WorldChampionfrom1927-35andagainfrom1937-46,AlexanderAlekhineranksasoneofthefourorfivegreatestplayersinchesshistory.EdwardLaskerrateshimthegame’ssupremeinventivegenius;Euweconsidershimtheall-timegreatestattackingplayer.Amasterofallphasesofchess,hisgameswererichlyconceivedandimmenselycomplex.AsBobbyFischerobservesinhiswritings,“Heplayedgiganticconceptions,fullofoutrageousandunprecedentedideas.“ThisunequaledcollectionreproducesAlekhine’s220bestgames,hisownpersonalaccountsofthedazzlingvictoriesthatmadehimalegend.Spanningalmostthirtyyearsoftournamentplay,itincludeshistoricmatchesagainstCapablanca,Euwe,andBogoljubov,andchronicleshisbrilliantascenttoworldmastery,hissurprisingdefeatin1935,andhisdramaticreturntwoyearslater--thefirstdeposedchampiontoregainhiscrown.Between1927and1936hissuccessesintournamentswereunsurpassedbyanymasteratanytimeinthehistoryofchess.AtSanRemo1930andBled1931,incompetitionsthatfeaturedmanyoftheworld’sgreatestplayers,Alekhinesooutdistancedthefieldthathewasindisputablyinaclassbyhimself.Inacareerincludingsomeseventytournaments,hewonfirstprizeforty-onetimes,tyingforfirstonnineoccasions.Hewonorsharedsecondprizefourteentimes.ChesswasAlekhine’slife;helivedforitalone.Andalthoughthefinalchapterofhiscareerandhislifeweretragic,hisachievementsatthechessboardrankhimasoneofthegame’strueartists.FilledwithAlekhine’sownpenetratingcommentaryonstrategyandtactics,andenhancedbyarevealingmemoir,MyBestGamesisgrandmasterchessatitsmostsublime.Thisvolumebelongsinthelibraryofeveryseriousstudentofthegame.
