Game 28 in the book: Alekhine's win over A. Flamberg at the International Tournament at Mannheim, 1914. A Ruy Lopez annotated by Alekhine, who plays Black.
10.Re1The best line of play for White is, in my opinion: 10. Q Kt—Q 2, Castles; 11. B—B 2 or 11. Kt—Q 4.
11…Nc5In order to reply to 12. B—B 2 with Tarrasch's move, 12. ....P—Q 5!
12.Nd4But this is hardly better than 12. B—B 2. Speaking generally, in this variation 10. R—K 1 appears to be loss of time.
14…Nf4Much better than 14. ....Kt x B; after which White is able to exercise a pressure on the open Q B file, which would justify the line of play he has adopted.
15.Bc2With the intention of preventing 15. ....P—Q B 4 by the threat: 16. P x P, followed by 17. B x P ch, and 18. Q—B 2 ch.
15…c5Yet as the following variation shows, the move is quite playable: 16. P x P, B x P; 17. B x P ch, K x B; 18. Q—B 2 ch, K—Kt 1; 19. Q x B, P—Q 5; 20. R—K 4, R—B 1; 21. Q—R 3, Q—Kt 4!; 22. P—K Kt 3 (or 22. Q—K Kt 3, Q x Q; followed by 23. ....Kt—Q 6; and wins); 22. ....Kt—R 6 ch; followed by 23. ....R x B, and Black wins.
16.Nb3In order to block up the position in the centre (for 16. ....P x P; 17. Kt x P would not be to Black's advantage) and then to attempt a King-side attack. But the majority of Pawns on the Queen-side which Black secures with his next move constitutes, as will be seen later, a far more potent weapon than his opponent's problematic chances on the King-side.
17…f5This and the following move are dictated by motives of a purely defensive character. Black wishes to consolidate his King's position before attempting a decisive action on the Queen-side.
18.Nf118. P x P e.p., B x P; 19. Kt—B 3, B—Kt 5 would be insufficient.
18…Rf7An excellent defensive move which, in case of need, reserves the square K B 1 for the Black Knight and which, at the same time, protects his K Kt 2. 18. ....Kt—Kt 3 would be less good, for after 19. R—K R 3, Black could not have played 19. ....P—B 5 because of 20. R x P!
22…Qb6Opposing for the moment 23. Q—R 5, because of the reply: 23. ....Kt x B P; 24. B x Kt, Q x P ch; 25. B—K 3, Q x Kt P, with the better game.
23.Nf3Of course not 23. Kt x P, P x Kt; 24. P—Q 5, B—B 4; and Black wins.
23…Bd7Preparing 24. ....P—R 5, and aiming eventually at posting the Knight at K 3.
24.Ng5After 24. B—R 4, B x B; 25. Q x B, Kt—B 1, followed by 26. ....Kt—K 3, Black's game remains preferable.
24…Bxg5This exchange implies further loss of time and brings the Rook still farther away from the threatened sector.
26.Kh1In order to play 27. Q—R 5, impossible hitherto because of 26. ....Kt x B P, etc. It would have been better, however, for White to retire the Rook to Kt 3 and to resign himself to the defensive.
26…Ne7Providing once and for all against White's 27. P—Kt 4, which, if played on the previous move, would have been disastrous for White, e.g.: 26. P—Kt 4, P x P; 27. P—B 5, Kt x P.
27.Qh5A last attempt which will be refuted by an energetic counter-demonstration by Black on the other wing.
29…a3The passed Pawn which Black obtains by this temporary sacrifice wins the game in a few moves.
32.Qd1White begins a general retreat, but it is far too late!
36…Ba4The final manoeuvre. This Bishop is to be posted at Q Kt 4 without loss of time.
37.Qd3Or 37. Q—K 1, B—Kt 4.
38…Qa6White has no resource against the threat: 39. ....R x B!; 40. Q x R, Q—R 8. If 39. R—Q Kt 3, Q—R 5!; if 39. R—B 2, B—R 5; and if 39. R—K 3, B—R 5 followed by 40. ....B—B 7 and wins.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source