Game 60 in the book: F. D. Yates—A. Alekhin, International Tournament at The Hague, November 1921. A Sicilian Defence annotated by Alekhine, who plays Black.

1. 3.d4 This move has the disadvantage of allowing Black to choose the following equalizing variation. On this account it is preferable to play first 3. B—K 2 (see game No. 97).
2. 6…e5 6. ....P—Q 4 would be inferior, on account of 7. P—K 5, K Kt—Q 2; 8. Q—Kt 4! The text-move was introduced into master practice by Jaffe at the Carlsbad Tournament of 1911.
3. 7.Ne2 If 7. Kt—B 5, Castles; 8. B—K Kt 5, P—Q 4! and Black has the better game, since if 9. P×P, P—K 5!; 10. B×P, R—K 1; 11. Kt—Kt 3, Kt×B, winning a piece.
4. 9…Nc6 Black has achieved a satisfactory development. There is room for improvement in one respect, the impossibility of Castling immediately, on account of Kt×Kt, followed by B×P ch winning the Queen.
5. 11.a3 Preparing the advance of the Queen-side Pawns, which can be utilized for the end-game, and also seeking to keep the Black King in the centre as long as possible by the tactical threats which are made possible by the momentarily exposed position of Black's pieces.
6. 11…Ba5 Not 11. ....B—K 2; 12. Kt—B 3, Q—K 3 (or 12. ....Q—Q 1; 13. Q—R 5); 13. Kt—Kt 5, with the better game.
7. 13.Re1 Now 13. Kt—B 3 would be ineffectual after 13. ....Q—K 3; 14. Kt—Kt 5, B—Kt 1, or 14. Q—R 5, Q—Kt 5!
8. 13…f5 A risky move whose chief object is to reserve a good square of retreat for the Black Queen on K B 2. 13. ....B—K 3 was more prudent and sufficient for equality. A game Euwe—Alekhin (Pistyan, 1922), continued as follows: 14. Kt—B 3, Q—Q 2; 15. Kt—K 4, B—K Kt 5; 16. Kt—B 5, Q—B 1; 17. Q—Q 2, Castles; 18. B—K 4!, B—Kt 3; 19. Q—B 3, B×Kt; 20. Q×B, B—B 4; 21. B×Kt, Q×B; 22. Q×Q, P×Q. Drawn game.
9. 14.c4 This colourless line of play allows Black at last to bring his King into safety and thus obtain the better game. More energetic was 14. Kt—B 4, Q—B 2; 15. P—Kt 5!, Kt—K 2; 16. P—Kt 6!, P×P; 17. B—Kt 5 ch, Kt—B 3; 18. Q—Q 3!, definitely fixing the hostile King, with excellent chances of attack.
10. 16.Nd5 This Knight, as will be seen in the sequel, cannot be maintained in this position and will soon be exchanged against a Black piece inactive until now. This simple fact sufficiently demonstrates White's faulty strategy initiated by 14. P—Q B 4.
11. 17.Bb2 A little trap. If now 17. ....B×Kt; 18. P×B, Q×P; then 19. B×B P, Q×Q; 20. B—K 6 ch, regaining his Pawn with a very good game.
12. 18.Nxc7 If at once 18. B—K B 1, then 18. ....B—K 4, with a manifest superiority of position.
13. 20.Bxe5 Relatively best, for if 20. P—B 5, then 20. ....Kt—Kt 5, provoking the weakening of White's King's position, the consequences of which might have been disastrous for him very quickly.
14. 22…Rxd1 By this unexpected exchange (unexpected, because it temporarily yields to the adversary the only open file) Black forces either (1) the advance of his P to B 5, whereby, sooner or later, in addition to good prospects of direct attack, he can secure a strong passed Pawn on the King's file, or (2) as in the actual game, the exchange of Queens, which secures for him a superior end-game.
15. 23.Qxd1 If 23. R×R, then 23. ....P—B 5!
16. 23…Qc3 Against this move White has nothing better than to offer an exchange of Queens, because after 24. R—K 3 Black would gain the necessary time by 24. ....Q—B 3, to occupy the Queen-file, which would be decisive. The ensuing end-game, which offers some analogy with that which I played against Teichmann (see Game No. 91), admits of a majority of Pawns on the Queen-side for White, but this advantage is here somewhat illusory. On this subject I am anxious to state that one of the most notorious prejudices of modern theory lies in the fact that this majority is in itself considered an advantage, without any reference to whatever Pawns or, more especially, pieces are concerned. In the present game Black has very evident compensations: (1) the greater mobility of the Black King, the adverse King being hampered by his own Pawns. (2) the dominating position of the Black Rook on the only open file. With correct play, these points should ensure a win.
17. 26.g3 This and the next two moves aim at the exchange of Bishops, since the Rook ending would yield White an almost certain draw.
18. 28…Bc8 Avoiding exchanges, on the above grounds.
19. 31.Kf1 With the object of opposing his Rook to that of Black, after 32. K—K 1, but the latter voluntarily abandons the command of the Queen-file in order to occupy the seventh rank with his Rook, thus facilitating the decisive advance of his Pawns.
20. 34.Be2 White was threatened, if 34. R—Q 1, with 34. ....B—Kt 5; 35. R—Q 6 ch, K—K 2; 36. R—Q 4, B—B 6, followed by P—K 6, winning.
21. 36.Rxc6 If 36. P×P, P—B 6; 37. B—Q 1, B—K 6; 38. B×P, P×P ch; 39. K—B 1, B—R 3 ch; or 37. B—B 1, P—K 6; 38. P×P, P—B 7 ch; 39. K—Q 1, B—Kt 5 ch and mates next move.
22. 38.Rc5+ With the double threat 38. ....B—Kt 6 and 38. ....B—Kt 5, against which White cannot defend himself by 38. K—Q 2 on account of 38. ....P—K 6 ch; 39. P×P, P×P ch; 40. K—B 2, B—B 4 ch.
23. 43…Bh5 Now the threat of 44. ....P—K 7 wins both the Rook and the Bishop.