Vygodchikov – Alekhine

Alexander Alekhine was the only World Champion to actively take part in correspondence play, though he did so mostly early in his career. The present game shows that he employed his tactical style in the mail, too!

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Date: 1909.??.??
Location: ?
Tournament: Correspondence
Round:
Opening:
Submitted by:
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "Correspondence"] [Site "?"] [Date "1909.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Vygodchikov"] [Black "Alekhine"] [Result "0-1"] [PlyCount "64"] 1.e4 {Alexander Alekhine was the only World Champion to actively take part in correspondence play, though he did so mostly early in his career. The present game shows that he employed his tactical style in the mail, too!} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 {This allows White to take control of the center using a common tactical trick.} 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 {This fork regains the material.} Nxe4 8.Re1 {Black also has to cope with the pressure on the e-file.} Be7 {This preserv es the bishop and also helps seal the e-file. Black emerges from the early battle unscathed.} 9.Rxe4 {9.dxe5 Nc5} Ng6 10.Nc3 {The knight rarely belongs on c3 in the Spanish Game. That square is usually reserved for a pawn.} O-O 11.Nd5 {This is a violation of the opening principle which says that no piece should be moved twice in the opening without a specific goal. Chasing the bishop is not worthwhile goal!} Bd6 12.Qf3 {A pointless move. Black should now just play 12...b5 and 13...Bb7 with a wonderful game. Instead, Alekhine chooses another aggressive move, which is also effective.} f5 13.Bb3 {White tries to exploit the weakness of the a2-g8 diagonal. Black cannot take the rook at e4, because disaster will strike. Alekhine wisely moves his king to a safer square.} Kh8 {13...fxe4 14.Ne7+ Kh8 15.Nxg6+ hxg6 16.Qh3+} 14.Re2 f4 {This strong move keeps White's forces restrained.} 15.c4 c6 16.c5 Bb8 17.Nb6 {White now reckoned on 17...Ra7, but Alekhine understands that the rook has no role to play in this game, and cheerfully parts with it. Instead, he opens a diagonal for the bishop at c8.} d5 18.Nxa8 {White should have captured the bishop instead.} Nh4 {Now, whose knight is stronger?} 19.Qc3 f3 {The beginning of the final assault.} 20.Re5 {This exchange sacrifice keeps the bishop at b8 from participating in the attack. 20.gxf3 Nxf3+ 21.Kf1 Bh3++ would have been cute, though obviously avoidable.} Bxe5 21.dxe5 Nxg2 22.Qd4 Qd7 {There was a faster way to win, as shown in the variation. 22...Nf4 23.Bxf4 Qh4} 23.e6 Qxe6 24.Bd2 Qg6 {The infiltration at h3 would not have succeeded, because White would have had a miraculous defense. 24...Qh3 25.Bc3 Rg8 26.Qe5 Nf4 27.Qg5 Bg4 28.Bxg7+ Rxg7 29.Qd8+ Rg8 30.Qf6+ Rg7 31.Qd8+} 25.Bc2 {The only defense against 25...Ne3 with discovered check, but now the game is effectively over.} Qxc2 26.Kh1 Qg6 27.Rg1 Bh3 28.Nb6 {The wayward knight tries to return, but it is too far away. Now a brilliant combination brings the game to a close.} Nf4 29.Rxg6 Bg2+ 30.Rxg2 {30.Kg1 Ne2} fxg2+ 31.Kg1 Ne2+ 32.Kxg2 Nxd4 {Black resigned, as White's material advantage is too great.} 0-1