Would appreciate any help at all. I'll explain more in the spoiler, here's the position. Black to move.
Spoiler:
This position comes from the game Hallegua-Alekhine, Paris 1914. Here's the full game for those that are interested to see how it finished. Beautiful combination.
Anyway, I'm having a hard time understanding 13...Qc8. It's a move I would have a difficult time finding over the board. Why not just get started with the kingside play with 13...g6 followed by 14...Nh5 and 15...f5? Was Alekhine already seeing visions of a sac on g4 at this point? It was definitely within the realm of his calculation powers, but it seems like the game could have taken many different paths and 13...Qc8 is a pretty committal move.
I think the key is that White's only active plan is to play f2-f4.
After 1...g6 2.f4 exf4 3.Rxf4 it's hard for Black to reroute his Knight to e5. Whereas after 1...Qc8 2.f4 exf4 3.Rxf4 Ng4 Black has a good game. With this in mind, maybe White should play 2.h3, since I don't think the sac on h3 is working.
Ah, I see, that makes much more sense now. Really appreciate the help.
I have trouble finding prophylactic moves like that. Maybe prophylactic isn't the best word, but more like moves that anticipate the opponent's positional ideas.
White's bad piece is that matchstick of a bishop.....black is maybe trying to prevent its activation.....then again maybe alekhine had a little too much to drink....LOL jk
Ah, I see, that makes much more sense now. Really appreciate the help.
I have trouble finding prophylactic moves like that. Maybe prophylactic isn't the best word, but more like moves that anticipate the opponent's positional ideas.
Spoiler:
Agree, it's definitely a high-class move. I would also probably play g6 or Ne8 without thinking too much.
