Schacksnack

In this video, Swedish International Master Thomas Engqvist explores one of the most remarkable chess tournaments ever held — Nottingham 1936, played at the University of Nottingham from 10th to 28th August 1936. The tournament book was written and annotated by Alexander Alekhine and republished by Dover in 1962. What makes Nottingham 1936 truly unique is its extraordinary field: the reigning World Champion Euwe, three former champions — Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine himself — and the future champion Botvinnik, all competing for first prize and the prestige of being crowned the world’s strongest player. IM Engqvist examines Alekhine’s annotations and compares them with modern computer analysis — a fascinating glimpse into how human chess understanding has evolved over nearly a century. And then there is the mystery that has never been fully resolved: why did the British master William Winter, a known Stalinist, accept a draw against Botvinnik in the final round when he had a clearly winning position? Was it a gift to Stalin? Was it political loyalty — or something else entirely? Whether you are passionate about classical chess literature, legendary tournaments, or the human drama behind the moves, this video has something for you.