result is the a solution albeit an incomplete one to the complicated i have been guided by the principle of the labyrinth earlier editions that this work is intended to be both modern and practical for that reason i have enlarged the sections on the queen s side openings and the ruy lopez as these are the sine qua non of contemporary tournaments although i have refrained from paying attention to any particular variation in these openings since the practical player must be acquainted with a great number of different lines too much wish to express my grateful thanks to various friends who have helped me particularly to mr fred reinfeld for his countless invaluable suggestions and i to mr sidney bernstein for reading the manuscript reuben fine new york december 20th 1938-

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prefatory notes the arrangement to us most suitable for a book on chess openings is of openings in alphabetical order seems at the same time there or those infrequently played altered for this the difficulty of finding irregular openings for such the student must refer to the general index which has been considerably new edition have evaluated the variations by means of a number of symbols which are extensively used in all chess publicafor those who are unfamiliar with their exact tions we meaning we append a short glossary -h after white move white has a winning advantage after black move blacv has a winning advantage 4 after white move white has a but there is distinct superiority no question of a forced win -f black move black has a distinct superiority but there is no question of a after forced win white stands slightly better black stands slightly better where the position is even a variation is given without any evaluating symbol or comment it can be assumed that the position reached is one where both sides have good chances and that considerable analysis is required to come to a definite in doubtful cases we would not recommend conclusion.

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prefatory notes our readers to forego their own judgment for an attacking player with a pawn to the bad might consider his position to be an adequate return whereas a more cautious player might come to the opposite conclusion for the benefit of the student unfamiliar with a particular opening who wishes to acquaint himself with the leading variations we would recommend in the first place a careful study of the introductory remarks to obtain a preliminary view of the opening the variations given in the footnotes may frequently be neglected for the time it is particularly advisable that a player should being endeavour to ascertain for himself the why and wherefore of certain moves the habit of playing a series of bookmoves by heart leading to disaster when the opponent deviates from the book have endeavoured to arrange the columns in the simplest possible form for reference and this has rendered necessary a considerable amount of transposition of the opening moves mainly in the sections dealing with the we queen s side openings and the ruy to state this in order to avoid being it is necessary with erroneous charged lopez have drawn attention as far records of actual games as possible to the cases where one opening transposes into another we

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notation for the benefit of such of our readers as are not familiar with the english notation of the chessboard and the names of the pieces we give a diagram of the board showing the english descriptive and the algebraic names of the squares and a table of equivalents in various foreign languages for the of the english chess pieces symbols the board black d e ix f h b as qr8 k3 iswt &ms 7 6 5 4 3 kkts kbi lisli kri d e h white the symbols eng ger fr it span dut fum hun cxech pol rust b b b g p p

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alekhine s defence this defence which in our 1925 edition was characterized as bizarre has met with the fate which often awaits openings that at first seem bizarre and has to i p k 4 now come i to be regarded as normal as a playable move introduced long before the present champion s days was at budapest in 1921 as a tournament weapon by alekhine and quickly grew in favour in this decade the defence has lost much of its erstwhile popularity but it is still often euwe flohr reshevsky and fine kt kb 3 although known adopted by condistinguishing feature of the defence is that black allows trary to all the tenets of the classical school his king s knight to be driven about the board in the early a weakstages of the game in the expectation of provoking remarks ness in white s centre pawns tartakover aptly that white has his initiative to defend but if he is the successful black s position remains fearfully cramped the variations which were the earliest to assume a certain appearance of regularity are represented in cols i to 3 they give rise to extremely difficult positions in which white s centre proves difficult to maintain black s development apart from the knight temporarily misplaced on qkt3 leaves little to be desired the simplifying variation in cols 4 and 5 is easier for white to play but yields him no advantage whatsoever the line in col 6 match played by alekhine in the highly important 29th since been exhaustively game against euwe in 1935 has the simple analysed and need not be feared by black 7 is one of the few ing theory prefers white continuation in col lines where prevail in cols 8 to 10 he can adopt the comif white wishes to avoid equality in col 10 lajos steiner s plicated attacking variation dr lasker s move 4 p 1 b 5 is shown

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alekhine s defence move 4 qkt3 cols col n is also worthy of attention in note b black does best to adopt the simplifying line in 12 to 17 white omits for the time being a b 4 second driving move against black s knight by p flohr with botvinnik scored a memorable success against this line at moscow 1936 but in a later game flohr improved upon his earlier play book s move col 12 q note a is a recent attempt to avoid flohr s equalising line in cols 18 to 20 drive by p 5 he avoids the weakness attendant on the advance of his k white does not even make the first thereby substituting quiet development difficulties in pawn without however placing such black s way as in the earlier columns notes for cols i to 5 p 3 ctd b kt2 h 15 =j rxkt lafora rpxb 13 16 pxp bxp 17 treer correspondence 1927 qxqch bxq q 18 15 rxp i kt kt 5 16 p q r 3 kt b 7 17 q b 2 ktx b 18 q v kt p b 3 better rauser fine leningrad 1937 with rv n thanls kt q2 19 p b5 12 pxp bxp q q2 q k2 14 q r 1 q r q 1 q k prospects p q kt4 continued 16 p 18 px qxp kt q b q 1928 arebad 14 znosko-borovsky kt 1 kt 16 winter by yates and k 15bxkt,rpxb kt p qr3 2 17 k rl better than 17 kt r 4 3 with a strong attack spiel wann colic dortmund all other kt moves on move 14 15 p b 5 kt b 1 3 16 orl4 ,kt k4 or 14 kt kt 5 15 q kts-f analysis colle paris 1929 qkt 7 ob 3 other 1 5 possibilities are less satisfactory b kt2 8 kt b 3 kt b 3 9 p b isbxb b5 12bxkt px 3 17kr ql yates alekhme b4 16 kt k 2 b q 6 l>resden 1926 6b k3 q ql 7 b q 3 p kt 3 8 kt k h 3 b -kt 2 2 5 qxp zubareff grfinfeld moscow 1925 kt b3 o o 10 p k r 3 q 5 b k 2 or 6 b b 4 7 ktk b 3 ktkt3 q2 z if instead 6 p 8kt b3 b kts 9 p k r 3 bxkt loqxb ktk 4 11 q k 4,0 k2k 3 p k kt 3 14 b k 2 b kt 2 15b-q2 12 p qkt3 p kb4 13 q p_b5 tarrasch vukovic vienna 1922 7 kt q b 3 o o 8 b q 3 r k 1 9 k ktk 2 q kt q 2 10 p q kts kt b 4 11 b b 2 b kts r 4 14 kt q 4 p qr4a horowiu 12 00 b b3 13 p b 3 b kt p q4betterislo p k4 11 px p ktx k p 12 ktx kt 13 o o kt kt 5 14 b r 6 b px p 6 b k r 3 o k 3 p 11 bx kt 10 o 6 2 p bs kts kxb kt kashdan 1926 m continued 16 b 4 19 n 16 b kt 5 q q 2 17 kt q 4 p q b 4 r k 1 p q r 3 petrov flohr kerneri 1937 rxb kt k2 nimzovitch kmoch semmerink 1926 18 kt b 3 q

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alekhine s defence i p k 4 kt k b 3 2 4 p k 5 kt q 4 p q4 p q3 3 p q b 4 kt kt 3 k b 3 b kt 5 8 p k 6 px p q p b 5 a a remarkable line is 7 kt 10 pxkt p k 5 11 p k r 3 b r 4 q4 simpler is 9 p k 4 with a strong attack 4 p kkt4 pxkt 13 pxb sorokm 12 q r 4 b kt 2 11 q kt~q 2 p b qkt5 q q2 kkt3 k 4 q q 5 15 q 16 bxktch kt k5 bxkt 14 pxb kt k 6 pxb 17 qxq kt-b 7 ch ilyin-zhenevskyldvenfuch leningrad 1936 kt 12 10 13 pk 2 1 12 9 b kkts 6 if bxktch pxb 13 q b b 2 q b 5 13 it b f k r4 1 kt bxkt kt 3 1 11 pxb 11 leads to a draw bb ktxbp q rscfa probably better p x kt 13bxq rxb 14 q kt 3 px p ended in a draw znosfco-borovsky alekhine paris 1925 d c 11 p q r 3 pxp 12 b kt 5 1 12 px kt and 12 -f ktxp are both although the game b 3 11 b k2 16 15 ktxb pxkt 1200,00 p kt 3 rxp 13 p 17 r b qr3,pxp 1 b 14 ktx p kt kt4 petrov fine kemeri 1937 16 bx kt pxb 17 b b 3 15 kxq 15 rxq is bad because of 16 bvkt pxb 17 b -b 3 r q b 1 j b 1 18 kt r4 kmoch kt r4 k b 2 negyesy lokvenc vienna 1925 q b kt 5 12 p b 5 but not 1 2 kt k kt 5 a good alternative is 1 1 q 4 13 ktx kt qx bx b ktx b p cbp 13 ktx p or 13 bxb ktx b kt q4 13ktxkt,c kt 11 b k 2 is a mistake because of 12 p q 5 px j p 13 bx kt however 1 kt u jik au 1 l j l it kt i i jt a r pxb 14 px p t vfc vl it k kt kt5 15 iv l -q 4 p ax w 3 or 15 b b 4 16 r b i f ktsl aud wins 16 ktxb px kt 17 rxpl ktx op or 17 17 kt ktxq p p k 6 and px p kktl 18 b kt4 ktxqp b 19kt 4 wins the wins 18 p-k 6 znosko19 rx kt and if 19 px r 20 queen analysis by borovsky and griinfeld q 2 r kt 1 14 k r q 1 q kt 2 is b b 1 kt k 4 !u g or 13 q naegeli euwe berne 1932 r 18 jt tj f ij jlf jli i i 1 nofes ctd on p 2.

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alekhine s defence i p k 4 kt k b 3 2 p k 5 kt q4 3 p y b 4 kt kt 3 w qkt q2 p qb3 a co the sacrificial variation 7 h q b1 oooqk4 13 q r q 3 p~k 3 15 bxp q qr4 16 b 4 i8b k3-jb q 4 q k b 4 17 q kt 3 alekhine reshevsky kemen 1937 ii kt b 3 p~k 3 12 b k 3 b k 2 13 q r q1,q b3 14 q kt4,o o 15 p -q kt3 p b 4 sirg a thomas 12 10ktxktisrefutedbylo qxktandnotl0 ktxkt ktxp bxb 8 qxb qxp:9 q l o b k liktba 3 pk flohr antwerp 1932 6 this is good enough to draw but 10 maintains that after 11 o o ktx p 12 qxp r slight drawing chances but after 13 r q kt certainly has a clear advantage c kt b3 13 pxp 1 b~k 3 black hasoxily k 4 kt kt4 black was better alokhinr 14 q kt b 4 13pxp b ktsch 17 q b 3 r r6 14 kt b 3 kt ch o 16 offered even less winning chances aiekhinc bx 15pxb,o o k o 2 continued 15 kt b 3 bxktch 16 pxb o o 17 o alekhine euwe 29th match game 1935 black drew fairly easily despite th minus kr3 b r 4 8 b k 2 kt b 3 9 p q 5 bxkt 10 e or?p d pawn kt 14 k4 b 16 q now 17 q kt3 if b k2 q r 5 12 o p-kt4 13 kt q 2 k k kt 1 kt5 15 px p ktx ktp kashdan euwe hastings 1931-32 and kt b3 q r 4 17 b b 4 kashdan continued 14 b r 4 15 p q r 3 b kt 3 16 p q kt 4 p~q k 3 11 bxb 2 p i mar6czy keres dresden 1936 g 6ktpxkt p q3 7 b pxp k pxp 8 kt b 3 8 b b 4 px p 9 q r5 q b3 10 kt b 3 kt b 3 11 o 0 p kkt3 12 q kt5 b kt2 13 b r3 gives white some attack for the pawn p w sergeant r h newman city of london championship 1932 b k2 9 b b 4 o o 100 o kt b3 hpxp,bxp 12 p q 4 b k kts gruber dronfeld vienna 1923 notas ctd oh t 7.

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alekhine s defence i p 1 4 kt kb 3 2 p 1 5 kt q 4 b pikler budapest 1931 b kt2 6 q b3 p k3 kt k b 3 ktxkp 10 kt x kt kr4 kt b3j 8 o k 3 p q 3 bxkt 11 bxb pxb richter danielsson zoppot 1935 b better is 8 ,0 ktxp 9ktxkt,pxkt 10qxp,qxq hbxq,b b4 13 b x p o o o 12 kt b 3 p k 4 14 b k 2 p b 3 15 b b 4 7 p q kt5 c tartakover colle bled 1931 13 p k3 14p kt3,q b3 15 q b 2 l steiaer pikler 1931 budapest d4 9 pxp 5 ktxp p k3 6 b q 3 q kt q2 7 o o ktxkt 8 p x kt b q 2 9 q k 2 q r 5 10 p q b 3 5 o o r p michell margate 1923 b 4 because of 5 b q 3 q -q 2 5 b kt3 inferior is 4 b p b 4 kt kt 3 7bxb rpxb 8 p k 6 4bogoljubofftarrasch breslau 1925 6 o o kt qb3 7 p b 4 bxb 8 qx b kt kt3 9 pxp kpxp 1 r r k lch,kt-k2 11 p q r 4 q b 3 12 p q kt3,p kr3 13 kt booo 14 p rs-f becker griinfeld vienna 1927 -kr3 bxkt 6qxb pxp 7 pxp p k3 8 p k kt 3 e or 5 p kt-q b 3 9 b qkts q q 2 10 q k 4 b b 4 11 p q b 3 o 0-f 10 3 rubinstein spielmann moscow 1925 kt satisfactory alternative is 5 3 transposes to note b47 q a klb p 10 bxktch 1937-38 pxb 11 bb4 b k2 k3 6 p b 4 kt k 2 7 kt b 3 8p k r3,bx kt 9bxb kt b3 sir g a thomas fine hastings k 3 or8 kt q 2 9 p k b 4 if 6 pxp 7 ktxp bxb 8qxb,p pkts 10 p b4 k kt kt3 11 b k 3 b k 2 12 q kt b 3 o o botvinnik flohr moscow 1936 9 p q kt 3 kt q 2 10 p q b 4 b3 13 r o 13 krqi q b 2 kkt b3 11 ktqb3 b kts 12 b kt2 15 q r 14 r q 3 k r q sir g a thomas q 1 kt b 1 16 kt k 4 euwe 1 nottingham 1936 notes ctd on p 7.

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