Game 62 in the book: Dr. S. Tarrasch—A. Alekhin, International Tournament at Pistyan, April 1922 (first round). A Queen’s Pawn Game (Blumenfeld Gambit) annotated by Alekhine, who plays Black and was awarded the Brilliancy Prize.
3…c5With the intention of investigating, on the next move, the gambit discovered by the Moscow amateur, Blumenfeld. Since then it has been shown that this Gambit is not favourable for Black if White should decline it.
5.dxe6The acceptance of the gambit yields Black a formidable position in the centre. The right move was 5. B—Kt 5! Equally possible, although less strong, is 5. P—K 4, played by Rubinstein against Tartakover at Teplitz—Schönau, 1922. An instructive game, Grünfeld—Bogoljuboff, from the Vienna Tournament of 1922, was continued as follows: 5. B—Kt 5, P—K R 3; 6. B×Kt, Q×B; 7. Kt—B 3, P—Kt 5; 8. Kt—Q Kt 5, Kt—R 3; 9. P—K 4!, Q×P; 10. B—Q 3, Q—B 3; 11. P—K 5, Q—Q 1; 12. P×P, Q P×P; 13. B—K 4!, Q×Q ch; 14. R×Q, R—Q Kt 1; 15. B—B 6 ch, K—K 2; 16. Kt×P, P—Kt 4; 17. B—Kt 5, B—K Kt 2; 18. Kt—B 6 ch and mates next move.
7.e3Black threatened to regain his Pawn with the better game by 7. ….Q—R 4 ch. However, 7. Q Kt—Q 2 followed by P—Q Kt 3 and B—Kt 2 offered White better defensive chances.
11…Qe7Black has completed his development, and prepares in perfect safety the advance of his K P, which, encompassing still more the adverse game, secures him a very strong attack against White’s King.
12…Rad8Black has no need to hasten the advance of his K P, his opponent at present being able to attempt absolutely nothing.
14.Rfe1In order to defend the square K R 2, by bringing his K Kt via Q 2 to K B 1. From now on White defends himself in the most skilful way, but his game is already too far compromised by the strategic error of the opening, ceding the centre to his opponent in exchange for a Pawn of little value.
17.Bxg4This exchange is forced, for if 17. Kt—B 1, then 17. ….Kt—B 6 ch!
18…Qg5The correct continuation of the attack. White has adequately defended the squares K B 2 and K R 2, but the point K Kt 2 is still vulnerable. So it is against this point that Black intends to undertake a double attack, bringing the Knight to K R 5 via K R 3 and K B 4. To parry this threat White will be compelled to weaken his position afresh by playing P—K R 3 which, as we shall see by the sequel, will allow the decisive advance of Black’s Q P.
21.Nh2It is clear that White’s three last moves were the only ones possible to secure the defence of the threatened point by R—K Kt 1.
21…d4This Pawn becomes a new and formidable means of continuing the attack. White cannot capture it, e.g.: 22. P×P, P—K 6!; 23. Kt×P (or 23. R—K Kt 1, Q—Kt 6! and wins) Kt×Kt; 24. P×Kt, Q—Kt 6! and wins.
24…Ng3+The beginning of the final manœuvre. It is clear that the Knight cannot be taken, on account of 25. ….Q×Kt P, forcing mate. After the following move Black could have won the exchange by 25. ….P—Q 7, but he preferred to wind up the game by a forced combination.
27…Rf7There was no reason to complicate the game by the sacrifice of the Q R P.
28…h5As we shall see by the continuation, this was necessary to prepare the sacrifice of the Bishop on the 34th move.
29…Ng3+Not 29. ….P×P on account of 30. R×Kt, P×R; 31. Q×K P, giving White possibilities of defence.
31…d2Now this advance of the Q P is absolutely decisive.
33…Be6After this move White can no longer defend himself against the ensuing mating attack. For example, if he had attempted to protect the square K Kt 2 by 34. Q—B 6 followed by 35. Q×K P, the game would have terminated as follows: 34. Q—B 6, R—B 6!; 35. Q×K P, B—Q 4; 36. Q—Q R 4, Q×P ch!!; 37. K×Q, R—Kt 6 ch; 38. K—R 2, R—Kt 7 ch; 39. K—R 1, R—R 7 ch; 40. K—Kt 1, R—R 8 mate. Against the plausible move 34. K—R 1 the sacrifice of the Q B wins at once.
36…h4The object of 28. ….P—K R 4! is now shown.
37.Bf6Ingenious but doomed to failure, like all other attempts.
38…Rxh3+If now 39. K—Kt 1, B—R 7 ch and Black wins the Queen; and if 39. K—Kt 2, Q—B 6 ch and mates next move.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source