Game 14 in the book: Alekhine's win over Dr. O. S. Bernstein at the All-Russian Masters' Tournament at Vilna, 1912. A Sicilian Defence annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.
3.Nc3I am now convinced that the best move here is 3. B—K 2, in order to be able to play P—Q B 4 if Black adopts the Paulsen variation (P—Q R 3 and Q—B 2; etc.).
5…Qc7This defence, adopted frequently of late by Sämisch, forces White to play with circumspection.
8…Nc6Threatening 9. ....Kt x Kt; 10. Q x Kt, B—B 4, winning the Queen, and consequently preventing 9. P—K 6.
9.Kh1Was 9. B—K 3 more simple? However, the King is better placed at R 1 and in a close game like the Sicilian the loss of time entailed is of no great consequence.
12…Rac8It would have been preferable to occupy this file with the K R as the King-side is not threatened at present. Probably Black's operations on the Queen-side would be more efficacious if supported by both Rooks.
13.Qf2An important move which prevents 13. ....Kt—Q R 4, to which White's reply would be 14. Kt x P, and if P x Kt; 15. B—Kt 6 regaining the piece. Therefore Black is compelled to lose a tempo in order to make this manoeuvre with the Q Kt possible.
14…Ne8After this last move, which shuts in the K R, White's advantage becomes manifest. Black had nothing better than to acknowledge the error of his 12th move by playing 14. ....R—Kt 1; followed by 15. ....K R—B 1. The move Kt—K 1 should only have been played in case of absolute necessity.
16.Rd2Played in anticipation of 16. ....Kt—R 4, as White foresees the coming attack. The text-move does not aim at doubling the Rooks on the Queen's file, but rather at defending the Q R P later on with the K R.
18.e5With this unexpected move White assumes the initiative. It would be to Black's disadvantage to reply 18. ....P—Q 4; because of I.—19. B x P!, P—Kt 5; 20. B—Kt 3, P x Kt; 21. R x B, etc.; or II.—19. B x P!, P x B; 20. Kt x Q P, Q—Q 1; 21. B—B 5, B x B; 22. Q x B and Black has no defence against the numerous threats. On the other hand the move actually chosen is merely a make-shift, offering the adverse Knight a particularly useful square.
21.Ra1See note to White's 16th move.
21…Nc7By this move Black cuts off the retreat of his own Queen. White, by an energetic demonstration, takes immediate advantage of this injudicious manoeuvre. Q—Q 1 or Q—B 2 would certainly have been better, although in any case Black's position would remain very precarious.
22.a4Threatening to win the Queen by 23. Kt—Kt 3. Black must submit to the loss of the Exchange, for after I.—22. ....P x P e.p.; 23. R x R P, Q—Kt 5; 24. P—B 3, Q—B 5; 25. B—K 2, his Queen is lost, and after II.—22. ....B x P; 23. B x B, K R—B 1; 24. P—B 3, B x P; 25. B—Q 1, P x P; 26. P—Q Kt 4, White wins equally.
22…Bc4Black hopes to obtain some chances still by bringing his Knight to Q B 5 after pushing on the Pawn to Q Kt 6, but White does not leave him time to consummate this manoeuvre.
23.Nd7Not 23. P—Q Kt 3 because of 23. ....B—Q Kt 4!, etc.
26.Be2Preparing the coming attack on the Black King's position.
32.Rf3Simpler would have been: 32. P—B 6, P—Kt 3; 33. Q—R 4, Q—K 1; 34. R—R 3, P—R 4; 35. Q—Kt 5, Q—B 1; 36. R x P, etc.
35.Qa7Threatening 36. R x P ch, Kt x R; 37. Q—B 7 ch, K—R 1; 38. Q—B 8 ch, R x Q; 39. R x R mate. If however White plays at once 35. R x P ch, then K x R and there is no more than a draw.
36…Qc4Black has no adequate defence against 37. R (B 1)—B 7.
37…Qe4Hindering 38. R x P ch and threatening P—Q 5 himself.
38…Rc6The reply to 38. ....R—B 5 is 39. Q x Kt! etc.
39.Qf1again threatening R x P ch.
40.Rf6The finishing stroke, for if 40. ....Kt—Q 1; 41. R—Q 6, and if 40. ....Q x P; 41. Q—Q 3 ch and wins.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source