Game 4 in the book: Alekhine's win over Frederick Yates at the International Tournament at Hamburg, 1910. A Queen's Gambit Declined annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.
7.Qc2This move, followed by Castles Q R, was very fashionable from 1903 to 1911 until Teichmann, in a well-known game against Rotlevi (Carlsbad, 1911) proved its inferiority. In itself the move 7. Q—B 2 is not bad, but if Black should make the best reply, 7. ....P—B 4, White, instead of castling, should play 8. R—Q 1. The position is then identical with that of the fourth and tenth games of the Capablanca—Lasker match (with transposition of moves) and offers chances to both White and Black.
7…b6After this reply Castles Q R affords White very good chances of attack, for the Pawn at Q Kt 3 hinders an immediate counter-attack by Black.
10.h4An important move preventing the liberating move 10. ....Kt—K 5, which would be playable if White at once Castled Q R.
11…cxd4If 11. ....P—B 5 White would have seized the initiative by 12. B—B 5, P—Q R 3; 13. P—K 4.
12.Nxd4By this move White wishes to secure possibilities of attack against the isolated Q P, as shown for instance in the following variation: 12. ....Kt—K 4; 13. B x Kt, Kt x B ch; 14. Q x Kt, B x B; 15. K—Kt 1 followed by 16. R—Q B 1, 17. P—K Kt 3 and 18. K R—Q 1. Instead of 12. K Kt x P White could equally well have played 12. P x P.
12…Re8Probably played so as to be able to withdraw the Bishop to K B 1 if White attacks it by Kt—B 5, but this manœuvre loses time for Black. He should have tried for a counter-attack on the Queen-side by P—Q R 3 and P—Q Kt 4 without delay.
13.Kb1To stop Black from making the embarrassing reply 14. ....Kt—K 4, threatening to take the K B with check, after the intended 14. P—K Kt 4.
14…b5This move, played after mature consideration, nevertheless shows itself insufficient, because of a Rook sacrifice by White on his 22nd move, which Black could scarcely have foreseen at this stage of the game. Nevertheless, if Black instead of the text-move had played 14. ....Kt—B 1 White would equally have secured a clear advantage by 15. K R—Kt 1, P—Kt 4; 16. Kt—B 5.
19…Bxg5Now Black has obtained the position he played for with 14. ....P—Kt 4.
20.Ne6This combination will ultimately force Black to give up a Pawn, thus allowing White to gain the victory after an interesting end-game.
21…h6Forced, for after 21. ....P—Kt 3; White has an immediate win by 22. R x P! Q x Kt!; 23. Q—K R 4, Q—K 5 ch; 24. Q x Q, R x Q; 25. Q R—R 1, etc. This is the crux of the attack inaugurated by 16. P—Kt 5.
23.Qd4If White exchanges Queens at once the Black Rook recaptures at K 3, where it would be well posted. The object of the text-move is to force the Rook to recapture at K 5, a less favourable square.
25…Kxg7With an extra Pawn and the better position White should certainly win. However, the Rook-ending which now follows presents certain technical difficulties.
29…a5Black's last moves were compulsory. 29. ....R—K 3 would have been disastrous because of 30. Q R x R ch followed by R—R 7 ch, etc.
38…f5By this move, which is his last chance, Black prevents 39. P—K 4.
39…Kd7This is the most interesting phase of the ending. At first sight an exchange of Rooks seems of doubtful value, for after 40. R—K 5, R x R; 41. P x R, K—K 2! White cannot play 42. K—Q 4, because of 42. ....K—K 3. On the other hand the variation 42. K—Kt 4, K—K 3; 43. K x P, K x P; etc., only leads to a draw, the Black B P queening one move later than the White Q P. The end-game, however, is won by White, thanks to a little artifice.
44.Ke2If now 45. K—B 3?, K x P; and Black wins! White's next move settles the question.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source