Alekhine, Alexander VS Vajda, Arpad 1923.08.14

Annotations

1. 10.Ne4 10. B×B, Q×B; 11. Castles does not yield White any advantage and also 10. B—B 4, tried by me against Selesnieff in the Pistyan Tournament of 1922 (see Game No. 54) is scarcely any better; I therefore hoped to secure an advantage with the text-move. But although in the present game the result was favourable to me, because of the tame reply of my opponent, later analysis has convinced me that 10. Kt—K 4 allows Black sufficient chances.
2. 10…h6 After this move White, without running any risks, attains his object, which is to conserve at least temporarily three minor pieces, an important consideration on account of his opponent's cramped position. The correct continuation was: 10. ....Q—R 4 ch; 11. K—B 1! (if 11. K—K 2 the ensuing variation is even stronger), 11. ....P—B 3!; 12. B—R 4, Kt (Q 2)—Kt 3; 13. B—Kt 3, Kt—Kt 5! and Black has the initiative. This is the reason why 10. Kt—K 4 is hardly commendable. It is, however, playable after 10. B×B, Q×B (not 10. ....Kt×Kt; 11. B×Q, Kt×Q; 12. B—K 7, R—K 1; 13. B—R 3 and wins); 11. Kt—K 4, Q—Kt 5 ch; 12. Q—Q 2, Q×Q ch; 13. K×Q, and White's game is, of course, preferable. (Compare Alekhin—Treybal, Baden-Baden, 1925). It cannot be denied, however, that the exchange of Queens in this variation increases Black's chances of drawing.
3. 13.Ng3 Preparing P—K 4 later on.
4. 14.Bxd5 Yielding to the influence of certain critics who have maintained that I seek complications "at all costs," to the detriment of clear and simple solutions, I was here the victim of deliberate simplification. But the exaggeration of this quality is not always favourable, for the advantage secured by White after the text-move, thanks to the control of the Q B file, would have been insufficient for victory against an absolutely correct defence. On the contrary, the continuation 14. P—K 4, Kt (Q 4)—B 3 (or 14. ....Kt—B 5); 15. R—K 1 threatening later P—Q 5, or also 15. P—K 5 followed by Kt—K 4—Q 6, would have afforded more favourable although less definite prospects than those in the actual game. The choice between the two variations is above all a question of style and I ought to have dropped a half-point through not following my natural inclination on this occasion.
5. 15.Qa4 Preventing 15. ....B—R 3, and threatening 16. R—B 7, which would not have been effective on the 15th move because of 15. ....Q—Q 3.
6. 17…f6 This slight weakening of the Castled position was inevitable, as the White Knight was in a dominating position on K 5; but Black's position is solid enough to stand this weakness.
7. 18…Qd7 In order to oppose his Rooks on the open Q B file, which would enable him to equalize if accomplished without inconvenience.
8. 21.h3 Absolutely essential, as will be seen later.
9. 21…Bb5 Threatening to win the Q R P after all the Rooks are exchanged.
10. 22…a5 It is curious that this plausible move leads to the inevitable loss of the game. 22. ....P—K 4 would also be bad, because of 23. Kt×P!, etc. On the other hand, 22. ....R×R; 23. Q×R, B—R 3!, or 23. R×R, P—K 4, would have yielded Black a satisfactory defence, temporarily at least.
11. 25.Qd6 The White Queen enters the adverse game with decisive effect. Black is unable to dislodge it, his mobility being restricted by the necessity of defending his weak K P and Q Kt P.
12. 25…Bc6 Or 25. ....Q—B 3; 26. Q—Q 8, etc.
13. 26.Ngh5 An unexpected mating-attack commencing 27. Kt×Kt P!, K×Kt; 28. Q—K 7 ch, K moves; 29. Kt—R 5 and wins. As a direct result of this move the White Queen will occupy the square Q Kt 8, which his opponent will be compelled to yield to him; and as an indirect result Black must advance his Q Kt P, which abandons the square Q B 5 to the White Knights.
14. 27…b5 If 27. ....Q—Kt 2, then 28. Q—Q 8, K—B 2; 29. P—K Kt 4 threatening 30. P—K R 4 and 31. P—Kt 5, with a strong attack.
15. 28.g4 Not at once 28. Kt—Q 3 because of the possible reply 28. ....Q—K 1.
16. 29.Nd3 Threatening to win a Pawn by 29. Kt—B 5, Q—K 2; 30. Q—Kt 6, etc.
17. 31…Be8 Black's pieces are clustered round his King like a flock of sheep round the ram before the tempest!
18. 32.Nf4 The second White Knight takes the same road as the first in order to enter the adverse position by the open breach on the Queen-side (Q B 5).
19. 32…g5 A despairing manœuvre.
20. 36.Ndc5 White reserves the option of winning a Pawn by Kt—Q 6, a threat which Black cannot evade and which is made still more definite by the text-move.
21. 41…Qh7 Or 41. ....Q—B 2; 42. Q—Q 6 ch and 43. Kt—R 6 ch wins the Queen.

Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source