Alekhine's Gun

Alekhine's gun? Did the former world champion bring a gun to a tournament?! No, don't worry.
However, this piece configuration should be feared! Let's find out what Alekhine's gun really is.

Here is what you need to know about Alekhine's gun:

What Is Alekhine's Gun?

Why Is Alekhine's Gun Important?

Test

Conclusion

What Is Alekhine's Gun?

Alekhine's gun is a well-known piece configuration that is created when a player places their heavy
pieces on the same file, thereby creating a battery—specifically by placing the queen behind both rooks.

Alekhine's gun

White has created Alekhine's gun on the d-file.

This piece configuration was named after former world champion Alexander Alekhine, who made it
famous after he used it to defeat Aaron Nimzowitsch in their game played at San Remo in 1930.
Alekhine completed the configuration after playing 26.Qc1 in this game:

Alekhine's gun

Alekhine creates his famous piece configuration after 26.Qc1.

The position has become more than difficult for Black, who is facing a lost game. Alekhine made short
work of Nimzowitsch from this position and won in just four more moves. Here is the full game:

Alexander Alekhine vs. Aron Nimzowitsch

1-0 San Remo San Remo ITA 18 Jan 1930 Round: 3 ECO: C17
1. e4 e62. d4 d53. c3 b44. e5 c55. d2 e76. b5 xd2+7. xd2 O-O8. c3 b69. f4 a610. f3 d711. a4 bc612. b4
cxb413. cxb4 b714. d6 f515. a5 c816. xb7 xb717. a6 f718. b5 8e719. O-O h620. fc1Heavy pieces belong
on open and semi-open files.20... fc821. c2Preparing to double the rooks on the c-file.21... e822. ac1
ab823. e3 c724. c3White has his rooks doubled on the c-file, but he wants to get his queen involved as
well. Alekhine intends R1c2 followed by Qc1.24... d725. 1c2Vacating the c1-square so the queen can
move there.25... f826. c1!Alekhine's gun is created!26... bc827. a4!Threatening 28.b5 and winning a
piece.27... b528. xb5 e829. a4 d830. h4!Black resigned since he runs out of moves quickly.1-0

Why Is Alekhine's Gun Important?

Alekhine's gun is important because it creates powerful pressure on a file. Heavy pieces (rooks and
queens) operate best on open and half-open files, so if you can place all three of your heavy pieces on
the same file, you can likely either control the file or tie down your opponent's pieces to a target on that
file.

In the game between former world champions GM Anatoly Karpov and GM Boris Spassky played in
1979, we can see an example of a player's pieces being tied down while trying to defend against
Alekhine's gun. The following position was reached after Spassky played 21...Rd8:

Alekhine's gun

What is Karpov's best plan here? Alekhine's gun, of course!

Spassky has an isolated queen's pawn on d5, but everything else seems to be in order. Karpov decided
to put maximum pressure on this pawn by playing 22.Rd3, the first step in creating Alekhine's gun. After
25.Qd1, Karpov has created the gun:

Alekhine's gun

Alekhine's gun achieved.

As you can see, almost all of Spassky's forces must defend the poor pawn on d5. After torturing Spassky
for some time, Karpov eventually won this d5-pawn and the game. Here is the full game for your
enjoyment.
Anatoly Karpov vs. Boris Spassky

1-0 Montreal Montreal CAN 14 Apr 1979 Round: 4 ECO: D37

1. d4 f62. c4 e63. f3 d54. c3 e75. f4 O-O6. e3 c57. dxc5 c68. c2 a59. a3 xc510. d1 e711. d2 d712. e2
fc813. O-O d814. cxd5 exd515. f3 h616. e5 e617. xc6 xc618. f3 b619. e5 e420. e2 xc321. xc3 d822. d3
cd623. fd1 6d724. 1d2 b525. d1 b626. g3 f827. g2 e728. h5 a629. h3 c630. h2 a531. f4 f632. d1 b533. g4
g534. h1 c635. f5 f736. e4 g737. exd5 c738. e2 b539. xe7 xe740. d6 c441. b31-0

So far we have seen examples of Alekhine's gun on a fully open file (Alekhine-Nimzowitsch 1930) and on
a half-open file (Karpov-Spassky 1979), but is it a good idea to set up Alekhine's gun on a file that is likely
to open up in the near future? Absolutely, this is a great idea as well and was seen in one of the biggest
moments in chess history.

After a 20-year absence from the chess world, GM Bobby Fischer returned to the chessboard for a
rematch with Spassky (whom he had defeated in the 1972 World Chess Championship). The chess world
was crazed and curious about how Fischer would play and what he would do. Well, what would you do if
you had the world's eyes upon you and your chess game? Play a well-known and popular opening (in
this case the Ruy Lopez Breyer variation) and then drop an Alekhine's gun!

The following position was reached after Spassky's 21...Re8:

Alekhine's gun

How can Fischer begin to construct Alekhine's gun?

Here Fischer started re-organizing his heavy pieces to create Alekhine's gun on the a-file, which is
currently closed but can be opened by either side by exchanging pawns. Fischer started to configure
Alekhine's gun with 22.Ra3:
Alekhine's gun

Alekhine's gun construction has begun on the a-file.

A few moves later, Fischer had fully loaded up Alekhine's gun on the a-file with 26.Qa1:

Alekhine's gun

Fischer's 26.Qa1 completes Alekhine's gun.

In the game, Spassky felt the pressure and sacrificed a piece for two central pawns. Fischer played
brilliantly and won the game, and it was reported that grandmasters were seen with tears in their eyes
as they were overwhelmed with joy. Here is the entire game:

Robert James Fischer vs. Boris Spassky

1-0 Fischer - Spassky Sveti Stefan & Belgrade YUG 02 Sep 1992 Round: 1 ECO: C95

1. e4 e52. f3 c63. b5 a64. a4 f65. O-O e76. e1 b57. b3 O-O8. c3 d69. h3 b810. d4 bd711. bd2 b712. c2
e813. f1 f814. g3 g615. g5 h616. d2 g717. a4 c518. d5 c419. b4 h720. e3 h521. d2 f822. a3 df623. ea1
d724. 1a2 fc825. c1 f826. a1 e827. f1 e728. 1d2 g729. b1 xe430. xe4 f531. c2 xd532. axb5 axb533. a7
f634. bd2 xa735. xa7 a836. g4 hxg437. hxg4 xa738. xa7 f439. xf4 exf440. h4 f741. d4+ e642. f5 f843. xf4
d744. d4 e1+45. g2 d5+46. e4 xe4+47. xe4 e748. xb5 f849. bxd6 e650. e51-0

Test

Now that you know what Alekhine's gun is and why it is important, we can test your abilities to create
the gun. In the following position from the 2014 World Championship match between GM Magnus
Carlsen and GM Viswanathan Anand, White is standing very well. Anand has just played 27...Rb7. How
can Carlsen create Alekhine's gun to dominate the e-file even more?

Alekhine's gun
How can White create Alekhine's gun?

Yes! 28. Qe2 creates Alekhine's gun and maintains a large advantage for White.

Alekhine's gun

Carlsen's 28.Qe2 creates Alekhine's gun.

In our final test example, we see GM David Anton Guijarro leading comfortably against the talented GM
Nihal Sarin in their game from the 2020 Tata Steel Challenger's tournament. After Black's 52...Kh8, how
can White create Alekhine's gun?

Alekhine's gun

White to move and create Alekhine's gun.

Correct! 53.Qd1 creates Alekhine's gun and offers a queen trade in a winning position.

Alekhine's gun.

White's 53.Qd1 creates Alekhine's gun.