Alekhine in Omaha - by H.E. Ohman
** Alekhine in Omaha - 1924 ** by Howard E. Ohman
"Alekhine on Wednesday!
The biggest event in the history of chess in Omaha will take
place next Wednesday evening at the Brandeis store grill room.
The occasion is the visit to Omaha of Alekhine, the Great! This
title is most becoming him in view of his many and marvelous
performances in the royal game.
Alekhine will play forty men at one time, two of them while
he does not see board or chessmen! The exhibition commences
promptly at 8 o'clock and is free to the public. Everyone is
perfectly welcome - men, women and children.
Among the Omahans who will participate against the famous
Russian master will be R.E. Spaulding, runnerup in the recent
state tournament; G.C. Shedd, also among the first in the
tournament; Martin Siters, G.H. Moore, John H. Bath, A.G. Dodge,
H.M. Nestor, and Charles Sturek. The rest of the forty include
many other players of strength. Out of this galaxy, someone should
be able to conquer Alekhine, although other cities have not been
successful thus far.
Those who expect to participate are requested to bring their
boards and chessmen. If any who have signed up desire to refrain
from actual play, they are asked to notify the editor at once
since only forty players will be permitted to play; more than
this number have subscribed." [Omaha World Herald; 03/02/1924]
"The simultaneous exhibition given by Alexander Alekhine at the
Brandeis restraunt in Omaha last Wednesday evening was in all
respects a tremendous success. Local players all agree that the
famous Russian is a wizard at the game and that if any living
person has a good chance to win the world's championship from the
present holder [Capablanca], he has.
Following a private dinner given in honor of the guest,
Alekhine, at just 8:15p.m. began making the rounds against
thirty-eight players, among them the best to be found in this
part of the country. With lightning speed he moved from one
board to the next and only at the two games which he played without
sight of board or men did he hesitate the slightest. After a
short time the players began, one after another, to drop out.
Then came the first score for Omaha. R.W. Whited effected a draw.
Later W.W. Plummer also secured a draw and then G.H. Moore a victory!
Three others succeeded in preventing defeats by drawing -
Reverend Albert Kuhn, Bert Phillips of Columbus, Neb., and the
editor [H.E. Ohman].
The win obtained by Moore has been the talk of the local club
all week and how he did it is still a mystery. Those who saw the
game say that he played with reckless abandon, relying upon an
opportunity for a sudden dash to the goal rather than upon safety
first methods. We hope to publis this game together with many
others played in the exhibition as soon as they reach the editor.
In the meantime, we are submitting today the only game available -
that contested byt the editor.
In this game Alekhine used a new variation of the Queen's Gambit
Declined - the one he intends to use in the coming international
master's tournament. In the variation he aims to obtain an ultimate
superiority in position for the end play and it must be admitted
that the defense is not easy. The end game develops into one of
few positions, in which a bishop is successful in avoiding defeat
when opposed by a knight in the midst of numerous pawns. The game
was concluded at 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning."
[Omaha World Herald, 03/17/1924]
[Event "38Bd Simul - 32W 1L 5D - Brandeis Bldg."]
[Site "Omaha, NE"]
[Date "1924.03.05"]
[Round "-"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "A. Alekhine"]
[Black "H.E. Ohman"]
{ECO: D67}
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 O-O 7. Rc1 c6
8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Ne4 Qb4+ 12. Qd2 Qxd2+
13. Kxd2 N7f6 14. Nc3 Bd7 15. Ne5 Be8 16. f4 Nd7 17. Rhf1 f6 18. Nd3 Bf7
19. Ne4 N7b6 20. Bb3 Rfd8 21. g4 Kf8 22. g5 Ke7 23. Rg1 Rg8 24. h4 Nd7
25. Rg3 Bg6 26. Nec5 Nxc5 27. Nxc5 Rab8 28. Rcg1 b6 29. Nd3 Rgf8
30. gxf6+ gxf6 31. Nf2 Rg8 32. h5 Bf7 33. Rg7 Kf8 34. h6 Re8 35. Ne4 Ke7
36. R1g2 f5 37. Bxd5 cxd5 38. Nf2 Kf6 39. Nd3 Rxg7 40. Rxg7 Rg8
41. Rxg8 Bxg8 42. Ne5 Bf7 43. Kc3 Be8 44. Kb4 a5+ 45. Kc3 Ke7 46. b4 a4
47. Nf3 b5 48. Ng5 Bg6 49. Kd2 Kf6 50. Ke1 Ke7 51. Kf2 Kf6 52. Kg3 Ke7
53. Kh4 Kf6 54. Kh3 Ke7 55. Kg3 Kf6 56. Kh4 Ke7 57. Nf3 Kf6 58. Ne5 Be8
59. Kh3 Ke7 60. Kg3 Kf6 61. Kh4 Bf7 62. Nc6 Be8 63. Nd8 Bf7 64. Nb7 Be8
65. Nc5 Bc6 66. Nd3 Be8 67. Ne5 Bf7 68. Nf3 Be8 69. 1/2-1/2
"As we mentioned last week, Dr Alexander Alekhine, great master
as he is, did not go from Omaha unscathed. Though five draws were
obtained if fell to G.H. Moore to earn the single win recorded in the
exhibition. The score of that game is presented below. Mr Moore
combined unique tactics with sound judgment and, as will be seen,
exacted full retribution for the few misplays of his opponent,
practically forcing Alekhine to give up the exchange on the
twenty-fourth move." [Sunday World Herald, 03/23/1924]
[Event "38Bd Simul - 32W 1L 5D - Brandeis Bldg."]
[Site "Omaha, NE"]
[Date "1924.03.05"]
[Round "-"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "A. Alekhine"]
[Black "G.H. Moore"]
{ECO: D31}
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Bb4+ 4. Nc3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. a4 c6
8. Ne5 Ne7 9. Qg4 Ng6 10. h4 Qf6 11. Nf3 h5 12. Qg3 e5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5
14. dxe5 Qg6 15. Qxg6 fxg6 16. Bg5 O-O 17. f3 Re8 18. f4 Bg4 19. Be2 Bxe2
20. Kxe2 Nd7 21. Rhd1 Nc5 22. axb5 Nxe4 23. Kf3 Nxc3 24. bxc6 Nxd1
25. Rxd1 Rac8 26. Rd6 Kf7 27. Ke4 a6 28. Kd4 Re6 29. Kxc4 Rxc6+ 30. Kd5 Rb6
31. Rd7+ Kf8 32. Bd8 Ke8 33. Bxb6 Kxd7 34. Ba5 Rc6 35. Bb4 Rc2 36. e6+ Ke8
37. g3 Rg2 38. Be1 Rg1 39. Bf2 Rf1 40. Bd4 Rf3 41. Bxg7 Rxg3 42. Ke5 Rh3
43. Bf6 a5 44. f5 gxf5 45. Kf4 a4 46. Kg5 Re3 47. Kxh5 Rxe6 48. Bh8 f4
49. Kg4 Re4 50. h5 Kf8 51. Kf3 Rc4 52. Ke2 Kg8 53. Bf6 Kh7 54. Kd3 Rb4
55. Be7 Rb3+ 56. 0-1
{Sources: Omaha World Herald; 03/02/1924, 03/17/1924, 03/23/1924.
Complete Games of Alekhine, Vol. 2: 1921-1924;
Fiala & Kalendovsky; pg 375-377.
** Note: Special thanks to Robert Woodworth of Omaha for seeing this.
Jim Jirousek, 12/01/1999}