E5: A Champion Scorned

He was a rising star in Russian chess, but after the First World War he fled the country to settle in France.  Not long after, he found himself at the top of the chess world as the fourth World Chess Champion.  But then, during the Occupation of France in 1940, the Nazis made him an offer that, most of the evidence suggests, he accepted.  This is the story of Alexander Alekhine.

The game is Alekhine vs. Lasker, Zurich (1934).   Before you listen, check out the full annotation here: https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1007985

Episode Resources:

• Game analysis:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMq53rdrY8M
  
  
• Opening study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMy65JeSShw
  
  
• Article on Alekhine’s death: https://en.chessbase.com/post/alekhine-s-death-an-unresolved-mystery-
  
  
• Book: Alexander Alekhine: Master of Attack by Maxim Chetverik and Alexander Der Raetsky
  
  
• Book: Chess Words of Wisdom: The Principles, Methods and Essential Knowledge of Chess by Mike Henebry

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