1.
c4
e5
2.
Nc3
Nf6
3.
g3
g6
4.
Bg2
Bg7
5.
Nf3
d6
6.
d4
exd4
7.
Nxd4
O-O
8.
O-O
Nbd7
9.
b3
Nc5
10.
Bb2
Re8
11.
Qc2
Ne6
12.
Rad1
Qe7
13.
Rfe1
Rb8
14.
Nf3
Qf8
15.
e4
Nd7
16.
Ba3
Ne5
17.
Nxe5
Bxe5
18.
f4
Bd4+
19.
Kh1
Qg7
20.
Nd5
Bf6
21.
Nxf6+
Qxf6
22.
Bb2
Qe7
23.
Qc3
f6
24.
Qxf6
Qxf6
25.
Bxf6
b5
26.
cxb5
Rxb5
27.
e5
dxe5
28.
Bxe5
Bb7
29.
Bxb7
Rxb7
30.
Rd7
h5
31.
Red1
Kf8
32.
Rf1
Re7
33.
f5
gxf5
34.
Rxf5+
Ke8
35.
Rxe7+
Kxe7
36.
Rxh5
1-0
Opening Explorer
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Site
Berliner Schachheim
Date
1921.06.17
Round
1
White
Black
Result
1-0
- 1…e5 By answering 1. P—Q B 4 with 1. ....P—K 4 Black accommodates White in his desire to play a Sicilian with a move ahead. As a reply to White's first move Black has the choice between several good continuations: 1. ....Kt—K B 3, 1. ....P—K 3, 1. ....P—Q B 4 and 1. ....P—K B 4, the Dutch Defence being more playable for him by the fact that White has already advanced his Pawn to Q B 4.
- 2…Nf6 2. ....Kt—Q B 3, with the intention of developing his K Kt at K 2 after the fianchetto of Black's K B, was also to be considered. It is true that against this move White is not compelled to answer 3. P—K Kt 3, seeing that 3. Kt—B 3, followed by 4. P—Q 4, seems preferable.
- 3…g6 Regarding 3. ....P—Q 4 see Game No. 8.
- 6…exd4 It was preferable to keep the Pawn-position intact by playing 6. ....Q Kt—Q 2, free to disturb it at a more opportune moment.
- 9.b3 In an analogous position, save that the exchange of centre-Pawns had not occurred, I played the weaker move 8. Q—B 2 against Réti at Pistyan, 1922, after which Black equalized the game by 8. ....P×P; 9. Kt×P, Kt—Kt 3; 10. Q—Q 3, P—Q 4! 9. P—Kt 3 is probably the only move to maintain an appreciable advantage.
- 12.Rad1 12. Kt—B 3 was better. Black's position is so hemmed-in that White should seek to avoid every exchange capable of alleviating this constraint.
- 12…Qe7 For the above reason, 12. ....Kt×Kt was the best alternative.
- 14…Qf8 Black's position, although free from weaknesses, is almost without resource, on account of the lack of range of his pieces, which obstruct each other. Under such conditions it is generally impossible to establish an adequate plan of defence, and the loss of the game is only a question of time.
- 16.Ba3 The commencement of the decisive manœuvre, which finally ends in the win of a Pawn, with a dominating position. White now threatens on the one hand 17. P—K 5, and on the other hand 17. Kt—Q 5 or Q Kt 5, followed by 18. Kt×Q B P and 19. B×P. Black's next moves are therefore forced.
- 19…Qg7 Black was threatened with 20. P—K B 5.
- 20…Bf6 Or 20. ....P—Q B 4; 21. P—B 5, Kt—B 1; 22. P×P, R P×P; 23. R×P, P×R (or 23. ....Q×B?; 24. B—Kt 2); 24. B×P and White recovers the Exchange with a Pawn ahead.
- 23.Qc3 The simplest. White leads into an end-game with two Bishops and a Pawn against Bishop and Knight.
- 25…b5 A desperate attempt to free his pieces, but in reality merely easing White's task.
- 28.Bxe5 Not 28. B—B 6, B—Kt 2.
- 31.Red1 Instead of playing 31. R—K B 1 White temporizes, reserving this possibility until after Black's plausible move, K—B 1, when he no longer has the defence ....R—K B 1 at his disposal.
- 33.f5 Winning a second Pawn and therefore the game.
- 33…gxf5 Clearly forced, since if 33. ....R×R; 34. P×Kt ch would win a piece.
[Event "Match Alekhine-Saemisch +2-0=0"] [Site "Berliner Schachheim"] [Date "1921.06.17"] [Round "1"] [White "Alekhine, Alexander"] [Black "Saemisch, Friedrich"] [Result "1-0"] 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 d6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 O-O 8. O-O Nbd7 9. b3 Nc5 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Qc2 Ne6 12. Rad1 Qe7 13. Rfe1 Rb8 14. Nf3 Qf8 15. e4 Nd7 16. Ba3 Ne5 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. f4 Bd4+ 19. Kh1 Qg7 20. Nd5 Bf6 21. Nxf6+ Qxf6 22. Bb2 Qe7 23. Qc3 f6 24. Qxf6 Qxf6 25. Bxf6 b5 26. cxb5 Rxb5 27. e5 dxe5 28. Bxe5 Bb7 29. Bxb7 Rxb7 30. Rd7 h5 31. Red1 Kf8 32. Rf1 Re7 33. f5 gxf5 34. Rxf5+ Ke8 35. Rxe7+ Kxe7 36. Rxh5 1-0