Game 37 in the book: a Ruy Lopez, an exhibition game played during the Cologne Tournament, June 1911, in which Alekhine has White against S. von Freymann.
6…exd4This capture is premature and should be preceded by 6. ....B—K 2; 7. R—K 1!, etc. The inversion of moves affords White advantageous possibilities of development.
8.Nxc6Also very strong would be 8. B x Kt, P x B; 9. Q—B 3! But the system adopted by White brings about a most promising position.
8…Bxc6After 8. ....P x Kt the best reply would be 9. B—R 4, as adopted successfully by Marco against Breyer in the Budapest Tournament of 1913.
9.Qe2White delays the exchange of Bishops at B 6 until he has ensured the means of weakening Black's strong Pawn-position at B 2, B 3 and Q 3 entailed by this exchange. This is strategically a correct point of view.
11.Rfe1To parry the threatened 11. ....Kt x P.
11…h6Apparently Black's object in playing this move is to follow it up with 12. ....Kt—R 2 in the event of 12. B—K R 4, so as to force an exchange of Bishops, which would ease his position. White consequently selects another flight-square for his Bishop, to avoid this line of play.
12…Nd7If now 12. ....Kt—R 2, then 13. B—B 4, and Black can no longer exchange his K B (13. ....B—Kt 4; 14. B—K Kt 3, B—R 5; 15. Q—R 5). After the text-move White can realize the plan he had in mind when playing 9. Q—K 2, namely, the weakening of the adverse Queen's wing after the exchange of Black's Q B.
14…Bg5An ingenious defence which does not, however, bring about the desired result. But White cannot play 15. B x B, Q x B; 16. Q x P? on account of 16. ....Kt—K 4 and 17. ....Kt—B 6 ch.
16.Rad1Threatening P—K 5.
18…g6In order to retain the Bishop, which will act effectively on the opponent's Black squares, White must now manœuvre with the utmost precision in order to maintain his advantage.
20.Qa6The most effective means of exploiting the weakness of Black's Queen-side. White now threatens to win a Pawn by 21. B x Kt and 22. Q—Kt 7. Black is consequently constrained to play P—Q B 3. It is interesting to note how this weakening move will impel Black to compromise his position more and more, until it finally becomes untenable.
23.Bh4Forcing Black to play either 23. ....P—Kt 4 or 23. ....P—B 3, which is not much better; for 23. ....R—Q 2 is impossible because of 24. P—K B 4.
26.Qc3Now the threat of 27. P—B 4, Kt—Kt 3; 28. P x P, followed by 29. B x P, etc. forces Black to weaken his King-side still more.
27…Ng6In answer to 27. ....Kt—B 2 White would bring his Queen to K R 5 via K B 3, with decisive effect. After the text-move he wins at least a Pawn.
31…Kg7If 31. ....K—R 1; 32. R—K B 1 followed by 33. Q—K 2 wins easily for White.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source