Wygodchikoff, K. VS Alekhine, Alexander 1908.??.??

Annotations

Game 34 in the book: a Ruy Lopez played by correspondence in Russia, 1908–1909, in which Alekhine wins with the Black pieces against K. Wygodchikoff.

1. 5…Bc5 This move, suggested in 1908 by the Danish master Möller, is in my opinion much better than its reputation as, up to the present, it has in no way been refuted and the few games in which it has been adopted rather tend to militate in its favour.
2. 6.Nxe5 White could also play 6. P—B 3, to which the best reply is 6. ....B—R 2; as in a game Yates—Alekhin (Hastings, 1922), which continued as follows: 7. P—Q 4, (interesting would be 7. R—K 1, Kt—K Kt 5!; 8. P—Q 4, P x P; 9. P x P, Kt x Q P!; 10. Kt x Kt, Q—R 5!; with a winning attack), Kt x K P; 8. Q—K 2, P—B 4; 9. P x P, Castles; 10. Q Kt—Q 2, P—Q 4; 11. P x P e.p., Kt x Q P; 12. B—Kt 3 ch, K—R 1; 13. Kt—B 4, P—B 5; 14. Kt (B 4)—K 5, Kt x Kt; 15. Kt x Kt, Q—Kt 4; 16. B—Q 2, B—R 6; 17. B—Q 5, Q R—K 1; 18. K R—K 1, R—K 3!; 19. Q—Q 3, and now Black, who played the surprise move 19. ....B—K 6!?, finally obtained only a draw, whereas he could have won a Pawn simply by 19. ....B x P; followed by 20. ....R x Kt.
3. 8.Re1 After 8. P x B, Kt x Q B P; 9. Q—Q 4 or Q 5, Q—K 2!; 10. B—B 4, P—K B 3; (Dr. Groen—Alekhin, Portsmouth, 1923) White has not sufficient compensation for his Pawn. If 8. Q—K 2 (Takacs—Alekhin; Vienna, 1922), then 8. ....B—K 2; 9. Q x Kt, Kt—Kt 3; 10. P—Q B 4, Castles; 11. Kt—B 3, P—K B 4; with good attacking chances.
4. 11…Bd6 It was most important to preserve this Bishop. Now that Black has overcome most of the opening difficulties, he must in the sequel obtain at least an equal game.
5. 12.Qf3 To 12. P—Q B 4, Black had the powerful reply 12. ....P—K B 4; 13. R—K 1, P—B 4!, etc.
6. 12…f5 But in this position this advance is premature. White gains an important tempo by playing his K B to Kt 3 and Black loses the chance of playing P—Q B 4. The correct play was 12. ....P—Kt 4; 13. B—Kt 3, B—Kt 2, etc, with very good chances for Black.
7. 13…Kh8 Evidently the Rook could not be captured because of mate in four: 14. Kt—K 7 dbl disc ch, K—R 1; 15. Kt x Kt ch, P x Kt; 16. Q—R 3 ch, Q—R 5; 17. Q x Q mate.
8. 14…f4 In preparation for 15. ....P—B 3. If 14. ....Q—R 5; 15. P—K R 3, Q x Q P; 16. P—B 3, Q—B 4; 17. B—K 3, Q—B 3; 18. B—Q 4, etc., with a strong attack.
9. 15…c6 Aiming at the Rook sacrifice on move 17. Insufficient would be 15. ....Q—K 4, because of 17. Q—Kt 3! or 15. ....P—Q B 4, because of 16. B—B 2, a move which is threatened in any event.
10. 17…d5 This Rook sacrifice is absolutely sound, and White would have been better advised not to accept it and to play 18. Kt x B! (not 18. B—B 2 at once because of 18. ....Q—Kt 4!; etc.) Q x Kt; 19. B—B 2! with a slight advantage. It is easy to understand that White was tempted to capture the Rook, considering that Black's strong attack which follows was not obvious.
11. 19.Qc3 Naturally not 19. Q—R 5, because of 19. ....P—K Kt 3; 20. Q—R 6, Kt—B 4; followed by 21. Kt x P; etc. If 19. Q—Q 3! there would have been interesting complications. The probable line of play would have been: 19. ....B—B 4; 20. Q—Q B 3 (if 20. Q—Q 1, Q—Kt 4!), P—B 6; 21. R—K 3! (if 21. P x P, Q—B 3; 22. P—B 4, B—Kt 5), P x P; 22. P—B 3!, Q—Kt 4! (threatening B x P ch), 23. R—K 5, B x R!; 24. B x Q, B x Q P ch; 25. Q x B, Kt x P ch; 26. K x P, Kt x Q; 27. Kt—Kt 6, B—K 5 ch; 28. K—Kt 3, R—B 6 ch; 29. K—R 4, B—B 4! and mate in a few moves. The text-move in some ways facilitates Black's attack, as he now has a serious threat comprising a Queen sacrifice.
12. 20.Re5 Compulsory. After the plausible reply 20. R—K 3, the continuation would be 20. ....Q—Kt 4!; 21. P—Kt 3, B x P!; 22. B P x B, Q x P ch; 23. P x Q, P—B 7 ch; 24. K—B 1, B—R 6 ch and Black wins.
13. 22…Qd7 Black could also win by 22. ....Kt—B 5!; 23. B x Kt, Q—R 5!; etc., but the variation adopted is equally decisive.
14. 23.e6 A desperate move. But after 23. K—R 1, Q—R 6, White had no defence against 24. ....Kt—K 8!, etc.
15. 24…Qg6 Stronger than 24. ....Q—R 6; 25. B—B 3, R—Kt 1; 26. Q—K 5, Kt—B 5; 27. Q—Kt 5, and Black cannot play 27. ....B—Kt 5; because of 28. B x P ch! with perpetual check.
16. 25.Bc2 If instead 25. K—R 1, then 25. ....Kt—K 8; or if 25. K—B 1, B—R 6; and Black wins.
17. 27.Rg1 The only resource.
18. 28…Nf4 This manoeuvre, prepared by Black's last few moves, is immediately decisive, for after the exchange of Queens and the loss of the Exchange White's game remains absolutely without resource.

Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source