Game 56 in the book: Alekhin—K. Sterk, International Tournament at Budapest, September 1921 (Brilliancy Prize). A Queen's Gambit Declined annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.
4…Nbd7After Black's last move, which is probably inferior to 4. ....B—K 2, White has the choice of several good continuations: I.—5. B—Kt 5 (if 5. B—B 4!, P×P; 6. P—K 3, Kt—Kt 3!). II.—5. P×P, P×P; 6. B—B 4! (suggested by Sämisch). On the other hand, Soldatenkoff's ingenious move, 6. Q—Kt 3, proves insufficient, as the following variation shows: 6. ....P—B 3; 7. P—K 4, Kt×P!; 8. Kt×Kt, Q—K 2! III.—5. P—K 3, the text-move, less energetic perhaps, but affording White a slight advantage in development, if correctly followed up.
5…Bd6A risky move which White does not exploit in the most energetic manner. Black obtains a satisfactory game by the more solid variation 5. ....B—K 2; 6. B—Q 3, P×P; 7. B×B P, P—B 4.
6.Nb5With this reply, original but of doubtful value, White lets slip his chances. The retort 6. P—B 5, B—K 2; 7. P—Q Kt 4 followed by 8. B—Kt 2 was indicated, and would have enabled White to exercise pressure on the Queen's side before Black, by reason of his loss of time, could undertake a counter-demonstration in the centre. The text-move is intended to prevent 8. ....P—K 4, after 6. B—Q 3, P×P; 7. B×B P, Castles; 8. Castles, but the loss of time occasioned allows Black to equalize the game without difficulty.
10…c5Black, as can easily be seen, has been fortunate enough to surmount all the difficulties of the opening.
11.dxc5After 11. Castles, Kt—Kt 3; 12. B—Q 3, P×P; 13. P×P, B—Q 2 White would not have sufficient compensation for his isolated Q P.
13.e4White, after his careless treatment of the opening, seeks complications which are not without danger to himself. 13. P—Q Kt 3, B—Kt 2; 14. B—Kt 2, R—B 1; 15. Q—K 2 would suffice to equalize the game.
14.Bg5Not 14. P—K 5, Kt—Kt 5!; 15. Kt—K Kt 5, P—Kt 3; 16. Kt×R P, Q—R 5; 17. P—K B 3, Q—Kt 6, followed by mate.
14…Qc8A very good move which puts an end to all the opponent's fond hopes. Not only is Black out of danger, but it is actually he who is going to undertake a counter-attack.
15.Qe2Parrying the threatened 15. ....B×P ch. However, 15. ....B—B 3 was preferable.
15…Bb4This move marks the critical phase. White, whose game is compromised, will make a serious effort to maintain equality. What is he to do? Neither 16. P—K 5, Kt—Kt 5; nor 16. Q R—B 1, B×Kt; 17. B—Q 3, Kt—B 4!; 18. R×B, B×P!; 19. B×Kt, B×B, threatening B×R, etc., would be sufficient. After a quarter of an hour's perplexity, White succeeded in resolving the difficulty.
17.Rfc1The saving move, because if Black now plays 17. ....Kt—B 4, which is his best, the continuation would be 18. R×B, B×P; 19. B×Kt, B×B; 20. Q—K 3! Here is the difference from the preceding variation: Black's Q B no longer attacks White's Rook on K B 1. 21. P—Q Kt 4, B—Kt 3; 22. P×Kt, P×P; 23. B×P, Q moves anywhere; 24. P—K R 4 and White will find his attacking possibilities adequate compensation for the Pawn thus sacrificed.
17…Nxe4Black attempts to win a Pawn without compromising the position of his King, but does not sufficiently count the danger to which he exposes his Kt on B 4.
20.Qe2More energetic than 20. Q—Kt 1, suggested by some annotators, which would have yielded the win of only two minor pieces for a Rook, after 20. ....B—Kt 5; 21. P—Q R 3, Q—Kt 2, while allowing Black numerous defensive possibilities.
22…Na4An ingenious resource, but inadequate. However, Black has no longer any saving move. If, for example, 22. ....P—B 3, then 23. B—R 4!, etc.
23.Bf6The initial move of a mating attack as elegant as it is unexpected, which leads to this end in a few moves. Black is threatened with 24. R—K Kt 4, Q×Q; 25. B×P ch and mate next move. If 23. ....P—R 4; 24. R—K Kt 4!, Q×Q; 25. R×P ch, K—R 1; 26. Kt—Kt 5! and Black has no defence against 27. R—R 7 ch, followed by 28. R—R 8 mate. If 23. ....P—B 3; 24. Kt—K 5!! with the threat Q—Kt 4, and White wins.
23…Rfc8The only move! White replies to it by a new surprise.
24.Qe5The necessary corollary to the preceding move.
24…Rc5The following variations are also insufficient: I.—24. ....Q×R; 25. Q—K Kt 5, K—B 1; 26. Q×P ch, K—K 1; 27. Q—Kt 8 ch, K—Q 2; 28. Kt—K 5 ch, K—B 2; 29. Q×P ch, followed by 30. Kt×Q. II.—24. ....R×R; 25. Q—K Kt 8!, R—K Kt 5; 26. Q×R, P—Kt 3; 27. Q×Kt. III.—24. ....P×B; 25. R—Kt 4 ch and mate in two moves. The text-move avoids the variation 25. R×R, P×B, etc., but White answers with a still stronger reply.
25.Qg3Simple and decisive.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source