Game 65 in the book: A. Alekhin—H. Wolf, International Tournament at Pistyan, April 1922. A Queen’s Gambit Declined annotated by Alekhine, who plays White and was awarded the Brilliancy Prize.
3…cxd4The usual move is 3. ….P—K 3, transposing into the Tarrasch Defence. After the exchange of Pawns in the centre we reach a symmetrical position in which the advantage of the move always secures for White a slight advantage in position. If in this game he obtains a better result, that is solely due to the fact that his opponent allows himself to go in for an innovation especially risky when his development is already behindhand.
5…a6Black wished to avoid the variation 5. ….Kt×P; 6. P—K 4, Kt—K B 3; 7. B—Kt 5 ch, B—Q 2; 8. P—K 5!, B×B; 9. Kt×B, Q×Q ch; 10. K×Q, Kt—Q 4; 11. Kt (Kt 1)—B 3, to the advantage of White, mentioned in the latest edition of Collijn’s Lärobok. But this variation, like many others indicated in that work, which are indeed interesting but scarcely accurate, can be improved by 6. ….Kt—Kt 5! in place of 6. ….Kt—K B 3, after which White’s advantage would be difficult to demonstrate. The text-move does not seem risky, Black intending to capture the Q P on the next move. Its refutation is therefore only the more instructive.
6.e4Sacrificing the K P to retain the Q P which, as will be seen in the sequel, exercises a very strong pressure on the opponent’s game.
7.Qa4+In order to provoke the obstruction of the Queen’s file by a Black piece, which cuts off the attack of Black’s Queen on his Q P.
7…Bd7Not 7. ….Q—Q 2 on account of 8. B—Q Kt 5.
8…Nc5This square is hardly indicated for the Knight, but on the other hand he must secure the defence of his Q Kt P; and 8. ….Q—B 2 or 8. ….B—B 1 is scarcely any better, seeing that Black’s Queen would soon be dislodged from this file by White’s Rook.
9.Qe3Much stronger than the plausible move 9. Q—K B 3, on which Black could have freed himself by 9. ….P—K 4, for if 10. P×P e.p., Kt×P; 11. Kt×Kt, B×Kt!; 12. Q×P!, B—Q 4! and Black must win. Whereas, after the text-move, the advance of Black’s K P would give White the opportunity of exercising strong pressure on the King-file. Black therefore resigns himself to the development of his K B in fianchetto, but equally without success.
10.Nf3This gain of time allows White to prevent 10. ….B—Kt 2, followed by 11. ….Castles. Black’s King being kept in the centre, White’s attack will be facilitated, thanks to his superior development. The opening of this game offers some analogies with that of Game No. 61, played at The Hague against Rubinstein. In the one, as in the other, the advantage won results from repeated movements of the same pieces (here the first eleven moves contain four displacements of the Queen and three of the King’s Knight). But the possibility of like manœuvres in the opening phase is solely attributable, I must reiterate, to the fact that the opponent has adopted faulty tactics, which must from the first be refuted by an energetic demonstration. It is clear, on the contrary, that in face of correct development, similar anomalous treatment would be disastrous. It cannot therefore be any question of a “ Modern System,” but just simply of exploiting in a rational manner the opponent’s mistakes. I cannot conceive why there is such an ardent desire to discover in a game of chess anything more subtle than it has to offer, for I am of opinion that the real beauty which it possesses should be more than sufficient for all possible demands.
13.Nbd213. P—Q Kt 4 would be an error of judgment, because Black would have saved his piece by 13. ….B—Kt 2; 14. Kt—Q 4, Q—R 2! White therefore prefers to complete his development before undertaking decisive action.
15.Qxd4White, having rid himself of Black’s K B, the only piece which could inconvenience him, the position of the opponent will very soon become desperate.
15…Bb5It would be difficult to suggest another means of developing his Queen-side. After 15. ….B—B 4; 16. B—K 2, Q Kt—Q 2 would be impossible, on account of 17. P—K Kt 4, B—B 7; 18. R—Q B 1.
17…Ra4This skirmish comes to nothing. To tell the truth, it is difficult to point out here a rational move.
19.a3White has no reason to hurry himself, considering the lack of resource of the adverse position.
21.d6A preparation for the following sacrifice. If Black reply to this move with 21. ….P—K 3, the continuation would be 22. Q—K 3, Kt—Kt 2; 23. Q—Q 3, R—R 1; 24. Kt—K 4, winning the Q Kt P to start with.
22.Rxe6By this combination, based on a precise calculation of all its possibilities, White demolishes the last defences of the enemy. He regains the Exchange sacrificed in a few moves, with a mating-attack.