Semyon Alapin

Simon Zinovievich Alapin (Russian Семён Зиновьевич Алапин, scientific transliteration Semen Zinovjevič Alapin; * 7 Novemberjul / November 19 1856greg in Saint Petersburg, .. † July 15, 1923 in Heidelberg ) was a Russian chess master and theoretician.

Career

Alapin studied in Heidelberg and subsequently worked as a merchant and representative of an export house in Berlin and Paris. This made him wealthy and financially independent. He settled in Berlin and joined the Berlin chess society.

Since the late 1870s, he devoted himself exclusively to chess. He was the strong national tournament of Saint Petersburg 1878/1879 together with Mikhail Chigorin First, subject to that but then in the playoff. Besides Chigorin and Emanuel Schiffer Alapin counted henceforth the strongest masters of Russia.

He played several matches: 1880 Mikhail Chigorin he was defeated in St. Petersburg 3:7 ( 3, -7, = 0), 1893, he defeated Curt von Bardeleben with 3.5:1.5 ( 3, -1, = 1), in 1899 he reached against Carl Schlechter 3-3 ( 1, -1, = 4) and in 1907 he defeated Stepan Levitsky 5-0.

Among his more important tournament successes include good results in Vienna in 1899 (4th place ), Vienna 1901 ( 2nd place), Monte Carlo 1901 ( 5th place), St. Petersburg 1906 ( 1st place), Łódź 1908 ( 2nd place), Munich 1909 (2nd place) and 1911 ( 1st place). 1911 was subject Alapin Rudolf Spielmann in Munich with 3,5:6,5 ( 3, -6, = 1).

He was in Berlin in the years 1898 to 1901 under the title The chess friend own Schachzeitung out. In 1913 he published in Heidelberg under the same title a manual for beginners.

Alapin, who left Russia in 1913, was one of the most important chess theorists of his time. According to him, among other things Alapin opening ( 1 e2- e4 e7 - e5 2 Sg1 - e2) is named. In addition, a player carries both in the Sicilian Defence ( 1 e2 -e4 c7 - c5 2 c2 - c3) as well as the Ruy Lopez ( 1 e2- e4 e7 - e5 2 Sg1 -f3 Sb8 - c6 3 Lf1 - b5 - b4 Bf8 ) its name (both the Alapin variant). There is also a named after him, little-known Gambit in the French Defense: 1 e2 -e4 e7 - e6 2 d2 -d4 d7 -d5 3 Lc1 -e3.

Alapins Historic highest Elo rating of 2688, he reached in February 1898, which he occupied the 10th place in the world. In July 1902 he was one of the eight best players in the world.

Game

A successful short game played Alapin 1905 in Ostend against Marshall:

A brilliant train: Attack on the rotor Lf2 since the evacuation of the field b2 d1 no longer threatens Matt, and preventing the runners retreat after c5.

Black resigned, because he is, for example,

No longer wanted to show.