Alekhine – Book Alekhine Book Result: 1-0 Metadata » Click to open. Date: 1938.??.?? Location: ? Tournament: Margate Round: Opening: Submitted by: Published on: February 9, 2020 [Event "Margate"] [Site "?"] [Date "1938.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Alekhine"] [Black "Book"] [Result "1-0"] [PlyCount "57"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O Nc6 7.Qe2 a6 8.Nc3 {8.a4 would lead to more common lines.} b5 9.Bb3 {Alekhine correctly keeps the bishop on the queenside, as the lack of a rook at d1 means that 9. Bd3 left d4 without sufficient protection.} b4 {This came as a surprise to Alekhine, who expected Black to play 9...Be7, as in an encounter with Euwe. 9...Bb7?! 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.d5! exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 followed by e3-e4 and the eventual placement of the Ra1 at c1 would be decisive.} 10.d5 {Alekhine's judgement is probably correct, though Taimanov's preferred 10.Na4 is a worthy alternative. White's goal is to advance the e-pawn, and to do this he must somehow release the pressure at d4.} Na5 {10...exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Rd1 followed by e3-e4 gives a clear advantage to White.} 11.Ba4+ Bd7 {White has achieved quite a lot, but wouldn't it be great if he also had a rook on an open d-file? With this idea in mind, we can easily see how Alekhine creates one of his impressive combinations.} 12.dxe6 fxe6 {12...Bxa4 13.exf7+ Kxf7 14.Nxa4} 13.Rd1 {And here we are! The advance d4-d5 has borne delicious fruit! 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.Rd1 Qc6! 15.Nb1 Be7=} bxc3 {13...Be7 14.Bxd7+ Nxd7 15.Ne5 Ra7 16.Qh5+ g6 17.Nxg6 and White wins.} 14.Rxd7 {Alekhine describes this as the highpoint of the combination. The main reason why the White attack is consequential is the position of the Na5 which cannot participate in the play.} Nxd7 15.Ne5 Ra7 16.bxc3 {Taking stock of the position, it is clear that if the Bc1 can get into play then Black will be in serious difficulty.} Ke7 {A strange looking move, but the alternatives are not pleasant. If 16...Be7 or 16...Bd6, then 17.Qh5+ is sufficient.} 17.e4 {This sets up tricks with Bg5+.} Nf6 18.Bg5 {And now Qh5+ is in the air.} Qc7 19.Bf4 Qb6 20.Rd1 g6 {20...Nb7 21.Nc4 or 20...Ra8 21.Bg5 Rd8 22.Nd7 Qc7 23.e5 or 20...Rg8 21.Bg5 h6 22.Qh5} 21.Bg5 Bg7 22.Nd7 {The decisive, thematic thrust that brings the game to a swift conclusion.} Rxd7 23.Rxd7+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.e5 {and Black resigned, rather than walk into the obvious line:} Qb1+ 26.Rd1 Qf5 27.exf6 Qxf6 28.Qxa6 Qxc3 29.Qxe6 {to which there is simply no defence.} 1-0 [Event "Margate"] [Site "?"] [Date "1938.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Alekhine"] [Black "Book"] [Result "1-0"] [PlyCount "57"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O Nc6 7.Qe2 a6 8.Nc3 {8.a4 would lead to more common lines.} b5 9.Bb3 {Alekhine correctly keeps the bishop on the queenside, as the lack of a rook at d1 means that 9. Bd3 left d4 without sufficient protection.} b4 {This came as a surprise to Alekhine, who expected Black to play 9...Be7, as in an encounter with Euwe. 9...Bb7?! 10.Rd1 Qc7 11.d5! exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 followed by e3-e4 and the eventual placement of the Ra1 at c1 would be decisive.} 10.d5 {Alekhine's judgement is probably correct, though Taimanov's preferred 10.Na4 is a worthy alternative. White's goal is to advance the e-pawn, and to do this he must somehow release the pressure at d4.} Na5 {10...exd5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Rd1 followed by e3-e4 gives a clear advantage to White.} 11.Ba4+ Bd7 {White has achieved quite a lot, but wouldn't it be great if he also had a rook on an open d-file? With this idea in mind, we can easily see how Alekhine creates one of his impressive combinations.} 12.dxe6 fxe6 {12...Bxa4 13.exf7+ Kxf7 14.Nxa4} 13.Rd1 {And here we are! The advance d4-d5 has borne delicious fruit! 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.Rd1 Qc6! 15.Nb1 Be7=} bxc3 {13...Be7 14.Bxd7+ Nxd7 15.Ne5 Ra7 16.Qh5+ g6 17.Nxg6 and White wins.} 14.Rxd7 {Alekhine describes this as the highpoint of the combination. The main reason why the White attack is consequential is the position of the Na5 which cannot participate in the play.} Nxd7 15.Ne5 Ra7 16.bxc3 {Taking stock of the position, it is clear that if the Bc1 can get into play then Black will be in serious difficulty.} Ke7 {A strange looking move, but the alternatives are not pleasant. If 16...Be7 or 16...Bd6, then 17.Qh5+ is sufficient.} 17.e4 {This sets up tricks with Bg5+.} Nf6 18.Bg5 {And now Qh5+ is in the air.} Qc7 19.Bf4 Qb6 20.Rd1 g6 {20...Nb7 21.Nc4 or 20...Ra8 21.Bg5 Rd8 22.Nd7 Qc7 23.e5 or 20...Rg8 21.Bg5 h6 22.Qh5} 21.Bg5 Bg7 22.Nd7 {The decisive, thematic thrust that brings the game to a swift conclusion.} Rxd7 23.Rxd7+ Kf8 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.e5 {and Black resigned, rather than walk into the obvious line:} Qb1+ 26.Rd1 Qf5 27.exf6 Qxf6 28.Qxa6 Qxc3 29.Qxe6 {to which there is simply no defence.} 1-0 White to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Black to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Warning: This game can only be seen if JavaScript is enabled in your browser. No related posts.