Game 57 in the book: Alekhin—E. D. Bogoljuboff, International Tournament at Budapest, 1921. A Queen's Pawn Game annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.
3…Bb4+3. ....P—Q 4 or 3. ....P—Q Kt 3 would be preferable.
4…Bxd2+This exchange assists White's development. Black's K B in the Queen's Gambit is far too valuable a defensive piece to be exchanged at the commencement with loss of time.
9.O-OAllowing Black to free himself by an ingenious manœuvre. White could have frustrated this plan by 9. R—Q 1!, and Black's position would have remained very cramped.
10…e5Taking advantage of the exposed position of White's Queen, for if now 11. P×P then 11. ....Kt×P; and Black equalizes with ease.
11.Bb3By this move, which prevents Black from gaining time later on with Kt—Kt 3, White indirectly meets 11. ....P—K 5, which would now result merely in the loss of a Pawn after 12. Kt—Kt 5, and thus White still maintains a slight superiority. The sacrifice 11. B×P ch would only lead to a draw, e.g.:— I.—11. B×P ch, R×B; 12. P×P, Kt—Kt 5; 13. P—K 6, R×Kt!; 14. P×Kt, B×P; 15. P×R, Kt×RP! (not 15. ....Q—R 5, because of 16. Q—Q 6); 16. K×Kt, Q—R 5 ch and draws by perpetual check. II.—11. B×P ch, K×B?; 12. P×P, Kt—Kt 5; 13. Q R—Q 1!, Q—K 2; 14. P—K 6 ch, K×P; 15. Q—Q 4, Kt (Kt 5)—K 4; 16. Kt×Kt, Kt×Kt; 17. P—B 4!, and White obtains a strong attack.
11…Qe7In his game against Johner (Pistyan, 1922), Grünfeld tried 11. ....P—R 3; 12. Q×P (12. P×P also deserves consideration), Q—Kt 3 and finally secured the draw. After the text-move the superiority of White's game is clear.
13…Nc513. ....Kt×P is impossible, both now and on the next move, on account of Q—K 3, winning a piece.
15.Rad1Threatening 16. Kt×P, etc.
19.Rfd1Black was compelled to abandon the only open file in order to develop his Q B. Furthermore, the White centre Pawns, thanks to their mobility, will be able to attack Black's Knight and Bishop successfully. As against this, the notorious “majority of Pawns on the Queen-side” is not, at the moment, of any value, for their advance, as is shown in the present game, will give rise to new weaknesses, which the opponent will turn to advantage. The game is already virtually decided.
19…b6Defending his Q R P, which is indirectly attacked.
20.h3Preparing the advance of the B P.
20…c5This move leads to nothing, seeing that it does not compel the exchange of Rooks. It would have been rather better (now or on the 22nd move) to take measures against the advance of White's K P and K B P, by playing, for example, ....Kt—K 1 followed by ....P—B 3.
23…g6If 23. ....Q—B 4 ch, simply 24. Q—Q 4! and Black's position after the exchange of Queens would be untenable, despite his majority on the Queen's side.
24.Qd4Threatening to win a Pawn by 25. P—B 5.
25.g4Decisive! Black has no longer any adequate defence against the threats 26. P—B 5, or 26. P—K 5 followed by 27. P—B 5.
25…Bxg4A desperate sacrifice which cannot defer the imminent catastrophe any more than other attempts.
30.Bd1An instructive game from the strategic point of view.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source