Game 39 in the book: a Queen's Pawn Game from the Winter Tournament of the St. Petersburg Chess Society, March 1912, in which Alekhine has White against H. Löwenfisch (Levenfish).
1…c5The advance of this Pawn is rightly considered inferior even when prepared by 1. ....Kt—K B 3; 2. Kt—K B 3. On the first move it constitutes in my opinion a grave positional error, for White at once obtains a great advantage in position by simply advancing the centre Pawns.
4…g6If instead of the text-move Black replies with 4. ....P—K 3 White's answer would be 5. B—Q B 4, etc., and the sequel would not be satisfactory for Black because of the weakness at his Q 3.
5.f4Already threatening P—K 5.
6…a6If now 6. ....B—Kt 2; then 7. P—K 5, P x P; 8. P x P, Kt—Kt 5; 9. P—K 6, Q Kt—K 4; 10. B—Kt 5 ch, etc. This is why Black plays P—Q R 3.
9.e6This demolishes Black's variation.
10…Nxf3+Or 10. ....B—Kt 2; 11. Q—K 2, Kt x Kt ch; 12. P x Kt, Kt—B 3; 13. P x P ch, K x P; 14. Castles Q R, etc., with overwhelming advantage for White. After the text-move Black probably hopes for the reply 11. Q x Kt upon which he would obtain a playable game by 11. ....Q x P.
12.Bc4This is preferable to the immediate capture of the K B P, a capture which the text-move renders much more threatening.
14.Qe2The initial move.
14…Qxb2At first sight there appears to be little danger in this capture, for K—Q 2 would be frustrated by 15. ....Kt—R 4; 16. B—K 5, B—R 3 ch; 17. K—Q 3, B x K P; 18. B x B, R—Q 1 ch, etc. But White had a different scheme in mind.
15.Nb5This attack by the Knight (which cannot be captured because of 15. ....P x Kt; 16. B x P ch, K—Q 1; 17. Q R—Q 1 ch) decides the issue in a few moves. Black has therefore nothing better than to accept the sacrifice and to capture both Rooks.
19.exd7Threatening Kt—K 6 mate. Black resigns. For if 19. ....Kt x P; 20. B—K 6; or if 19. ....P—K 4 then 20. Kt—K 6 ch, K—K 2; 21. P—Q 8 (Q) ch, R x Q; 22. Q x R ch, K—B 2; 23. Kt x B dis. ch, K—Kt 2; 24. Q—K 7 mate.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source