Game 26 in the book: Alekhine's win over Dr. S. Tarrasch at the International Tournament at St. Petersburg, 1914. A French Defence annotated by Alekhine, who plays Black.
4.Bg5The variation 4. P x P, P x P; 5. B—Kt 5, recommended by Svenonius, brings White no advantage at all after 5. ....Kt—B 3, which is favoured by the author and was successfully tried by Bogoljuboff v. Mieses (Berlin, 1920).
4…Bb4This variation has gradually fallen into desuetude of late years. Players prefer to aim at a rapid King's side attack by: 5. P—K 5, P—K R 3; 6. B—Q 2, B x Kt; 7. P x B, Kt—K 5; 8. Q—Kt 4, K—B 1!; 9. P—K R 4!, etc. But the latest master-practice, and particularly some of Dr. Tarrasch's games, tend to show that here too Black disposes of sufficient resources from the defensive point of view. Interesting, too, is Tchigorin's continuation: 5. P—K 5, P—K R 3; 6. P x Kt, P x B; 7. P x P, R—Kt 1; 8. P—K B 4, P x P; with the improvement 9. Q—Kt 4! instead of 9. Q—R 5.
11.Kd2White had nothing better than to propose the exchange of Queens by 11. Q—K 2, although in that case also Black had somewhat the better game on account of the possibility of an attack against the centre by P—Q B 4. The text-move, just as 11. K—B 1 (Réti—Bogoljuboff, Berlin, 1920) is insufficient, in view of the exposed position of his King. Black at once assumes the initiative and keeps it to the end.
11…Qg6The only move to parry the threat 12. Kt—R 4, but amply sufficient.
13…Nc6Threatening 14. ....Castles Q R; followed by 15. ....P—K 4, etc. and forcing the White King to retreat once more.
15…Kb8Threatening 15. ....P—K 4, which at present would not be so good because of 16. P—Q 5, P x P; 17. Q—Kt 4 ch, followed by Q x P.
16…Na5The exchange of Bishops is essential in order to allow Black's Rook to participate in the attack via Q 4.
19.c4In conjunction with R—Q 3 this provides comparatively the best means of defence, but White misses a fine point on the following move.
20.Ng2He should have played 20. R—Q 3 at once, so as to be able to defend himself with 22. R—Kt 3, etc., after 20. ....R—Q 1; 21. K R—Q 1, Q—B 1! Now Black's reply will no longer leave him time for this.
20…Rd8For if now 21. R—Q 3, then 21. ....Q—B 1, with the very strong threat 22. ....R x P! followed by 23. ....Q—R 6 ch; 24. ....Q x P ch; 25. ....Q—R 8 ch; and 26. ....Q x R. Confronted with these difficulties, White is compelled to weaken his position in the centre.
22.c5Obstructing the Queen's diagonal, but not for long, unfortunately for White.
23…c4This Pawn can be taken only by the Knight, for if 24. Q x P Q—R 6 ch would win a piece.
26…Rd6Far stronger than the simple gain of a Pawn by Q R x P; as now White has not sufficient defence against the doubling of Rooks on the Q R file, feasible as it is even should White play 27. R—Q 3.
27…Rda6Forcing the exchange of both Rooks for Queen and two Pawns, which, in view of the exposed position of the White King, leads to an evidently favourable ending.
28.dxe6Clearly the Queen cannot be captured because of mate in two.
33…Nd6The entry of the Knight into the game should have decided the game in a few moves.
37…e5Black, thinking the game won in any case, makes no effort to find the shortest way. More energetic is 37. ....P—Q R 4!, White being without resource against this advance.
42…Qh1+Here again 42. ....P—Q B 4, followed by 43. ....P—B 5; led to a more speedy victory. It goes without saying that the capture of White's last Pawns was also sufficient.
49…Qb4With the last move, which threatens 50. ....Kt—B 6 ch; 51. K—R 1, Q—R 6, mate, Black ensures the gain of the Exchange. Had White wished to play on, the only alternative would have been 50. R (K 8) x P, Kt—B 6 ch; 51. R x Kt, Q x R; 52. R x P, after which Black wins in the following manner: 52. ....K—B 3; 53. R—R 4, K—Kt 4; 54. R—R 5 ch, P—B 4; 55. R—R 4, P—R 4; 56. R—K B 4, Q—B 7!; 57. K—R 3, Q—Kt 7! and the White Rook must leave the fourth rank, after which Black wins easily by 58. ....Q—Kt 6 ch; followed by 59. ....P—R 5; etc.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source