Game 68 in the book: A. Alekhin—M. Euwe, International Tournament at London, August 1922. A Queen’s Pawn Game annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.
2…g6This variation, introduced into master-practice by Grünfeld, rests upon the following ideas:—The development of the K B in fianchetto, and the withholding of P—Q 4 until White has developed his Kt at Q B 3. By this means Black, after 3. P—B 4, B—Kt 2; 4. Kt—Q B 3, P—Q 4; 5. P×P, Kt×P; 6. P—K 4, Kt×Kt; 7. P×Kt reserves the possibility of attacking the hostile centre by P—Q B 4, opening up good prospects for his Bishop on K Kt 2. Consequently, the best line of play for White consists in moving the Q Kt only after having augmented the pressure on the square Q 5 by P—K Kt 3 and B—Kt 2, which seems to secure him a slight advantage, as shown among others by the games Alekhin—Muller (Margate, 1923), Sämisch—Grünfeld (Carlsbad, 1923) and Alekhin—Réti (New York, 1924).
3.Bf4Trying a new system which occasions Black less difficulty than the line of play quoted above. Compare also the games Capablanca—Réti and Rubinstein—Euwe from the same Tournament.
4…c5A good move.
5.e3If 5. P×P, Black regains the Pawn with advantage by 5. ….Kt—R 3!
7.h3This move is essential to reserve a square of retreat for the Q B in case of Kt—K R 4.
8.Bc4The best square for this Bishop. The reply 8. ….P—Q 4 is clearly not to be feared, as it would merely enhance the prospects of the opposing Q B.
8…Re8Preparing P—K 4, which will, however, have the disadvantage of weakening the square Q 3.
10…Nxe5The capture with the Knight yields White at once a very perceptible, if not decisive, advantage in position. Black would do better by 10. ….P×P; 11. B—R 2, B—K 3; 12. B×B, R×B; 13. Kt—B 4, after which White’s advantage, undeniable as it is, would be very difficult to take advantage of.
12.Ng5This simple move, as seen later on, assures White the possession of the only open file.
12…Be6An heroic resolution, because after the doubling of the Pawns, Black’s K B is left quite without action. Somewhat better was 12. ….R—B 1; 13. Kt (Q 2)—K 4!, Q×Q (if 13. ….Kt×Kt?; 14. B×P ch!); 14. K R×Q, Kt×Kt; 15. Kt×Kt, P—Kt 3, although, in this case also, White would have secured excellent winning chances.
18.Kf1White could have won a Pawn by 18. Kt—Kt 5, but that would have allowed Black to force exchange of Bishop against Knight, by 18. ….K—K 2; 19. Kt×R P, B—R 3; 20. P—K R 4, R—R 1, with good drawing chances.
18…Ke7If 18. ….P—B 5, then 19. Kt—Q 6! But now Black threatens, by means of 19. ….P—B 5, to occupy Q 4 and later Q 6 with his Rook.
19.c4Preventing the above threat, and at the same time making the third rank free for the Rook, which is very important, as shown later.
21…Rb8Black is compelled to avoid the exchange of Rooks, which would enable White to force the win in the following way: 21. ….R—Q 1; 22. R×R, K×R. The winning plan then proceeds by phases. 1st phase.—23. P—K R 4! followed by P—K Kt 4 and P—Kt 5, on which Black will have nothing better than P—K R 4, seeing that the exchange of Pawns abandons the square K R 4 to White’s Knight. 2nd phase.—P—Q Kt 3, followed by K—Q 3, Kt—B 3 and K—K 4. 3rd phase.—The manœuvring of the White Knight to Q 3, after which Black must immobilize his King on Q 3 in order to be able to defend the doubly attacked K P. 4th phase.—And lastly P—B 4! forcing the win of the K P or the K Kt P, after which the advantage secured will be decisive. By avoiding the exchange of Rooks, Black will make the task of his opponent more difficult.
23.a4The only means of forcing the decisive entry of the White Rook into the enemy’s game. White takes advantage of the fact that Black cannot reply by 23. ….P—Q Kt 4, on account of 24. R—Kt 3! winning the Q B P or the Q Kt P.
25…Kc6It is obvious that it is better to abstain from capturing White’s Q R P, because of 26. R—Kt 5.
28…Rc7Black reconciles himself to the exchange of Rooks, but White now considers that by avoiding it he will attain the victory still more speedily.
32.h4In order to block in the Bishop completely before undertaking the decisive manœuvre with his Knight.
34.Kd3This was not quite necessary, seeing that White’s King will be compelled to return to its starting point. By 34. P—Kt 3 White could have shortened the game by several moves.
39.Nc3In order to post this Knight on Q Kt 5, where its action will be still more powerful than on K 4.
42.Kd3White has at his command another winning line also, based upon the manœuvre Kt—K 4—Q 2—B 3—R 4 winning the K Kt P, but he prefers to follow the path which he has traced out for himself.
44…Re7If 44. ….R—K B 2, then 45. R—B 8 ch followed by Kt—Q 6 ch, winning the Rook.
45…Kd7The only move. If 45. ….K—Kt 2, then 46. Kt—Q 6 ch followed by Kt—K 8, winning the Bishop.