Game 54 in the book: Selesnieff—Alekhin, International Tournament at Triberg, July 1921. A Queen's Pawn Game annotated by Alekhine, who plays Black.
3.g3In my opinion best, as White's Bishop on K Kt 2 is at least as strong as Black's on Q Kt 2.
4.Bg2This system of development was introduced by the author in one of his match-games against Teichmann at Berlin, 1921. Its only defect is that Black's Q B 3 may eventually become weak, a weakness, however, which does not present very great drawbacks.
6.Bf4To prevent 6. ....P—K 4.
6…h6Threatening P—K Kt 4 in some combinative variations; but the real intention is to make this advance only when Black is assured of an immediate and definite advantage.
7.Nc3Allowing the following demonstration aimed at the Q P.
7…c5After 8. P×P, Kt×P, Black would also have secured a very promising position.
8…b5Otherwise White by playing 9. P—Q R 4! would prevent Black from seizing the initiative on the Queen-side.
9.Ne1White's Q P is certainly more valuable than Black's Q Kt P.
12…g6So as to develop the Bishop at K Kt 2, the object of the manœuvre commencing 7. ....P—B 4.
13.c4Absolutely essential to prevent White from blocking the Queen-side, which would have enabled him to undertake a strong attack by the advance of his centre Pawns, without fear of molestation.
20…Rb4Absolutely correct. The strong passed Pawn thus resulting, supported by the Bishop on K Kt 2, and the possibilities of attack on White's Q B P are, on the whole, worth more than the Exchange.
22…Nc5But this move is illogical. Black could have demonstrated the correctness of his sacrifice more clearly by 22. ....R—Q B 1, followed by 23. ....Kt—Kt 3 or also 23. ....Kt—K 4, and if necessary 23. ....B—B 6.
23.Nb3A strong move, the value of which was not appreciated in good time. If Black replies to it by 23. ....Kt×P, White could advantageously continue 24. R—R 1!, Kt—B 4; 25. Kt×P, B×R; 26. R×B, K—R 2 (else 27. B×P!); 27. Kt—B 6. Or if 23. ....R—B 1; 24. Kt×Kt, Q×Kt; 25. K R—B 1, B—B 6; 26. Q—Kt 3 (not 26. R—Kt 3, B×P; 27. R×B, P×R; 28. B×P, on account of 28. ....K—Kt 2!), Q—Q 5; 27. R×B, P×R; 28. R—Q B 1 and White cannot lose.
23…Nd7So Black must submit to this temporary retreat, while threatening 24. ....R—Q B 1. But White seizes the opportunity to eliminate his weak Q B P by a counter-sacrifice which opens new lines and affords at the same time excellent chances.
25.exd3After 25. Q×B, P×P, Black's passed Pawns would soon decide the game. The text-move parries this danger, while opening the King's file for White. On the other hand there is the drawback, very slight though it may be, of weakening the King's position, and particularly K B 3, a weakness which Black will exploit later on.
26.Rfe1Against the plausible move 26. Q—B 4, which was equally to be considered, Black would have retorted 26. ....Q—Q 3!; 27. Kt×R P, Kt—K 4; 28. Q—Kt 3, R—R 1, with excellent chances.
26…Ne5The attempt to give back the Exchange, in his turn, would have been insufficient: 27. Q×P, Kt—B 6 ch; 28. K—B 1, Q×Q; 29. Kt×Q, Kt—Q 7 ch!; 30. K—K 2, Kt×R; 31. R×Kt, R—Q 1! and Black wins a Pawn.
30…c4Now Black's Queen-side Pawns become very threatening. The question is, how to maintain them! The game now enters upon its most critical phase.
31.Nc5If 31. Kt×P, obviously 31. ....Q×Q P and Black wins easily.
31…Qf5White has defended himself excellently, and hopes to obtain a decisive advantage by the text-move, which threatens the Knight and the B P at the same time; but Black's reply gives him a disagreeable surprise.
32…b3Before deciding on this surprising move, Black had to visualize the following variations, apart from the continuation in the text. I.—33. R—B 4, Q—R 4; 34. R×Kt, P—Kt 7; 35. R—Kt 1, Q 1 or K 1 (if 35. ....Q×Kt P, Q×R as in the game), B×P and Black's Pawns become overwhelming. II.—33. Q×Kt, P—Kt 7; 34. R—Kt 1, Q×Q; 35. R×Q, P—B 6; 36. Kt—Q 3, R—B 5; 37. Kt×P!, R—Kt 5!; 38. R—K 4, K—B 1 with advantage to Black, for if 39. R—Q B 1, P—B 4!; 40. Kt—Q 3, P×R; 41. Kt×R, P×Kt; 42. P—R 5, B×P; 43. P—R 6, K—B 2! and wins.
35.Rxc4Apparently White has chosen the simplest method of extricating himself from his difficulties, for he has eliminated the passed Pawns and remains a Pawn to the good. However, Black's next move creates new difficulties for him.
35…h5Profiting by the immobility of the hostile pieces to threaten a mating attack by P—R 5—R 6, followed by Q—B 6.
36.Qc2The only resource for the defence, in fact, consists in playing the White Queen to Q 3.
36…h4Naturally not B×P, on account of 37. K—Kt 2!
37.Qd337. P—R 6 would be insufficient, as after 38. P—B 3, Q—R 4 (38. ....Q—Kt 4?; 39. Kt—K 4!); 39. Q—K 4, Q—R 3; 40. R—B 2, White could defend himself satisfactorily.
38…Qh5Not 38. ....Q—R 6 on account of 39. P—Kt 4, R—Kt 1; 40. Kt—K 4, R—Kt 7; 41. R—B 8 ch!, B—B 1; 42. Kt—B 2 and White would win the Exchange.
41…Qd2+After 41. ....R×P White would have forced the exchange of Queens by 42. P—B 4, Q—R 4; 43. Q—B 3, and Black would have difficulty in securing the win.
42…Bf6In order to occupy the K R file with the Rook: the only means of securing the win.
45.g4Otherwise this Pawn would be lost, without any compensation.
45…Rh8It will be admitted that White defends himself with remarkable coolness.
46…Rb8The point of the manœuvre initiated by 42. ....B—K B 3. Black's Rook was brought to the K R file solely in order to force the entry of the Queen into the hostile game by that means. Its mission accomplished, the Rook returns to the Queen-side and contributes to an attack against the key of the hostile positions (White's Pawn on Q 4), a manœuvre against which White is absolutely defenceless.
49.Ke3Or 49. K—Q 3, Q—Kt 8!
50…Bxd4Now White could well have resigned, but, on the contrary, he tries a desperate move and by his tenacity he achieves a partial success.
52…Bc3With 52. ....R—Q Kt 5; 53. Kt—Q 3 (there is nothing better) Black could have brought about the same position as after White's 51st move; but he prefers to accept the fait accompli, as the variation on the text appears to him to be sufficiently clear and satisfactory.
56…Ba1The continuation which Black had in view when playing 52. ....B—B 6. Now White will find it impossible to defend his Pawns. For example, if 57. Kt—Q 3, Q×Q P ch; 58. K—R 3, B—B 3; 59. Q—Q 1, P—Kt 4!; 60. Q—K 2, Q—Q B 5!; 61. Q—Q 1, Q—B 6 ch; 62. K—R 2, P—K 3! and Black wins.
59.g5Another desperate attempt. As the sequel will show, White follows a plan which promises him an illusory salvation.
61.Qe1Staking his last hope on the Q R P, but his opponent will soon destroy this last illusion, by sacrificing his B for the Q R P, after which the Black passed Pawns on the King-side win very easily.
74…Kf1A very difficult and interesting game in all its phases.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source