Alexander Alekhine vs John Arthur James Drewitt — 16th BCF Congress Major Open, Southsea 1923, Round 10

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. Nf3 d5

2. b4 e6

3. Bb2 Nf6

4. a3 c5

5. bxc5 Bxc5

6. e3 O-O

7. c4 Nc6

8. d4 Bb6

9. Nbd2 Qe7

10. Bd3 Rd8

11. O-O Bd7

12. Ne5 Be8

13. f4 Rac8

14. Rc1 Nd7

15. Nxc6 Rxc6

16. c5 Nxc5

17. dxc5 Bxc5

18. Rf3 Bxa3

19. Rxc6 Bxc6

20. Bxh7+ Kxh7

21. Rh3+ Kg8

22. Bxg7

1-0

2.b4 An innovation of the Hyper-modern School (Réti, Bogoljuboff, Grünfeld, Sämisch), which has a predilection (at times carried to excess) for the development of the Bishops on the long diagonals. The move 2. P—Q Kt 4 is intended to establish a fianchetto in an enlarged form. Should Black, as in the present game, reply with P—Q B 4, White can secure the majority of Pawns in the centre by 3. P×P. This is of far greater moment than the majority of Pawns on the Queen-side, of which so much is made, although it only offers very problematical chances for the end-game.
8…Bb6 8. ....B—Q 3 seems more plausible, although in this case also White obtains a very good game by 9. Q Kt—Q 2, R—K 1; 10. P—B 5, B—B 2; 11. B—Kt 5!
10…Rd8 If 10. ....B—B 2, preparing ....P—K 4, White has the choice between the complications resulting from 11. Kt—K 5 and the simpler move 11. P—K 4.
12.Ne5 Taking advantage of the fact that the best square of retreat for Black's K Kt will be occupied by his Q B (after 12. ....Kt×Kt; 13. P×Kt).
14…Nd7 This move will allow White to obtain a decisive advantage. Black, threatened on every side, has already no adequate plan of defence.
15.Nxc6 By this unexpected exchange of his best placed piece White takes immediate advantage of the cramped position of Black's piece.
15…Rxc6 If 15. ....P×Kt, then 16. P—B 5, B—R 4 (or 16. ....B—B 2; 17. Q—R 4); 17. Kt—Kt 3, B—B 2; 18. B—B 3, R—Kt 1; 19. Kt—R 5, Kt—B 1; 20. Q—R 4, and the exploitation of White's strategic advantage on the Queen-side is merely a question of technique. Black by the text-move prepares a sacrifice of the Knight which at first sight seems not devoid of chances.
16.c5 Practically forced, for if 16. ....B—R 4 then 17. Kt—Kt 3, B—B 2; 18. B—Kt 5 winning the Exchange.
17…Bxc5 Black has secured two Pawns for the piece and appears certain to capture yet another Pawn, but White speedily concludes the game by the following sacrifice, which is the point of the 15th move, Kt×Kt (B 6).
20.Bxh7+ This sacrifice of both Bishops has its precedents in the games Lasker—Bauer, Amsterdam, 1889, and Niemzovitch—Tarrasch, St. Petersburg, 1914. In the present game its interest rests solely in the way in which White has masked his plan of attack up to the last moment, by occupying his opponent with a demonstration on the opposite wing.
22.Bxg7 If now 22. ....P—B 3 White would not be satisfied to win the Queen for Rook and Bishop, but would play: 23. B—R 6!, Q—R 2; 24. Q—R 5, B—B 1; 25. Q—Kt 4 ch, B—Kt 2; 26. B×B and White wins.

[Event "British CF-16 Major Open"]
[Site "Portsmouth (Southsea)"]
[Date "1923.08.23"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Alekhine, Alexander"]
[Black "Drewitt, John Arthur James"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. b4 e6 3. Bb2 Nf6 4. a3 c5 5. bxc5 Bxc5 6. e3 O-O 7. c4 Nc6 8. d4 Bb6 9. Nbd2
Qe7 10. Bd3 Rd8 11. O-O Bd7 12. Ne5 Be8 13. f4 Rac8 14. Rc1 Nd7 15. Nxc6 Rxc6 16. c5 Nxc5
17. dxc5 Bxc5 18. Rf3 Bxa3 19. Rxc6 Bxc6 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Rh3+ Kg8 22. Bxg7 1-0