Game 36 in the book: the second game of Alekhine's match with B. Blumenfeld, a Philidor's Defence played at Moscow, October 1908. Alekhine has the Black pieces and annotates his own win.

1. 3…Nd7 More correct is Niemzovitch's move: 3. ....Kt—K B 3, as the variation 4. P x P, Kt x P; 5. B—Q B 4, P—Q B 3 presents no difficulties at all for Black. But after the text-move White can adopt the Schlechter variation: 4. B—Q B 4, P—Q B 3; 5. Kt—B 3, B—K 2; 6. P x P, P x P; 7. Kt—K Kt 5, B x Kt; 8. Q—R 5!, which gives him a slight advantage for the end-game.
2. 4.b3 After this move Black has no surprises to fear and can quietly attend to his development.
3. 6.Nbd2 Intending to attack the K P a third time with Kt—B 4 and so to force his opponent to modify the arrangement of his Pawns. Black frustrates this plan in a very simple manner.
4. 6…Ne7 This Knight is to be posted at K Kt 3, and, whilst assuring from that square the defence of the K P, is to await an opportune moment to establish itself at K B 5, a square which has been left weak by White's development of his Q B at Kt 2.
5. 7.Be2 It would certainly have been better to forestall Black's threat by 7. P—Kt 3, followed by B—Kt 2, especially as the Bishop's action from K 2 is practically nil.
6. 9.a4 Loss of time. In this position 9. ....P—Kt 4 was not to be feared.
7. 10.Nc4 In the Hanham variation of Philidor's Defence the Queen's file is of as paramount importance as the King's file in the exchange variation of the French Defence.
8. 11.Qc1 The White Queen very reasonably evades the uncomfortable opposition of the adverse Rook. It would, however, have been more urgent to prevent the exchange of the K B, which might subsequently have proved most useful, by first playing 11. R—K 1, followed by B—K B 1. Black immediately exploits this slight strategical error.
9. 13…f6 In the absence of a White K B, the weakening of the White squares, resulting from the advance of Black's K B P, is no longer dangerous.
10. 14…Nf8 Black's Q Kt now aims at K B 5.
11. 16.dxe5 White realizes that he can no longer hinder the opening of the Queen's file and this is tantamount to a condemnation of his opening strategy. Certainly the continuation: 16. K Kt—B 5, B—B 1; 17. P—Q B 3, P—K Kt 3; 18. Kt—Kt 3, Kt—B 5; 19. R—Q 2, B—K 3; 20. Q—B 2, Q—B 2; etc., was even less attractive than the variation actually adopted.
12. 17…Bb4 A well thought-out manœuvre which aims at the permanent command of the Queen's file. It at once threatens: 18. ....Kt—B 5; and hence provokes the reply 18. P—Q B 3, and, in consequence, the weakening of White's Q 3.
13. 18.c3 The alternatives were: I.—18. P—Kt 3, Kt—Kt 4. II.—18. P—K B 3, Kt—B 5; 19. R—B 2, B x Kt; 20. P x B (if 20. Kt x B, B—B 4; 21. Kt—K 3, Q—Kt 3; 22. P—R 5!, B x Kt; 23. P x B, B x Q; 24. R x B, P x P; with an extra Pawn), B—B 4; and Black, threatening as he does 21. ....Kt—Q 4 and Q—Kt 3, must win.
14. 18…Nf4 Gaining a precious tempo which will allow Black to bring his Q R rapidly into play after 19. ....B x Kt. Had Black played 18. ....B—B 1, White had an easy defence by 19. R—Q 2, Kt—B 5; 20. R x R, Q x R; 21. Q—Q 1, etc.
15. 21.b4 Without this precaution, Black, after 21. ....P—Q R 4, would have secured his B in a dominating position on the diagonal Q R 2—K Kt 8.
16. 21…Bf8 White has no choice, and control of the Queen's file is definitely lost.
17. 24.Rf1 To free the White Queen, at present immobilized by the threat of mate at Q 1.
18. 24…Qd3 Evidently compulsory. Black now dominates the board.
19. 25.Qb3+ After 25. Q x Q, R x Q; 26. Kt—Kt 3, P—Q B 4; 27. P x P, B x P; followed by R—Q 7, etc., White's position would be hopeless.
20. 26…h5 But this is not the shortest way to win. More direct would have been 26. ....Kt—K 7 ch; 27. Kt x Kt, Q x Kt; 28. B—B 1, Q x P; 29. Q—B 7, P—Q B 4!; 30. P x P, B x P; 31. Q—B 7, B—Kt 3; and Black, with a fine position and an extra Pawn, must win easily.
21. 27.Bc1 White, in his turn, does not adopt the best continuation and thus lets slip his last chance: 27. P—R 4! after which Black cannot play 27. ....P—K Kt 4; which would considerably weaken his King's position, e.g.: 27. P—R 4!, P—K Kt 4; 28. Q—B 7!, B—Kt 2; 29. P x P, P x P; 30. B—B 1, etc. In this case Black would have contented himself with 27. ....Kt—K 7 ch; 28. Kt x Kt, Q x Kt; 29. B—B 1, Q x P; 30. Q—B 7, P—Q B 4!; 31. Q x R P ch, K—Kt 1; with an advantage sufficient to win, but at the cost of some technical difficulties.
22. 27…h4 The end, so to speak, plays itself.
23. 29.Nf5 If now 29. ....Q x K P; then 30. Kt x R P with some defensive possibilities. But Black's reply destroys his opponent's last illusions.
24. 29…h3 Decisive, as the following variations show. I.—30. P—B 3, Q—K 7!; 31. P x P, R—Q 7; and wins. II.—30. P x P, Q x K P; 31. Kt—Q 4, R—Q 4! and wins, for if 32. P—B 3, Q—K 6 ch! followed by R x Kt. III.—30. R—K 1, Q—Q 7!; 31. R—K B 1, Q—K 7 and wins.
25. 31.Kxg2 A desperate move. If 31. R—K 1, Q x B P; 32. R—Kt 1, Q—B 7; 33. R—K 1, R—Q 8 (the simplest); 34. R x R, Q x R; 35. Q—Kt 5 ch; 36. K—B 1, B x P; 37. Q—B 8 ch, K—R 2; 38. Q x Kt P, P—R 4; 39. Q x P, P—B 6! and wins.