Alexander Alekhine
A chess champion of ferocious attacking style, he was a master of preparation whose volatile life was as complex as the games he dominated.
1892–1946 (age 54)·Russian-French chess player·Birthday: October 31·The Lost Generation
Biography
Alexander Alekhine stormed the chess world not with cold calculation, but with a fiery, combative imagination that made every game a narrative. Born into Russian aristocracy, he honed his skills by playing hundreds of games blindfolded. His 1927 World Championship match against the seemingly invincible José Raúl Capablanca was a monumental upset, won through Alekhine's deep, specific preparation against his opponent's style. He held the title for most of the next two decades, though his reign was fractured by personal controversy, including his disputed writings on 'Aryan chess' during World War II. Alekhine was a student of the game's history, a prolific annotator, and a composer of dazzling, often sacrificial problems. He died with the world title still in his possession, a fitting end for a man whose life was a relentless, unquiet struggle for supremacy at the board.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Alexander was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1946Died at 54
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
Key Achievements
- Defeated José Raúl Capablanca in 1927 to become World Chess Champion, a victory considered one of the greatest upsets in chess history.
- Successfully defended his title in matches against Efim Bogoljubov and Max Euwe, regaining it from Euwe in a 1937 rematch.
- Was a dominant tournament player for decades, winning first prize in events like San Remo 1930 and Bled 1931 by vast margins.
- Left a rich legacy of brilliant attacking games and profound annotations that continue to be studied.
Did You Know?
He was a noted polyglot, reportedly speaking Russian, French, German, and English fluently.
He served as an interpreter for the Russian army during World War I.
His death in a hotel room in Portugal remains somewhat mysterious, with the exact cause debated.
He was known for his love of cats, often having one nearby during study or play.
“Chess is not for the faint-hearted; it absorbs a person entirely.”
