Game 55 in the book: Alekhin—E. D. Bogoljuboff, International Tournament at Triberg, July 1921 (Brilliancy Prize). A Queen's Pawn Opening annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.
3…b6This variation, abandoned by Bogoljuboff in consequence of this game, has been played with success in recent tournaments by the masters Sämisch and Niemzovitch. Black's defeat in this game cannot therefore be attributed to this variation, but solely to his fifth move. (See note thereto.)
5…c5This move gives White the choice of two replies. Besides 6. P×P as in the present game, White can also continue with 6. P—Q 5, P×P; 7. Kt—R 4 (proposed by Rubinstein in the latest edition of Collijn's Lärobok), and it is difficult to see how Black is to free his game. (Compare, however, the game Alekhin—Capablanca from the New York Tournament, 1927.) The correct move for Black is: 5. ....B—K 2; followed by 6. Castles, Castles; 7. Kt—B 3, P—Q 4; 8. Kt—K 5!, Q—B 1! (suggested by Sämisch), with a satisfactory game. Less good, however, would be: I.—8. ....Q Kt—Q 2; 9. P×P, Kt×Kt (P×P is better); 10. P—Q 6! (Bogoljuboff—Niemzovitch, Carlsbad, 1923), or II.—8. ....P—B 3; 9. P—K 4, Q Kt—Q 2; 10. Kt×Q B P!, B×Kt; 11. K P×P, B—Kt 2; 12. P—Q 6 and White wins a Pawn (a variation suggested by the author).
6.dxc5As the sequel shows, White secures an advantage by this simple move, thanks to the pressure he will exert on the open Q file.
6…Bxc5The position of the Black Bishops is stronger in appearance than in fact, as White's castled position is perfectly secure.
8…d5Giving White the opportunity of unmasking the K B with advantage. Relatively better is: 8. ....Kt—R 3, although in this case also the weakness of his Q P would have been a source of difficulty for Black.
9.Nd4Not 9. Kt—K 5, because of the reply 9. ....Q—B 2; 10. B—B 4, Kt—R 4, etc.
9…Bxd4Perceiving the possibility of ridding himself of the troublesome Q P, Black allows his opponent the advantage of having two Bishops, which, in this position, implies a very marked superiority. On the other hand, it is true that the alternative: 9. ....Kt—B 3; 10. Kt×Kt, B×Kt; 11. B—Kt 5, B—K 2; 12. R—B 1, is hardly more attractive.
11…dxc4Hoping to obtain an approximately equal game by Kt—K 4 or Kt—Q R 4, once White has recaptured the Q B P with the Queen. But White is careful to refrain from that course, and prefers to launch a direct attack on the King's position, which, despite appearances, is insufficiently defended.
12…Qc8Forced. If 12. ....Q—K 2; 13. B—Kt 5, P—K R 3; 14. B×Kt, Q×B; 15. Q×Q, P×Q; 16. R—Q 7, winning Kt and B for the Rook.
13…Nd5Or 13. ....Kt—Q 2; 14. Kt—K 4, with a strong attack for White. With the text-move Black hopes to exchange one of the White Bishops by discovering his Q B on the 15th move.
15.Rxd5This unexpected capture which, at first sight, seems to expose the Rook to an attack by Black's Q B, is fully justified by the sacrificial variations following upon White's next move.
15…Nb4It is clear that other replies would be no better.
16.Be4Decisive, as is shown in the variations given farther on. The reader will clearly perceive a similarity with other games (which also gained brilliancy prizes) namely: v. Sterk at Budapest (Game No. 56), Rubinstein at Carlsbad (Game No. 80) and Selesnieff at Pistyan (Game No. 63). The leading characteristic in these games is an unforeseen but immediately decisive attack. The chief point in these attacks lies in the fact that none of them was prepared in the immediate vicinity of its objective. On the contrary, all the preliminary manœuvres which tended to divert the adverse pieces from the defence of their King took place in the centre or on the opposite wing. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that the deciding move, a real hammer-blow, is played by a Bishop and always involves sacrificial variations. These repeated attacks in the same manner, in the course of games of widely different character, seem to me to constitute a very precise criterion of a player's style, or at least, of the evolution of his style.
16…f5Other variations would be no better, e.g.: I.—16. ....P—K R 3; 17. B×P, P—B 4; 18. Q—Kt 5, Q—B 2; 19. B×K B P, Q×B; 20. Q×Q ch, K×Q; 21. R—Q 7 ch, followed by B×B and White wins. II.—16. ....P—Kt 3; 17. B—B 6, Kt×R; 18. B×Kt and White wins. After the text-move Black loses the Queen against Rook and Bishop, and White's victory is only a question of time.
21…Nd3An inoffensive manœuvre. Black is quite helpless, and can only hope for a miracle!
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source