6.Nd5This move, introduced by Selesnieff in his game against Spielmann in the Pistyan Tournament of 1922, does not achieve its object, namely, an easy draw, as the present game shows. Best here is 6. P—K 5, P×Kt; 7. P×Kt, Q×P; 8. Q P×P, B—K 2; 9. Castles, Castles; 10. Q—Q 4 with a satisfactory game for White.
7…Qf6Avoiding the exchange of Queens, which White could have forced after 7. ....B—K 2; 8. Q—Kt 4, B—B 3; 9. Q—K 4 ch.
9.f4White is not sufficiently developed to be able to anticipate a lasting initiative which could alone justify this advance. He would have been better advised to recognize the inadequacy of his 6th move, namely to play 9. B—K 2, followed by 10. P—Q B 4 and 11. P—Q 3, with approximate equality.
10…c5Definitely securing the position of his Q P, which would have been troublesome had he at once played 10. ....P—Q 3.
11.b3Preparing the fianchetto development of the Q B, so as not to restrict the action of his K B attendant upon 11. P—Q 3 or 11. P—B 4.
13.Rae1Upon 13. B—Q 3 Black would have retained his slight advantage in position by 13. ....Q—Kt 3!
13…Bd8In order to post this Bishop on Q R 4, an especially favourable position as White cannot screen his Q P from its attack, because of the unfavourable position of his K B.
16.g3White could still have avoided immediate material loss by playing 16. B—B 1, but in any event his game remained obviously inferior.
16…Bxd3This exchange secures Black a decisive advantage in position, White being unable to recapture with the Queen on account of 17. ....R×R; 18. Q×R, P—Q 6! and Black wins a piece; nor 17. R×R, B×R; 18. R×R ch, K×R; 19. K×B, B×P with an easy win.
19.Rf2The end-game a Pawn to the bad resulting from 19. Q—K 4, Q×Q; 20. P×Q, B×P would not afford White any drawing chances.
20…Qe6Preventing undoubling of the adverse Pawns, which would have allowed White's Q B sooner or later to join in the defence.
22.Qxe5The best alternative. After the exchange, the absence of open lines for Black's Rook and the advantageous position of White's King will occasion Black not a few technical difficulties, even though White's Q B remains imprisoned.
24…Bd8The Bishop has played its part at Q R 4, and it is important to barricade the Queen-side with Pawns promptly, in order to deprive White's Q B of all hopes of escape.
26.Rf1After 26. K—Q 5, R—Q 1 ch; 27. K—B 4 (if 27. K—K 6, K—B 1! and mates next move), P—Q R 3; 28. P—Q R 4, K—B 2, Black would have penetrated the hostile position on the King-side still more easily than in the actual game, White's King being doomed to inactivity.
27…a5Not 27. ....P—Kt 3.
29.Ba3In his turn hoping to block the King-side, after which the draw would be forced; but Black at once prevents this.
31…h5Compelling the White King to relinquish its dominating position, and consequently to abandon the passive resistance upon which White had built his hopes.
32.fxg6+Or 32. P—Kt 5, P×P; 33. P×P, B×P; 34. P×P ch, K×P; 35. K×P, P—K R 5 and wins.
33…Kf7The point! After 33. ....K×P; 34. K—B 5, a win for Black would be very difficult, if not impossible.
35.h6Or 34. K—B 5, R—K R 1; 35. K—Kt 4, K—K 3.
Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source