Game 23 in the book: Alekhine's win over A. Nimzovitch at the All-Russian Masters' Tournament at St. Petersburg, 1914. A Four Knights' Game annotated by Alekhine, who plays Black.
4…Nd4Rubinstein has, in my opinion, made one of his finest contributions to the theory of the openings in the discovery and analysis of the variations springing from this move. White, if he does not wish to run the risk of dangerous complications resulting from the capture of the proffered Pawn, has nothing better than 5. Kt x Kt, P x Kt; 6. P—K 5, P x Kt; 7. P x Kt, Q x P; 8. Q P x P, B—K 2!; 9. Castles, Castles with approximately an equal game. The present game affords a typical example of the dangers to which White exposes himself when seeking the demolition of the Rubinstein variation.
5.Bc4Alternatives are: I.—5. Castles, Kt x B; 6. Kt x Kt, P—B 3; 7. Kt—B 3, P—Q 3; 8. P—Q 4, Q—B 2. II.—5. Kt x P, Q—K 2; 6. Kt—B 3, Kt x B; 7. Kt x Kt, Q x P ch; 8. Q—K 2, Q x Q ch; 9. K x Q, Kt—Q 4; 10. P—B 4, P—Q R 3; and in neither case does White have any advantage.
7.Nd3After 7. Kt—B 3 Black would also have obtained a strong attack by 7. ....P—Q 4! On the other hand, it is clear that White cannot capture the K B P with the Kt, because of 7. ....P—Q 4! nor with the B, because of 7. ....K—Q 1, followed by 8. ....P—Q 3.
7…d5The point of this variation.
8.Bxd5Or 8. Kt x P, Kt x Kt; 9. B x Kt, P—Q B 3. If 8. Kt x B, P x B and Black has the advantage.
11…Be6Now the sacrifice of the Pawn is greatly compensated by the superiority in development secured by Black. White finds himself confronted with great difficulties resulting from the fact that his Knights lack points of support in the centre.
12…O-O-OTo profit as quickly as possible by the open files in the centre.
14.Qc214. P—Q 3 at once would be a little better, although in this case Black would also maintain a good attacking position by 14. ....Q—K B 5; 15. Kt—B 3, Q—R 4. Now Black demolishes the hostile position by a series of moves, apparently quite simple and by that very fact difficult to discover.
14…Qh4More plausible was 14. ....Q—K B 5, provoking 15. P—K Kt 3 and allowing Black to carry on the attack by the advance of the K R P. But the continuation 15. P—K Kt 3, Q—Kt 4; 16. P—Q 4, Q—B 3; 17. Kt (K 1)—Kt 2 or Kt—Q 3 seems to give White adequate defensive resources. It is for this reason that Black sought to make the direct attack against the King coincide with a strong pressure on the centre. To attain this latter end it was of paramount importance to compel White to weaken the K file by the advance of his K B P.
15.Nf3Now 15. P—K Kt 3 would be faulty, on account of 15. ....Q—R 6.
15…Qf4Threatening 16. ....Kt—R 5.
17…Qg4Threatening 18. ....Q—R 4; followed by 19. ....B x P and 20. B x B P ch.
19.f4Black has thus attained the goal which he had in view on his 14th move.
20.b4If 20. B—Q 2, Black would maintain his advantage by 20. ....B—B 4; 21. Q R—K 1, R—K 7!, etc.
20…c5Thus forcing the exchange of White's only active piece.
21…Qxf5Threatening 22. ....P—B 5.
23.Rf3All this is compulsory.
24…g5After this move Black regains his Pawn at least, and maintains his superiority in position.
25.fxg5If 25. B—Kt 2, which was, however, better, the continuation would have been 25. ....P x P; 26. Q—B 3, K—Kt 1, and Black would have won the weak Q P in the end. The text-move causes a speedy collapse.
27…Bg3This premature move allows White to secure a draw. The game was easily won by 27. ....Q—R 8 ch; 28. K—B 2, Q—R 5 ch; 29. K—B 1, B—Kt 6!!; after which White would have nothing else than 30. Q—B 3 ch, K—Kt 1; 31. Q—B 5, P—Kt 3!; 32. Q—Kt 1, R x P!; 33. R x R, Q—B 5 ch; 34. R—B 3, Q—B 5 ch and mate next move.
28.Bd4And now behold Black himself reduced to seeking a drawing variation! The following sacrifice answers this purpose.
32.Rxf7By this threat of mate White eliminates all danger. Unfortunately for him, he allows himself to be intoxicated by a mirage of victory; but, by reason of the exposed position of his King, this conception bears great risks in its train.
33…Qh4+Naturally not 33. ....R—B 7 ch, because of 34. K—K 3 and wins.
35.g4This move is altogether too venturesome, and merely gives Black fresh chances. After 35. K—B 1 Black would have nothing better than the draw by 35. ....Q—R 8 ch, etc.
37.Ke4Forced, for if 37. K—K 2, Q—Kt 7 ch, followed by 38. ....B x R or R—B 7 ch according to circumstances, and Black wins.
37…Bc7Threatening Q—K 4 ch followed by Q x R.
40.d4This loses at once. The only reply was 40. R—B 5, with the continuation 40. ....R—Q 1; 41. Q—B 5! (else 41. ....Q—Kt 6 ch), R—K 1 ch; 42. K—Q 4, Q—Kt 7 ch; 43. K—B 4, Q x R P ch; 44. K—B 3, and Black, having to reckon with the threat R x P ch, could still not force the win.
40…Rd8Decisive.
41.Rc7If the White Queen moves, Black would win by 41. ....B x P ch, followed by 42. ....Q—K B 7 ch, etc.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source