[Event "RUS"]
[Site "Tournament Vilno"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Dus Chotimirsky"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "D30"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "75"]

1.d4 {Notes by Alexander Alekhine from "Shakhmatnoe Obozrenie"
#88-89, 1909, and Leopold Hoffer from the "American Chess
Bulletin" 1910.} d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 dxc4 4.Nc3 c5 5.e3 a6 6.Bxc4
Nf6 7.O-O b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Qe2 {Alekhine: With the
obvious threat 11.Bxb5+.} Nbd7 11.e4 {Alekhine: There is much
to be said against this move. It not only closes an important
diagonal to the bishop, but it permits Black further to occupy
the d4- and c4-squares and to secure the better game. White is
at trouble to develop his bishop at c1. The move 11.a3 (with
the idea of posting the bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal) is
useless, in view of the reply 11...Rc8.} e5 {Hoffer: This
advance is forced. White is threatening to dislodge Nf6 with
e4-e5 and to clear the diagonal bearing on h7. Black must,
therefore, submit to the lesser evil of allowing White's
Nh4-Nf5.} 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bd2 O-O {Hoffer: "Deutsche
Schachzeitung" suggests here 13...b4, which seems the better
move in the circumstances.} 14.Nh4 {Alekhine: This move is the
consequence of Black's 12th, but the weakness of the move
e3-e4 begins to be felt immediately.} Bd4 15.b4 {Alekhine: To
stop 15...Nc5.} Rc8 16.Rac1 Nb6 17.Nf5 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4
19.Rfd1 Qc7 {? Alekhine: A mistake that costs the game. With
19...Qd7! (also not bad is 19...Bxc3 20.Rxc3 Bxe4, if 20.Bxc3
Qc7) Black retains his distinct advantage. If White answers by
20.Be3, then after 20...Rfc8, he loses a pawn without any
compensation. Also, 20.Qf3 would be disastrous, in view of
20...Nxe4!.} 20.Nd5 {!} Bxd5 {Hoffer: 20...Nxd5 21.exd5 Bxd5
would probably have been followed by 22.Bxh6.} 21.exd5 Rxc1
22.Rxc1 Qd7 23.Qf3 Re8 24.Nxh6+ {! Alekhine: White rightly
plays for simplification, as a result of which he is left with
a pawn extra - sufficient to win in an easy ending. If
24.Bxh6, then Black can, apparently, defend himself
satisfactorily by 24...Qxd5.} gxh6 {Hoffer: As Przepiorka
indicates, in "Munchener Neuesten Nachrichten", in case of
24...Kf8 White wins by 25.Rc6!, after which Black can not
capture the d5-pawn (25...Nxd5 26.Rd6! or 25...Qxd5
26.Rxf6!).} 25.Qxf6 Qxd5 26.Bxh6 e4 27.Qg5+ Qxg5 28.Bxg5
{Alekhine: With a passed and extra pawn, the better position,
and command of the open file, White wins easily.} Re6 29.Kf1
Kg7 30.Bd2 Kg6 31.Ke2 f5 32.Bf4 Kf6 33.g3 Bb2 34.Rc8 Ba3
35.Bd2 Rd6 36.h4 Ke6 37.h5 Kd7 {Alekhine: The last hope. If
38.Rf8? Rxd2+!} 38.Ra8 1-0

[Event "Hamburg"]
[Site "Hamburg, GER"]
[Date "1910.07.20"]
[EventDate "1910.07.18"]
[Round "3"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Abraham Speijer"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "C15"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "96"]

1.e4 {Notes by Alexander Alekhine.} e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 {This
move is far better than its reputation. Its object is to
simplify the position, at any rate in the variation usually
adopted by White, starting 4.exd5, a simplification which
allows Black more easily to evolve a plan of development. It
has been adopted with success at various times by
Neimzowitch.} 4.Bd2 {This idea is interesting but does not
produce any advantage if Black makes the correct reply. The
most usual move here is 4.exd5, the consequences of 4.e5 c5
appearing to be rather in Black's favor (compare
Dr. Lasker-Maroczy, New York, 1924).} 4...Ne7 {Simplest, for
the complications resulting from 4...dxe4 5.Qg4 would give
White attacking chances: e.g.: 1) 5...Nf6 6.Qxg7 Rg8 7.Qh6
Qxd4 8.O-O-O, threatening 9.Bg5. 2) 5...Qxd4 6.Nf3 Qf6 7.Qxe4
followed by O-O-O with good attacking chances for White.}
5.exd5 {White was threatened with: 5...dxe4 and 6...Qxd4.}
5...exd5 6.Qf3 {This is not a normal developing move. As the
sequel will show, most of the White pieces will find
themselves on unfavorable squares. It might have been better
to play 6.Bd3 followed by 7.Nge2; 8.O-O-O, etc.} 6...Nbc6
7.Bb5 {compulsory after the last move.} 7...O-O 8.Nge2 Bf5
{The Black pieces, on the other hand, are well placed for
concerted action.} 9.O-O-O {White's object in playing 6.Qf3
was to castle on the queenside; this is a strategic error,
however, for on the king's side White has no prospect which
might compensate for Black's attack on the queen's
side. 9.Rc1, followed by 10.O-O, was certainly not so bad.}
9...a6 {White's b5 bishop must be eliminated in order to allow
a black knight to occupy b5.} 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Na5 {!}
12.a3 {White takes advantage of the opportunity to force the
exchange of one of Black's attacking pieces, for 12...Bd6
fails on account of 13.Nxd5, unmasking the white bishop.}
12...Bxc3 13.Bxc3 Nc4 14.Rde1 Nc6 {Strategically, the game is
already won by Black, but the latter here makes a slight
tactical error, which allows his opponent to exchange
queens. The simple plan of attack to lead to an easy win would
be: a4 followed by b4-3, etc. The decision of the game could
and should have been brought about by a direct attack on the
king.} 15.Nf4 Qd6 {Against any other move, White's reply
16.Qf3 would have been still more awkward for Black.} 16.Qf3
Rad8 {The plausible Rfd1 would have been wrong, for then
17.Nxd5 and if ...Qxd5; 18.Re8+, etc. However, White now
succeeds in exchanging queens.} 17.Nd3 a5 {Better late than
never!} 18.Qf4 {Else Black's attack would become
irresistible.} 18...Qxf4+ {If 18...Qd2; White could already
try a counter-demonstration with 19.h4 followed by Rh3.}
19.Nxf4 b5 {This advance remains strong even after the
exchange of queens, for the white bishop is very badly
placed.} 20.Nd3 Rb8 21.Ne5 {There does not appear to be any
other method of saving the pawn. But after the exchange of
knights Black finds fresh resources for the attack, with the
aid of his c7-pawn.} 21...N6xe5 22.dxe5 c5 {Less good would
have been: 22...b4 23.axb4 axb4 24.Bd4 Ra8 25.b3, etc.} 23.b3
{again the only chance against the threat of b4, etc.} 23...d4
{The winning move, for this pawn will exert a decisive
pressure in the ensuing rook end-game. Should White avoid the
exhchange of pieces by 24.Bb2, Black obtains a winning
advantage by: 24...Nb6 followed by ...a4.} 24.bxc4 dxc3 25.Re3
{Compulsory, for after 25.cxb5 Rxb5 this move would not be
feasible because of 26...Rfb8.} 25...b4 26.a4 Rbd8 {For the
better appreciation of this end-game, it may be pointed out
that White cannot here offer the exchange of both rooks; e.g.:
27.Rd1 Rxd1+ 28.Kxd1 Rd8+ 29.Rd3 Rxd3+ 30.cxd3 g5 31.h3 h5
32.g3 (if f3 then ...h4) g4 followed by Kf8, Ke7, Ke6 and Kxe5
winning. White's subsequent moves are therefore forced.}
27.Rhe1 Rd4 28.Re4 Rxe4 29.Rxe4 Rd8 30.e6 {If 30.Re2 Black
would win a pawn by 30...Rd4.} 30...fxe6 31.Rxe6 Rd2 {After
this incursion by the black rook the remainder of the game is
purely a matter of technique.} 32.Re5 Rxf2 33.Kb1 Rf1+ 34.Ka2
Rc1 35.Rxc5 Rxc2+ 36.Kb1 Rb2+ 37.Kc1 Rxg2 38.Rb5 {to parry the
threat of ...b3.} 38...Kf7 39.c5 Ke6 40.c6 Kd6 41.c7 Kxc7
42.Rxa5 Rxh2 43.Rb5 Rb2 44.a5 Kc6 45.Rb8 Kc5 46.a6 Ra2 47.Rc8+
Kb5 48.Rb8+ Kc4 0-1

[Event "Moscow exhib"]
[Site "Moscow exhib"]
[Date "1910.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "C68"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "78"]

1.e4 {Notes by Alexander Alekhine.} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6
4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 f6 6.Be3 Bg4 7.Nbd2 c5 8.Nc4 Bd6 9.Qd2 Ne7
10.Qc3 Nc6 11.Nxd6+ cxd6 12.Nd2 Be6 13.f4 O-O 14.Nf3 Nd4
15.Qd2 d5 {!} 16.c3 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 c4 {!} 18.f5 {If 18.d4 dxe4
19.fxe4 exf4 20.Bxf4 Qe8! 21.Bd6? Bd5! 22.Bxf8 Qxe4+ 23.Kf2
Qf3+ or 23...Qg2+ forcing mate.} Bf7 19.Rg1 Kh8 20.dxc4 dxe4
{!} 21.fxe4 Bxc4 22.Qg2 Rf7 23.Rd1 Qc7 24.Qc2 Rd8 {! Avoiding
the trap 24...Bxa2? 25.b3 Qa5 26.Ra1 Bxb3 27.Qxb3 Qxa1+ 28.Kf2
and White wins.} 25.Kf2 Rfd7 26.Qa4 Bd3 27.Qb4 b5 28.Rg4 Be2
{!} 29.Rxd7 Qxd7 30.Rg1 Bh5 31.Re1 Qd3 32.Qe7 h6 33.Kg1 Kh7
34.Bf2 {This loses quickly. Better is 34.Qc7.} Qh3 {!} 35.Bd4
Bf3 36.Kf2 Qg2+ 37.Ke3 Bxe4 38.Re2 exd4+ 39.cxd4 Qf3+ 0-1

[Event "St Petersburg"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "1914.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "S Von Freymann"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "D30"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Bg5 {This
move is of doubtful value, for it allows the following reply,
hit upon by Duras. It is better to play Nc3 first.} h6 {!
After this move White has nothing better than to take the
Knight, leaving his opponent with two Bishops, for if the
Bishop retreats, the acceptance of the Gambit is in favour of
Black.} 5. Bh4 dxc4 {More precise would have been 5...Bb4+;
followed by dxc4; as then the Gambit Pawn could be held by
...b5, etc.} 6. Qa4+ {The only way of regaining the
Pawn. Black threatened 6...Bb4+; followed by 7...b5.} Nbd7
7. Qxc4 c5 8. Nc3 a6 {With the intention of developing the
Queen Bishop on the long diagonal, a plan which White, as the
sequel shows, will be unable to frustrate.} 9. a4 b5 {! Black
still persists, for if 10.axb5 axb5; the White Queen and Rook
would both be en prise.} 10. Qd3 c4 11. Qb1 Bb7 {! A Pawn
sacrifice, the object of which is to obstruct White's
development through pressure on c3.} 12. axb5 {It would have
been preferable to decline the offer of a Pawn. But in any
event, even after 12.e3 Qb6 White's position would have
remained distinctly inferior.} axb5 13. Nxb5 Bb4+ 14. Nc3 g5
15. Bg3 Ne4 16. Qc1 {All White's last moves were obviously
forced.} Nb6 {Threatening 17...Na4.} 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 18. Nd2
Nxd2 19. Kxd2 Qa2 {! Initiating the deciding manouver. Black
again threatens 20...Na4 and does not allow his opponent the
respite he needs to disentangle his position by 20.e3} 20. Kd1
Qb3+ 21. Qc2 {Now the Black c-Pawn will move straight on to
Queen.} Bxc3 22. bxc3 Be4 {! Simple and immediately decisive.}
23. Qxb3 cxb3 24. e3 {24.Kc1 Nc4 and mates in a few moves.} b2
0-1

[Event "New York"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Leon Kussman"]
[ECO "D41"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "40"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine.} d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c5
5. cxd5 exd5 {? Nowadays "theory" considers-and rightly so for
once-5...Nxd5 as the only correct reply. But when this game
was played, even masters did not realize the danger of the
text move; for instance, Dr. Vidmar it against me in the
London Tournament, 1922.} 6. Bg5 {! Much more effective here
than 6.g3 which in the regular Tarrasch Defence (with the
Black Queen's Knight at c3 and the King's Knight undeveloped)
would be the most promising line.} Be6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. e4 {!}
dxe4 9. Bb5+ Bd7 {Or 9...Nd7 10.Nxe4 Qg6 11.Bxd7+ Bxd7 12.O-O,
etc, with advantage.} 10. Nxe4 Qb6 11. Bxd7+ Nxd7 12. O-O cxd4
{Facilitating White's attack. A lesser evil would be to allow
the unpleasant ...d5} 13. Nxd4 Rd8 {After White's next move
Black's d6 will need further protection.} 14. Nf5 {!} Ne5
15. Qe2 g6 {Permitting an elegant finish; but the position,
was of course, lost.} 16. Qb5+ {!} Nd7 {The Queen could not be
taken because of 17.Nf6 mate.} 17. Rfe1 {Threatening mate
again.} Bb4 18. Nf6+ Kf8 19. Nxd7+ Rxd7 20. Qe5 {! Threatening
this time three different mates. That is too much!} 1-0

[Event "New York"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "A Frieman"]
[ECO "C21"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 d5 {Doubtless
the best defence, permitting Black to obtain an even game.}
4. exd5 Qxd5 {But here 4...Nf6 is even better.} 5. cxd4 Nf6
6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O Bxc3 {So far Black has
made the right moves, but this exchange is wrong as it
stregthens White's center. Correct was 9...Qa5.} 10. bxc3 b6
{This also is not good, because the White Pawns will now
advance with a win of both time and space. Better was
10...Bg4.} 11. c4 Qd8 12. d5 Ne7 13. Nd4 {Preventing an
effective development of the Black Bishop on the diagonal
h6-c1.} Bb7 14. Bb2 {Simpler was 14.Bf3 or 14.Bg5. Still the
idea of sacrificing the central Pawn in order to increase the
advantage in development was rather tempting.} c6 15.{!} Bf3
cxd5 16. Re1 Re8 {Instead 16...Qd7 17.Nb5! was certainly not
better.} 17. Qd2 Rb8 18. Qg5 {Threatening 19.Ne6!} Ng6 19. Nf5
{After this attack can hardly be parried. White's next threat
is the simple 20.cxd5} Rxe1+ 20. Rxe1 dxc4 {If 20...h6 then
21.Qg3, threatening both 22.Bxf6 or 22.Ne7+, etc.} 21. Bxb7
Rxb7 22. Bxf6 Qxf6 {Or 22...gxf6 23.Qh6 Qf8 24.Re8, followed
by mate. White announces mate in four moves.} 23. Re8+ Nf8
24. Nh6+ Qxh6 25. Rxf8+ Kxf8 26. Qd8# 1-0

[Event "New York"]
[Site "New York, NY USA"]
[Date "1924.04.05"]
[EventDate "1924.03.16"]
[Round "14"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[Black "Edward Lasker"]
[ECO "C60"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "113"]

1.e4 {Notes by Alexander Alekhine.} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Qf6 {A
defence that is rightly rarely played, as Black makes his own
development more difficult because of the early exposing of
his queen.} 4.Nc3 {Threatening Nd5 already.} Nge7 5.d3 Nd4
{More in the spirit of the continuation chosen was ...h6 with
the fianchettoing of the bishop later. Black now embarks on an
unfavorable variation of the inferior Bird's opening.} 6.Nxd4
exd4 7.Ne2 c6 8.Ba4 d5 9.O-O g6 {Else the king's side pieces
can hardly be developed.} 10.b4 {With this move White centers
his attack on the pawn at d4 and holds his advantage with an
iron hand. Black also always finds the only moves to hold his
compromised position. But his defence is not sufficient to
attain equality.} Qd6 11.a3 {This protecting move forces black
to compromise his position still further in order to hold his
exposed pawn.} Bg7 12.Bb2 b5 13.Bb3 c5 14.bxc5 Qxc5 15.Rc1
{Simple and conclusive. The consequent unavoidable opening of
the c-file promises white further advantages. Black would
hardly care to bet on his chances now.} O-O 16.c3 dxc3 17.Nxc3
d4 {At least 17...dxe4 18.Nd5! Qd6 19.Bxg7! Kxg7 20.dxe4 was
not better.} 18.Nd5 Qd6 19.f4 {Threatening e5.} Nxd5 20.Bxd5
Rb8 21.Rc6 Qd8 22.Qb3 {As so often happens, one weak move is
enough to lose the advantage gained by faultless play. Correct
would have been 22.Qc2 Bb7 23.Rc5 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 Qb6 25.e5 Rbc8
26.Qf2; or 23...Qb6 24.Bxb7 Qxb7 25.e5 Rfc8 26.Rfc1, etc.} Bb7
23.Rc5 Qd6 {This reply makes all the difference, Rxb5 is not
possible on account of ...Bxd5 and as the f-pawn is attacked,
White must lose a valuable tempo.} 24.Qc2 Rfc8 25.Rc1 Bf8
{Black is eventually outplayed during the following
maneuvers. Instead there was a chance here to save the
game. 25...Rxc5 26.Qxc5 Qxf4! 27. Bxb7 (or 27. Rf1 Qe3+ 28.Kh1
Bxd5 29.Qxd5 Qxd3 30. Q(or rook)xf7 Kh8, etc.)...Be5! and
White cannot avoid the draw; for instance 28.Qc2 (or 28. g3
Qe3+, etc.) Qxh2+ 29.Kf1 Qh1+ 30.Kf2 Qh4+ 31.Ke2 Qh5+!, etc.}
26.Bxd4 Qxf4 {With this move Black wins the exchange, but only
for a short time.} 27.Rf1 Bxc5 28.Bxc5 Qe3+ {If 28...Qe5
29.d4! Qh5(g5) 30.Bxf7+ Kg7 31.d5! But the following endgame
is also hopeless for Black.} 29.Bxe3 Rxc2 30.Bxf7+ Kg7 31.Bb3
Rc7 {Obviously forced, because of the terrible threat of
Rf7+.} 32.Bf4 Rbc8 33.Be6 {A bit fanciful but
sufficient. Simpler would have been 33.Be5+ Kh6 34.Bxc7 Rxc7,
then if 35...Rc3 36.Be6! with a winning position.} Re7 34.Bxc8
Bxc8 35.Rc1 Bb7 36.Rc7 {But this plausible move is a mistake
which gives the opponent a chance to obtain a difficult
draw. 36.Kf2 was now necessary, whereupon the united passed
pawns would have won without difficulty.} Kf7 {Black fails to
seize the lucky opportunity. After 36...Rxc7 37.Bxc7 b4!, a
draw would result despite the two pawns minus; for instance:
38.axb4 Ba6 39.d4 Bd3 40.e5 Bc4 41.Kf2 a6 42.Ke3 Bd5 43.g3 Kf7
44.Kf4 h6 45.Bd6 Ke6 46.Bf8 h5 47.Kg5 Be4, etc. After the move
in the text, no real fighting chances are left.} 37.Rxe7+ Kxe7
38.Bd2 Ke6 39.Kf2 Kd6 40.Ke3 Kc5 41.Ba5 Bc8 42.Bd8 Bd7 43.Ba5
g5 44.Bc3 h5 {Or 44...a6 45.Bf6 g4 46.Be7+ Kc6 47.d4 to be
followed by d5, etc.} 45.Bd4+ Kd6 46.Bxa7 h4 47.Bd4 Ke6 48.Bc3
Kf7 49.d4 Kg6 50.d5 Bc8 51.Ba5 Bd7 52.Bd8 h3 53.gxh3 Bxh3
54.Kd4 Bd7 55.e5 Kf5 56.e6 Be8 57.Bxg5 1-0

[Event "New York"]
[Site "New York, NY USA"]
[Date "1924.04.02"]
[EventDate "1924.03.16"]
[Round "12"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Richard Reti"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "A13"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1.Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2.c4 e6 {As for the merit of this
system of defence, compare the game Reti vs. Yates in the
sixth round.} 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bd6 5.O-O O-O 6.b3 Re8 7.Bb2 Nbd7
8.d4 {To our way of thinking, this is the clear positional
refutation of 2...e6, which, by the way, was first played by
Capablanca (as Black) against Marshall and is based upon the
simple circumstance that Black cannot find a method for the
effective development of his Queen's Bishop.} c6 9.Nbd2 {In
the game referred to, Capablanca, in a wholly analogous
position, played ...Ne4 and likewise obtained an advantage
thereby. Of course, Reti's quieter development is also quite
good.} Ne4 {If the liberating move of 9...e5, recommended by
Rubinstein and others, is really the best here-then it
furnishes the most striking proof that Black's entire
arrangement of his game was faulty. For the simple
continuation 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.Bxe5
Rxe5 14.Nc4 Re8 15.Ne3 Be6 16.Qd4, would have given White a
direct attack against the isolated Queen's pawn, without
permitting the opponent any chances whatsoever. Moreover, the
move selected by Bogoljubow leads eventually to a double
exchange of Knights, without moving the principal disadvantage
of his position.} 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Ne5 f5 {Obviously forced.}
12.f3 {The proper strategy. After Black has weakened his
position in the center, White forthwith must aim to change the
closed game into an open one in order to make as much as
possible out of that weakness.} exf3 13.Bxf3 {Not 13.exf3,
because the e pawn must be utilized as a battering ram.} Qc7
{Also after 13...Nxe5 14.dxe5 Bc5+ 15.Kg2 Bd7 (after the
exchange of Queens, this Bishop could not get out at all)
16.e4, White would have retained a decisive advantage in
position.} 14.Nxd7 Bxd7 15.e4 e5 {Otherwise would follow
16.e5, to be followed by a break by means of d5 or g4. After
the text move, however, Black appears to have surmounted the
greater part of his early difficulty and it calls for
exeptionally fine play on the part of White in order to make
the hidden advantages of his position count so rapidly and
convincingly.} 16.c5 Bf8 17.Qc2 {Attacking simultaneously both
of Black's center pawns.} exd4 {Black's sphere of action is
circumscribed; for instance, 17...fxe4 clearly would not do on
account of the two-fold threat against h7 and e5, after
18.Bxe4} 18.exf5 Rad8 {After 18...Re5 19.Qc4+ Kh8 20.f6, among
other lines, would be very strong.} 19.Bh5 {The initial move
in an exactly calculated, decisive manouver, the end of which
will worthily crown White's model play.} Re5 20.Bxd4 Rxf5 {If
20...Rd5 21.Qc4 Kh8 22.Bg4, with a pawn plus and a superior
position.} 21.Rxf5 Bxf5 22.Qxf5 Rxd4 23.Rf1 Rd8 {Or 23...Qe7
24.Bf7+ Kh8 25.Bd5 Qf6 26.Qc8, etc. Black is left without any
defence.} 24.Bf7+ Kh8 25.Be8 {A sparkling conclusion! Black
resigned, for, after 25...Bxc5+, he loses at least the
Bishop. Rightfully, this game was awarded the first brilliancy
prize.} 1-0

[Event "London"]
[Site "London (ENG)"]
[Date "1932.02.08"]
[EventDate "1932.02.01"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]
[ECO "A51"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. d4 {Notes by A. Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ne4 {Less
usual, but not better than 3...Ng4 against which I have had
(excepting the Gilg game, Semmering, 1926) rather pleasant
experiences, too.} 4. Nd2 Nc5 {If 4...Bb4 then 5 Nf3 followed
by a3, in order to obtain the advantage of the two Bishops.}
5. Ngf3 Nc6 6. g3 Qe7 7. Bg2 g6 8. Nb1 {! This at first sight
surprising move is in reality perfectly logical. After Black
has clearly shown his intention to develop the King's Bishop
at g7, White has no longer to reckon with any action on the
diagonal e1-a5. There is no reason, therefore, for delay in
placing his Knight on the dominating square d5.} Nxe5 9. O-O
Nxf3+ 10. exf3 Bg7 11. Re1 Ne6 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Nd5 Qd8 14. f4
c6 {He has willy-nilly to dislodge the White Knight--thus
creating a dangerous weakness at d6--because after the
immediate 14 d6 the temporary sacrifice 15 f5, etc., would be
too dangerous for him.} 15. Nc3 d6 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Rc1 Bd7
18. Qd2 Rad8 19. Red1 Bc8 20. Ne4 Nc5 {This will be finally
refuted by the combination starting with White's 24th
move--but owing to the weakness mentioned above Black's
position was already very difficult. Unsatisfactory would be,
for instance, 20 d5 21 cxd5 Rxd5 22 Nf6+, followed by 23 Bxd5
etc., winning the exchange; or 20 ...c5 21 f5! gxf5 22 Nc3 Nd4
23 Nd5 Qb8 24 Bg5, etc. ; and after the comparatively safest
20 ...b6 White could also easily increase his advantage in
space by continuing 21 b4 etc.} 21. Nxd6 Na4 22. c5 Nxb2
23. Re1 b5 24. cxb6 {! A surprising but not very complicated
combination. The only difficulty consisted in the necessity of
foreseeing this possibility several moves before, when making
the capture 21 Nxd6.} Qxd6 25. Qxd6 Rxd6 26. bxa7 Bb7 27. Bc5
Rdd8 28. Bxf8 Kxf8 29. Bxc6 Bxc6 30. Rxc6 Ra8 {The last moves
of Black were practically forced and, his position being
absolutely hopeless, he prefers a quick end. If, instead of
this, 30 Bd4 then 31 Rd6, also winning immediately.} 31. Rb6
Rxa7 32. Rb8# 1-0

[Event "London"]
[Site "London (ENG)"]
[Date "1932.02.01"]
[EventDate "1932.02.01"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Victor Berger"]
[Black "Georges Koltanowski"]
[ECO "E94"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1.d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3
{The newer system inaugurated by 5.f3 seems to be preferable,
but even after the text move White could play more
aggresively, without any risk. For instance at his 7th move
(instead of O-O) h3 followed by Be3, Qd2, etc.} O-O 6.Be2 Nbd7
7.O-O e5 8.d5 a5 {Owing to the passive play of his opponent,
Black could try to take the initiative by playing here
8...Nh5, etc.} 9.Ne1 Nc5 10.Qc2 Nfd7 {Rather complicated and
not very convincing chess. Why not make at once the
unavoidable move 10...b6 (11.Be3 Ng4; or 11.f3 Nh5, etc.}
11.Be3 b6 12.Rd1 Nb8 13.a3 f5 14.f3 Nba6 15.Rb1 fxe4 16.fxe4
Rxf1+ 17.Bxf1 a4 {! The only continuation in this rather dull
game which permits Black to obtain a kind of harmless
initiative. By Buerger's accurate defensive play, of course,
the game has to end as it did.} 18.Nd3 {And not 18.Nxa4 Nxe4
19.Qxe4? Bf5, etc.} Bd7 19.Be2 Bf6 20.Bd1 Bg5 21.Qd2 Bxe3+
22.Qxe3 Nxd3 23.Qxd3 Qg5 24.Bf3 Nc5 25.Qe2 Rf8 26.Re1 Kg7
27.Qe3 Qxe3+ 28.Rxe3 h5 29.Bd1 Kh6 30.Rf3 Rxf3 31.Bxf3 g5
32.Be2 g4 33.Kf2 Kg5 34.g3 h4 35.Ke3 hxg3 36.hxg3 Be8 37.Bd1
Bd7 38.Bc2 Be8 39.Kd2 Bd7 40.Ke3 Be8 41.Bd1 1/2-1/2

[Event "London"]
[Site "London (ENG)"]
[Date "1932.02.01"]
[EventDate "1932.02.01"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Salomon Flohr"]
[Black "George Alan Thomas"]
[ECO "D51"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "86"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7
5. e3 c6 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Bd3 Be7 8. Qc2 O-O 9. Nge2 Re8
10. Ng3 Nf8 11. O-O-O b5 12. Nf5 Bxf5 {Up to now Black has
followed the modern theoretical method and obtained a position
with good fighting chances. But this exchange was not
necessary. The logical line was 12...a5, followed by a4 and
eventually b4, etc.} 13. Bxf5 b4 {? Allowing the White knight
to get control of the important spot c5. 13...a5, and a4 was
still preferable.} 14. Na4 Ne4 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Kb1 Qf6
17. Bxe4 Rxe4 18. Rc1 {The situation is now cleared. Black has
no compensation for the weakness of his Queen's side
pawns. Flohr's method of exploiting his advantage is very
instructive. He finally succeeds in obtaining pressure on the
King's wing after having forced Black's move 28...f6, and the
combined attack on both wings puts Black in inextricable
difficulties. The final moves are pretty.} Rc8 19. Nc5 Re7
20. Ka1 a5 21. Nd3 Qd6 22. Qa4 Ra7 23. Nc5 h6 24. Rc2 Ne6
25. h3 Nd8 26. Rhc1 Qg6 27. Rd2 Rca8 28. Nd3 f6 29. Nc5 Qf5
30. Qb3 Kh8 31. a4 Re7 32. Qd1 Nf7 33. Nd3 Ra6 34. g4 Qc8
35. Nf4 Rd7 36. h4 Qe8 37. Rdc2 Rd6 38. Qd3 Ra8 {Or 38...Rb6
39.Rc5, etc.} 39. Rxc6 Rxc6 40. Rxc6 Nd8 {! The Rook cannot be
taken on account of 41.Ng6+, followed by 42.Ne7+} 41. Rc7
Qxa4+ 42. Kb1 Qe8 43. Re7 {! With the possible end 43...Qg8
44.Ng6+ Kh7 45.Nf8+ Kh8 46.Re8 followed by 47.Qh7+ Qxh7 48.Ng6
mate.} 1-0

[Event "London"]
[Site "London (ENG)"]
[Date "1932.02.01"]
[EventDate "1932.02.01"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Geza Maroczy"]
[Black "Vera Menchik"]
[ECO "C13"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
5. exd5 exd5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Nge2 Nb4 8. O-O {I would prefer
here 8.Ng3 at once in order to keep (after 8...Nxd3+ 9.Qxd3)
the opportunity of castling on either wing.} O-O 9. Ng3 Nxd3
10. Qxd3 h6 11. Bf4 Bd6 12. Qd2 Bxf4 13. Qxf4 c6 14. Rfe1 Re8
15. h3 Bd7 16. Rxe8+ Qxe8 17. Qd2 Qf8 18. Re1 Re8 19. Nb1
Rxe1+ 20. Qxe1 Qe8 21. Qd1 Ne4 22. Nxe4 Qxe4 23. c3 {White has
not the shadow of a winning chance and would have done better
to exchange Queens. After the text move Black obtains a slight
positional advantage.} Qg6 {The idea of putting the Bishop in
front of the Queen is not good and leads in a few moves to a
drawn position. Correct and simple enough was 23...Bf5 24.Nd2
Qd3 25.Qe1 Kh7, etc, and White would have to play very
carefully to obtain a draw.} 24. Kh1 Bf5 25. Nd2 Be4 26. Nxe4
Qxe4 27. f3 Qe3 28. Qb3 Qc1+ 29. Kh2 Qf4+ 30. Kg1 Qe3+ 31. Kh2
Qf4+ 32. Kh1 Qc1+ 33. Kh2 1/2-1/2

[Event "London"]
[Site "London (ENG)"]
[Date "1932.02.01"]
[EventDate "1932.02.01"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "A46"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Nbd2 Bb7
5. Bd3 d5 {It is hardly logical to develop the Bishop on the
long diagonal and immediately after that to close it with d5
and in addition White's square on e5 now becomes very
strong. The usual line 5...c5 is doubtless better.} 6. Ne5 Bd6
7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qf3 c5 9. c3 Qc7 10. g4 {!} cxd4 11. exd4 Bxe5
{It is only to easy to understand that in his already
strategically compromised position, Black is trying to create
tactical complications. The following sacrifice is ingenious,
but by tyhe right answer (the 14th move of White) is proved
insufficient.} 12. fxe5 Nxe5 {If 12...Ne4 then simply 13.O-O
Ng5 14.Qe3 h6 15.h4 Nh7 16.Qf2, etc., with a tremendous
position for White.} 13. dxe5 d4 14. Qe2 {!} Bxh1 15. exf6
dxc3 16. Ne4 {This valuable gain of tempo definetly defeats
Black's combination.} Qe5 17. fxg7 Qxg7 18. Bb5+ Kf8 19. Nxc3
h5 20. g5 Qd4 21. Be3 Qh4+ 22. Qf2 Qb4 {Or 22...Qxf2+ 23.Kxf2
Bb7 24.Bd4 Rg8 25.Bf6 and Black has no defense against Bd3
followed by Bh7.} 23. Qf6 Rg8 24. O-O-O Bd5 25. Qh6+ {A good
game by Dr. Tartakower.} 1-0

[Event "London"]
[Site "London (ENG)"]
[Date "1932.02.02"]
[EventDate "1932.02.01"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Milner-Barry"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} c6 2. d4 Nf6 3. e5 {The most logical
way to meet Black's second move. In the Bled tournament, 1931,
I played against Dr. Tartakower 3.Bd3 but did not get any
appreciable advantage.} Nd5 4. c4 Nc7 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4 dxe5
7. fxe5 g6 8. Nf3 Bg7 9. Be3 f6 10. exf6 exf6 11. Qd2 O-O
12. O-O-O Be6 13. Bh6 {White has played the opening very
soundly and obtained a clear advantage in the center. Here
however, the diversion on the King's side seems
unnecessary. Why not simply 13.d5, etc.} Bxh6 14. Qxh6 Qd7
15. Bd3 Nba6 16. h4 Nb4 17. Be2 Qf7 {? And now Black misses
his chance by losing a decisive tempo. In any case he must try
for counter-attack such as 17...b5 (18.a3 Na6 or even a5) with
considerable complications. After the text move White
practically forces the exchange of Queens which give him the
possibility of advancing the d pawn in a decisive manner.}
18. Rhf1 {!} Qg7 19. Qxg7+ Kxg7 20. a3 Nba6 21. d5 cxd5
22. cxd5 Bd7 23. Nd4 Rac8 24. Kb1 Nc5 25. Bf3 Rcd8 26. Rfe1
Rfe8 27. Rxe8 Rxe8 28. b4 Na4 29. Nxa4 Bxa4 30. Rc1 Nb5 {This
loses a piece, but after 30...Na6 or Na8 31.d6 Black's
position would be quite hopeless.} 31. Ne6+ Kh6 32. Nc5 Nxa3+
33. Kb2 Nc2 34. Nxa4 Nxb4 35. Rc7 b5 36. Nc5 Re5 37. d6 {! The
British master finishes a really finely played game in a very
convincing way. His achievement was the sensation of the
second round.} Rxc5 38. d7 Nd3+ 39. Kb1 Rxc7 40. d8=Q Rc1+
41. Ka2 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.28"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "15"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "A15"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "76"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 g6
{Entering the Schlechter variation of the Slav defence, which
according to modern theory leaves White with but an
insignificant aqdvantage.} 5. d4 Bg7 6. Qb3 O-O 7. Bd2 b6 {The
slight weakness at c6 occasioned by this move is not easy to
exploit.} 8. cxd5 cxd5 9. Ne5 Bb7 10. Bb5 a6 11. Be2 Nbd7 {!
Somewhat better than ...Nc6 as Black has now the prospect of
playing ...b5 followed by ...Nb6.} 12. Nxd7 {? If Botvinnik
had not intended to take the d-pawn on his next move, he
certainly would have avoided this exchange and played 12 f4
which was the logical sequence to 9 Ne5.} Nxd7 13. f4 {He
realised now that 13 Nxd5 e5! would lead to complications in
Black's favor. But also after the text-move his advantage is
definitely gone.} e6 14. O-O f5 {Black had no reason to hurry
with this move, which should be made only in case of
necessity. The natural course was ...Rb8 followed by ...b5.}
15. Bf3 Rb8 16. Rac1 b5 17. Ne2 {17 a4 would be advantageously
answered by bxa4 as well as Bc6. the text-move prepares an
irrelevant exchange, which, as will soon be seen, only
facilitates Black's work of simplification.} Re8 18. Qa3 Bf8
19. Bb4 Bxb4 20. Qxb4 Qb6 21. Rc2 Kf7 {Protecting e7 and thus
making ready Rec8.} 22. Nc1 {? By doubling his rooks on the
open file White could obtain an easy draw. From now on Black
gets the initiative.} Rbc8 23. Rff2 Rc4 {! With this important
gain of tempo Black forces his opponent to a painful retreat,
as 24 Rxc4 dxc4 would give Black a threatening Q-side
majority.} 24. Qe1 Rec8 25. Bd1 Rxc2 {? Instead of this
25...b4 26 Nd3 a5 27 Ne5+ Nxe5 28 fxe5 Kg7 would maintain the
pressure. After the text move White could retake with the
rook, thus getting out of trouble.} 26. Bxc2 {?} a5 27. Nd3
Ba6 28. b4 {? A comparatively better chance of equalising was
28 Ne5+.} axb4 29. Nxb4 {29 Qxb4 was not a pleasant
alternative.} Qa5 30. Bb3 Nf6 31. Rf1 Ne4 32. Nxa6 Qxa6
33. Qb4 {33 Qh4 simply h5.} Rc3 34. Re1 Qc6 35. h3 Rc1 36. Kh2
Qc3 37. Qxc3 {37 Qxb5 would not force a draw, because after
Qxe1 the Black queen would protect h4.} Rxc3 38. Re2 {Black
agreed to call the game a draw; but it was a very premature
decision, to say the least. A simple plan was to bring his
king over to b4 threatening to sacrifice the exchange. To
prevent this white would be obliged to create new weaknesses
in his position; e.g., after 38...Ke7 39 Bc2 followed by Bxe4
the rook ending would be quite hopeless for White. It is a
pity a game of such importance should have remained
practically a torso.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.13"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]
[ECO "A15"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. d4 Nbd7 {This
defence, in some aspects similar to the Hanham, was often
adopted by Tchigorin who did not mind defensive cramped
positions. Nowadays it is mostly played in connection with the
fianchetto of the king's bishop, in fact a more promising
procedure.} 4. g3 e5 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 c6 8. e4
{Another effective line of development is 8 b3 followed by
Bb2.} Qc7 9. h3 Re8 10. Be3 Nf8 {? The first of a series of
weak moves, which rapidly ruin Black's position. His best
chance to obtain some activity for his pieces in spite of the
weak d-pawn was 10...exd4 11 Nxd4 Nc5 12 Qc2 a5; or 11 Bxd4
Nb6, etc.} 11. Rc1 h6 {? Either loss of time or preparation
for a bad move (g5). Indicated was 11...Bd7.} 12. d5 Bd7 {If
12...g5 then 13 h4 Ng4 14 hxg5 Nxe3 15 fxe3 hxg5 16 Nh2
followed by Qh5 etc.} 13. Nd2 g5 {? After this the game can
hardly be saved. A much lesser evil was 13...Ng6 14 f4 exf4 15
gxf4 Bf8 etc.} 14. f4 gxf4 15. gxf4 Kg7 16. fxe5 {The attack
from now on is very easy to conduct as there are "many roads
to Rome".} dxe5 17. c5 cxd5 {? Black sees that he must lose
anyhow and does not even try to resist. After 17...Qc8 16 d6
Bd8 the attack would not develop quite as rapidly as in the
actual game.} 18. Nxd5 Qc6 19. Nc4 Ng6 20. Nd6 {Decisive as
the Black rook cannot move. If for instance 20...Rf8 then 21
Qd2 Rh8 22 Qf2 and wins.} Be6 21. Nxe7 {Instead of taking the
exchange plus a pawn by 21 Nxe8+ Rxe8 22 Nxe7 followed by
Bxh6+ and Rxf6, White prefers to sacrifice material in order
to buid up a mating attack. It is difficult to say which of
the two methods is stronger as they both secure the win. But
certainly Botvinnik's way is the more elegant.} Nxe7 {If
21...Rxe7 22 Nf5+ and wins.} 22. Rxf6 {The continuation is by
no means difficult, but makes a specially pleasant impression
because of the text-moves are of a so-called "quiet" nature,
that is, without checks.} Kxf6 23. Qh5 {Threatening mate in
two.} Ng6 24. Nf5 {!} Rg8 {If 24...Rh8 then simply 25 Rf1.}
25. Qxh6 Bxa2 26. Rd1 Rad8 27. Qg5+ {A more logical move was
first 27 Rxd8.} Ke6 28. Rxd8 f6 29. Rxg8 Nf4 30. Qg7 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.17"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[ECO "A47"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "58"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. d4 b6 3. g3 {The present
game, perhaps more than any other, shows that this fianchetto
system, BEFORE BLACK HAS PLAYED E6, does not bring White any
advantage. On the contrary, he must be very careful not to get
himself into trouble.} Bb7 4. Bg2 c5 5. O-O {Although not very
promising, the alternative 5 e3 would still offer some
prospects of a fighting game.} cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bxg2 7. Kxg2 g6
{The correct system; but he could also start with ...Qc8.}
8. c4 Bg7 9. Nc3 Qc8 10. b3 Qb7+ 11. f3 d5 12. cxd5 Nxd5
13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14. Bb2 O-O {White's knight is most
uncomfortably pinned. The next moves are therefore practically
forced.} 15. Qd3 Rd8 16. Rfd1 Nd7 17. Rac1 {Threatening 18 Nc6
Qxd3 19 Rxd3 Bxb2 20 Rcd1.} Nc5 18. Qb1 {At last the bishop is
protected, and the knight can move.} Qb7 19. Nc2 {...but
unfortunately there are no more promising squares at the
knight's disposal. If 19 Nb5 Qa6!} Qa6 {This move does not
lead to anything, as White can attack the queen on the 21st
move. But ...Bh6 at once would also leave Black with but an
insignificant advantage after 20 Rxd8 Rxd8 21 Rd1 Rd2
(threatening ...Qa6!)} 20. Kf1 Bh6 21. Nb4 Qb7 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8
23. Rd1 Rd7 24. Nd3 Nxd3 25. Rxd3 Bg7 26. Bxg7 Rxd3 27. Qxd3
Kxg7 28. Qd8 b5 29. b4 a6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.22"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "11"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "Reuben Fine"]
[ECO "D03"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "72"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. Bg5 e6 4. e3 {By
renouncing the attack on the center through c4 White can only
hope to get an even game. In fact Black has not the slightest
trouble in developing his pieces efficiently.} c5 5. Nbd2 Nbd7
{In harmony with the subsequent development of queen and
rook.} 6. c3 Qb6 7. Qc2 Bd6 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bh4 O-O 10. O-O Qc7
11. Bg3 a6 {Black intended to continue the development of his
queen bishop with a pawn advance on the queen side. Otherwise
he could as well play here 11...Bxg3 12 hxg3 b6 and if 13 e4
dxe4 followed by Bb7.} 12. Rad1 b5 13. dxc5 {Slightly better
was 13 Bxd6 Qxd6 14 dxc5 Nxc5 15 e4. But the text move was
good enough for equality.} Bxg3 14. hxg3 Nxc5 15. Nb3 { ? It
is difficult to explain why the "routinier" (as Dr. Tartakover
calls himself) yields to his opponent full control of the
center, with no compensation. The course indicated was 15 e4
Nxd3 16 Qxd3 dxe4 17 Nxe4 Nxe4 18 Qxe4 Bb7 19 Qe3 with an even
game.} Nxd3 16. Qxd3 e5 17. Nh2 Rd8 {? Black's advantage was
overwhelming, and the most natural way to exploit it was a
"minority attack" starting with ...a5. It is surprising that
Fine, here as well as in the next few moves, appears not to
think of this. His play in the following part of the game is
not exactly weak, but lacks a definite plan. Tartakover, on
the contrary makes the outmost of his inferior position, and
finally succeeds to saving half a point.} 18. Rfe1 Be6 19. Qe2
Ne4 {The knight manoeuver cannot be commended. He could still
play Rab8 followed by a5.} 20. Rc1 Rac8 21. Red1 Qc4 22. Qe1
Qc7 {Admitting by this that his last move was useless.}
23. Qe2 Nd6 24. Nd2 Qb6 25. a3 Nc4 26. Nxc4 bxc4 27. Rd2 Bf5
{Black is still slightly superior and might try to get up an
attack on the b-pawn with Rb8, etc. The text move allows his
alert opponent to obtain further simplification.} 28. Qh5 {!}
Qg6 {If ...Qf6 then 29 Nf3 and eventually g4.} 29. Qxg6 Bxg6
30. f4 {! Just at the right moment as 30...f6 would now be
inferior because of 31 fxe5 fxe5 32 Ng4.} exf4 31. gxf4 Rb8
32. Rcd1 Be4 33. Ng4 {Practically forcing the exchange of the
remaining minor pieces, with an unavoidable draw.} Rb6 34. Nf2
Rdb8 35. Nxe4 dxe4 36. Rd8+ Rxd8 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.22"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "11"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Salomon Flohr"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "A06"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 {White
delays d4 until his opponent plays Nbd7, in order to obtain a
rather favorable variation of the Slav Defence. This line of
play introduced in the Moscow International Tournament of
1936, has the disadvantage, however, of not compelling Black
to answer with Nbd7.} Nbd7 {?} 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. d4 {Here we
are. White's queen knight is certainly better placed than
Black's. It is another question, of course, whether this small
advantage can be seriously increased.} e6 7. Bd3 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. Bd2 {Another and perhaps better plan would be 9 Qc2
(with the strategical threat of 10 Ne5) h6 (or Qc7 10 Bd2
followed by Rac1) 10 Rd1 and if a6 then 11 a4 b6 12 e4.} a6
10. a4 b6 11. Ne5 {The only chance of getting something out of
the position.} Nxe5 12. dxe5 Nd7 13. f4 f5 {Useless was f6
because of 14 Qh5.} 14. exf6 {If at once 14 Ne2 then Nc5
followed by Ne4. But after the exchange in the text White will
have about as many weaknesses as his opponent.} Nxf6 15. Ne2
Bd6 {with the object of answering 17 Nd4 with e5.} 16. Bc3 Qe8
{Not qe7 17 Nd4 e5 18 Nc6.} 17. Bc2 Bb7 18. Qd4 {hoping to
create complications. E.g., after 18...Bc5 19 Qe5 Qe7 20 Nd4
Ng4! 21 Qh5 Nf6 22 Qh3. But Winter defends his position, up to
a certain moment, excellently.} Qe7 19. Ng3 {Not 19 Qxb6 Bc5.}
Rac8 20. Qd3 {There is nothing better. White has obviously
lost valuable time.} Ne4 {Good enough to secure a level
game. But as White threatened nothing, Black could quietly
improve his position by, for instance, a5.} 21. Nxe4 dxe4
22. Qe2 Bd5 23. Rfd1 a5 24. Bb1 {A move like this clearly
shows that something is wrong with White's position. As a
matter of fact, Black has a slight advantage in space, and his
pawn at e5 can easily be protected.} Bc5 25. Kh1 Bb3 {The
beginning of a faulty speculation in which Black seems
temporarily to forget that he has a king! By 25...Rfd8 and if
26 Rc1 Bb4, etc., he would certainly not have to worry about
being able to draw.} 26. Rc1 Qd7 {? Obviously overlooking
White's 28th move.} 27. Bxe4 Bxa4 28. Qh5 {!} Rf5 {Or g6 29
Bxg6 Bc6 30 Qg4 and wins. The game is over.} 29. Bxf5 exf5
30. Bd4 Bxd4 31. Rxc8+ Qxc8 32. exd4 Bc6 33. Qe2 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.24"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "12"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]
[ECO "A04"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "91"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} f5 2. e4 {An interesting gambit,
acceptance of which would lead Black into dangerous situations
after 2...fxe4 3 Ng5 Nf6 (or d5) 4 d3 exd3 5 Bxd3, etc. As
Black plays, his weakness on the e-file is without
compensation, since the open f-file is unimportant. Black's
1st move is not to be recommended.} d6 3. exf5 Bxf5 4. d4 Nf6
5. Bd3 {Another idea was 5 Bc4 in order to provoke d5. But the
method actually adopted keeps the advantage.} Qd7 6. c4 g6
7. Nc3 Bg7 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 Bg4 {As 9...Nc6 10 d5 would be
inconvenient to Black because of his weakness at e6, he is
already practically obliged to yield his opponent the
advantage of the two bishops in order to mobilise his queen's
rook.} 10. h3 {? A tactical mistake, which should give Black a
good move. The right line was 10 Be2 (if) Nc6 11 d5 Bxf3 12
Bxf3 Ne5 13 Be2; Black would not have the important move
...Nh5.} Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Nc6 12. d5 Ne5 13. Qd1 Rae8 {? By
13...Nh5 Black could ("per nefas"!) get a strong initiative,
e.g., 14 Be2 Nf4 15 Bxf4 Rxf4 16 g3 Rd4, etc.} 14. Be2 {!} e6
15. f4 {There was no hurry for this move. 15 Be3 instead would
keep up the pressure without weakening the position in the
middle.} Nf7 16. Qb3 e5 {? The sacrifice is neither necessary
nor correct. The simplest course was ...c6 with fighting
chances.} 17. Qxb7 exf4 18. Bxf4 Rb8 19. Qxa7 Rxb2 20. Qa3
Rbb8 21. Rf1 {White only needs now to concentrate his pieces
and then to advance his passed pawn.} Ra8 22. Qb3 Qe7 23. Rae1
Ne5 24. Qc2 Rfe8 25. Nb5 Nf7 26. Kh2 Qd7 27. a4 {This should
be the beginning of the end.} Re7 28. Bd3 {? Again White
forgets the possibility of ...Nh5, but this time Black takes
advantage of the blunder. After 28 Bf3 the win would be quite
easy.} Rxe1 29. Rxe1 Nh5 30. g3 {As the bishop can hardly be
saved from exchange (e.g., 30 Be3 Be5+ 31 Kg1 Nf4, etc.) he
wishes to at least control the square e5. But this compromises
his king position.} Nxf4 31. gxf4 Bh6 32. Re4 Qd8 33. Nd4 {The
knight was well enough posted for the moment. After 33 Kg3!
Black would still be in difficulties, for 33...Qf6 could be
met by 34 Nxc7.} Qf6 34. Ne6 Rb8 {Now, as the result of the
White knight's manoeuver, Black's rook is suddenly free, and
his activity soon forces White to look for salvation by
simplifying at all costs.} 35. Qg2 Rb2 36. Be2 Ra2 37. Qg4 Qf5
{! After his opponent's mistake on the 28th move
Dr. Tartakover has exploited all of the possibilities of the
position. White must now exchange, as the delay 38 Qf3 Ne5!
would not help.} 38. Qxf5 gxf5 39. Re3 Ne5 40. Rg3+ Ng6
41. Rg2 Rxa4 42. Bd3 Kf7 43. Bxf5 Nh4 44. Bc2 Rxc4 45. Rf2 Ng6
46. Kg3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.25"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "13"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Salomon Flohr"]
[Black "Reuben Fine"]
[ECO "A28"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 {If 3 e4 then
Bc5 - not Nc6 4 f4 with advantage to White as in
Alekhine-Lilienthal, Hastings, 1933-4.} Nc6 4. e3 {The
experience of the last few years has proved that the variation
4 d4 exd4 5 Nxd4 Bb4 is quite satisfactory for Black. But also
with the text move White cannot hope for any advantage.} Bb4
5. Qc2 O-O 6. Be2 Re8 7. O-O d6 {Black intends to play d5 only
after having finished his development. This is a good logical
plan, which at any rate secures him a balanced position. But
still more promising was, I think, first 7...Bf8 to prevent
the exchange of this bishop, which in the actual game became
practically forced.} 8. Ne1 {Obviously to avoid the opening of
files after 8...Bxc3 and 9...e4.} Be6 9. a3 Bxc3
{Comparatively better than 9...Ba5 10 b4 Bb6 after which he
would lose the chance of playing d5.} 10. Qxc3 a5 11. b3 Qd7
{Instead of this unnecessary preparatory move he should play
at once d5, which would either force an exchange or allow next
move d4, WITHOUT GIVING WHITE THE OPPORTUNITY (which he had in
the actual game) OF BLOCKING THE CENTER BY E4. In either case
White would have to deal with more difficult problems then
after the queen's move.} 12. d3 d5 13. Qc2 Rad8 14. Bb2
{Hoping to get rid of one of White's pair of bishops. Flohr
meets this strategical threat most energetically.} Bg4
15. cxd5 Qxd5 16. Nf3 {The further weakening of the pawn
position is in this particular case without much importance.}
Bxf3 17. gxf3 Nd7 18. Rac1 Nf8 19. Qc4 {Although the chances
are in fact about even, this premature decision, after the
interesting opening play, is regrettable.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.27"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "14"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "C H Alexander"]
[Black "Theodore Tylor"]
[ECO "B14"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} c6 2. e4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nf6
5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 e6 {It is somehat better to play this on the
sixth move, in order to be able to answer c5 with b6. After
the text move the advance of the c-pawn would offer White
excellent prospects.} 7. Bd3 {? Instead ofg which White loses
an important tempo, and allows his adversary to enter into a
quiet variation of the Queen's Gambit Accepted.} dxc4 8. Bxc4
a6 9. O-O Be7 10. Bf4 O-O 11. a3 {Preparing d5 which at this
moment would be premature, on account of the answer 11...Na5.}
b5 12. d5 exd5 {It is obvious that after 12...bxc4 13 dxc6
White's c-pawn would be stronger than Black's. Also that
12...Na5 13 Bxb5 followed by 14 d6 would be to White's
advantage.} 13. Bxd5 Bb7 14. b4 {If this move is made in order
to prevent Na5, it fails to attain its object. In fact, Black
could make the knight's move, which was in the circumstances
his simplest course. E.g., 14...Na5 15 Bxf7+ Rxf7 16 bxa5 Qxa5
17 Qb3 Bxf3 followed by Raf8.}h6 {? An important loss of
time. If he did not mean to play Na5 he should continue
14...Nxd5 15 Nxd5 Bd6 with a feasible defence.} 15. Re1 Nxd5
{? A mistake. Necessary first was 15...Rc8.} 16. Nxd5 Bg5
{Strangely enough, there is no longer a defence against the
threats of Nxe7+, Bc7, or Nc7.} 17. Bc7 Qc8 18. Nxg5 hxg5
19. Rc1 {? The game could easily have been won by 19 Qh5! If
in reply ...Qc5 then 20 Re5! Qg6 21 Rxg5 Qxh5 22 Nf6+ followed
by 23 Rxh5 mate. Or if 19...f6 then 20 Bd6 Rf7 (Rd8 21 Nb6
winning the exchange) 21 Nb6 Qd8 22 Bc5 followed by Rad1 when
black would lose through want of space.} Re8 {Now the
immediate danger is over. If 20 Rxe8+ Qxe8 21 Nb6 then Ra7 22
Qd2 f6 23 Re1 Qf7, etc.} 20. Qd3 {Still White should adopt the
variation just mentioned. After the careless move in the text
Black can force a drawn position in a few moves.} Qg4 21. Qg3
Qxg3 22. hxg3 Ne5 23. Rxe5 Rxe5 24. Bxe5 Bxd5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.25"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "13"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "D60"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7
5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 {The variations starting with 7
Rc1 have been so much analysed of recent years that the
text-move, though it allows the immediate ...c5, offers better
fighting chances.} c5 8. O-O cxd4 {As the Black pieces are not
developed so as to attack the isolated d-pawn, the better
policy here is the usual line 8...dxc4 9 Bxc4 a6 10 a4 Re8.}
9. exd4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nb6 11. Bb3 Bd7 {The beginning of a
risky plan, in view of White's prospects of a K side
attack. The half-pinning of his king's knight, which seems so
harmless at the moment, will in a few moves become extremely
disagreeable for Black. It was wiser therefore to clear the
situation at once by 11...Nfd5 without much danger in the near
future.} 12. Qd3 {! Intending, if 12...Nfd5; 13 Bc2.} Nbd5
13. Ne5 Bc6 14. Rad1 Nb4 {? A second mistake, after which
White's attack becomes tremendously strong. A lesser evil was
...Rc8 in order to answer 15 Qh3 with ...Nxc3 16 bxc3 Be4.}
15. Qh3 Bd5 {This does not solve the problem of the defence,
as White preserves his powerful king's bishop.} 16. Nxd5 Nbxd5
17. f4 {!} Rc8 {Or ...g6 18 Bh6 Re8 19 g4, etc.} 18. f5 exf5
19. Rxf5 Qd6 {? Losing immediately. The only move was ...Rc7,
after which White would increase his pressure against f7 by 20
Rdf1 followed eventually by Qh4 with decisive advantage.}
20. Nxf7 {! Simple and neat. Black cannot avoid serious
material loss.} Rxf7 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Rxd5 {Much stronger
than 22 Bxd5.} Qc6 {Or 22...Bxd4+ 23 Kh1.} 23. Rd6 Qe8 24. Rd7
1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.28"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "15"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "C H Alexander"]
[ECO "A25"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "67"]

1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7
5. d3 {More promising is 5 e3 as played (with the colors
reversed by Botvinnik against Alexander in the 1st round.}
Nge7 6. Bd2 O-O 7. Nf3 Nd4 {The idea of protecting the square
d5 with a pawn is in harmony with the character of the
position.} 8. O-O c6 9. Rc1 {White is not in a hurry, and
obviouly prepares for a long positional battle.} d6 10. b4
Nxf3+ 11. Bxf3 Bh3 12. Re1 Qd7 13. b5 c5 14. Ne4 {An original
move, preventing for the moment 14...h6 because of 15
Bxh6. Black should answer it by 14...Kh8 and if 15 Rb1 then h6
16 Qc1 f5 17 Nc3 Kh7 with a perfectly satisfactory
position. Black's next two moves are not actually weak, but
show lack of a general plan.} Qc7 15. Rb1 Bd7 16. Qc1 b6 {?
One might call this tempting providence in the most definite
way. Why leave the rook on the diagonal of the hostile bishop?
The natural 16...f5 17 Nc3 Rae8 followed if necessary by b6
would leave White with only an insignificant positional
advantage.} 17. Bg5 {! The refutation of Black's last move, as
he cannot now play ...f6 because of 18 Bxf6 Bxf6 19 Nxf6+
followed by 20 Bxa8.} Nf5 {A desperate attempt to save the
exchange.} 18. Nf6+ Bxf6 19. Bxf6 Rab8 {He cannot play Rae8 as
he needs that square for the knight.} 20. Bg4 {! Obviously
forced.} Ng7 21. Qh6 Ne8 22. Be7 Ng7 23. Bf6 {Saving time for
the next moves.} Ne8 24. Be7 Ng7 25. Bxf8 Rxf8 26. Bf3 {After
the loss of the exchange, Black has no more fighting chances,
as Dr. Lasker promptly demonstrates.} Nf5 27. Qd2 Nd4 28. Bg2
Bc8 29. e3 Ne6 30. f4 Bb7 31. a4 f5 32. Bxb7 Qxb7 33. Qg2 Qe7
34. Qd5 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.12"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "3"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[Black "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[ECO "A47"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "50"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. e3 {More usual and
strategically safer is 3.c4 Bb7 4.g3, etc.} c5 4. c4 Bb7
5. Nc3 {The complications which could arise after 5.d5 b5,
etc. would be rather in Black's favor.} cxd4 6. exd4 e6 7. Bd3
Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. b3 {With this move, which weakens the Q-side
without any necessity, and the next one, White completely
spoils his position, which would be promising enough after
9.Bf4 followed, in case of 9...d5 by 10.Qe2,Rad1, etc.} d5
10. Be3 {? And now he should prevent ...Ne4 by playing, for
instance 10.Qe2 as 10...dxc4 would not be dangerous because of
11.Bxc4 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Qxd4 13.Rd1. From now on Black has the
better game.} Ne4 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Qe2 {? The aim of this move
is difficult to understand. Because of his already inferior
position he should try to simplify matters by 12.Ne5 as
12...Nxc3 13.Rxc3 Nxe5 14.dxe5 d4? would be answered by
15.Bxd4. After the Queen's move this will, of course, be
impossible.} Rc8 {Black does not hurry with ...f5 as the
opponent already has no really useful moves at his disposal.}
13. Rfd1 f5 14. Bf4 {? Directly provoking the unavoidable
K-side attack. White plays the whole game with the resignation
of a lamb under the threat of the butcher's knife.} g5 15. Be5
g4 16. Ne1 Nxe5 17. Bxe4 {17.dxe5 Qc7 etc, would not alter the
situation.} dxe4 18. dxe5 Qc7 19. Nb5 {The only way to prevent
material disadvantage.} Qxe5 20. Rd7 {The last of a series of
mistakes which loses in a few moves. After 20.Nxa7 Ra8 21.Nb5
etc. White in spite of the obvious advantage of Black's
position (the two powerful Bishops) could still put up a
stubborn resistance.} Bg5 21. Rcd1 {He may at his previous
move, have overlooked, that 21.Rxb7 Bxc1 22.Nd3 would be fatal
because of 22...Qa1.} Bc6 22. Rxa7 Rcd8 {The occupation of the
open file is absolutely decisive.} 23. a4 Rxd1 24. Qxd1 Rd8
25. Qc2 Bd2 {If now 26.Qb1 e3 27.fxe3 Qxe3+ 28.Kf1 Be4 etc.}
0-1

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.27"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "14"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "William Winter"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "D05"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 e6 {Dr. Euwe
prefers Bf5 introduced by me in my game against Colle, San
Remo, 1930.} 4. Nbd2 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O
8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. e4 Qc7 10. Qe2 Re8 {the game Gilg-Alekhine,
Kecskmet, 1927, had the continuation 10...Bd6 11 Re1 Ng4 (in
order to control e5) with about even chances. With the risky
Re1 Dr. Lasker probably hopes to obtain more.} 11. e5 Nd7
12. Re1 {? Instead of this superficial move, which allows a
successful counter-attack in the center, White should play 12
Nb3 Bb6 13 Bf4 and if f6 then 14 Re1 thus keeping control over
the important e5 square. It would be difficult for Black in
that case to find a suitable line of development.} f6 13. Ng5
{This leads to lines very favourable to Black. the variation
13 exf6 Nxf6 14 b4 Bd6 was not very pleasant either. But by 13
b4 Bb6 14 exf6 Nxf6 15 b5 followed eventually by c4 White
could have complicated the situation in a way not too
unpromising for himself.} Qxe5 {! As will appear this is
perfectly convincing. White probably hoped for 13...fxg5 14
Qh5 g6 15 Bxg6 with a draw.} 14. Bxh7+ Kf8 15. Qxe5 {? After
this the bishop at h7 is in danger beyond a hope of
salvation. Necessary was 15 Ngf3 though after Qxe2 or Qh5
Black would still keep an appreciable positional advantage.}
Ndxe5 16. b4 {White must be glad now to be able to save a
piece at the price of a pawn.} Bd6 {After Bb6 17 b5 Black
would have to reckon with a possibility of Ba3+ from White.}
17. Ngf3 g6 18. Nh4 Kg7 19. f4 Kxh7 20. fxe5 Nxe5 {Black has
now not only a material surplus, but also a far superior
position - a strong center, a pair of bishops. It is therefore
rather surprising that the technical realisation of these
advantages takes so long from this point. White tries to
defend his game with great determination; but he is fighting a
lost cause.} 21. Nhf3 Bd7 22. Nxe5 Bxe5 23. Bb2 Rac8 24. Re3
Bf4 {This leads to a simple exchange; but after all this is
what Black needs in the circumstances.} 25. Rd3 Bb5 26. Rh3+
Kg7 27. a4 Bc4 28. Nxc4 Rxc4 29. Rd1 Be5 30. a5 Rec8 31. Re1
R8c6 32. Kf1 g5 33. Kg1 g4 34. Rh4 Rc8 {In order to force a
further exchange.} 35. g3 Rh8 36. Rxh8 Kxh8 37. Kg2 Kg7
38. Kf2 Kf7 39. Ke3 Ke7 40. Re2 Re4+ {Forcing the exchange of
the last pair of rooks; an effective, but rather monotonous
technical process.} 41. Kd3 Rxe2 42. Kxe2 Kd6 43. Kd3 Kc6
44. Bc1 Kb5 45. Be3 a6 46. Bh6 f5 47. Bg5 Bg7 0-1

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.20"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[Black "C H Alexander"]
[ECO "E15"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "47"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb7
5. Bg2 d5 {In this well-known variation Black generally
develops his KB at b4 or e7. It is much more important here
first to mobilise the K side, and only develop the other wing
in accordance with the adversary's disposition.} 6. O-O Nbd7
{Even here Be7 seems preferable.} 7. cxd5 Nxd5 {Already the
decisive strategical error, which Bogoljubov exploits in a
most energetic way. exd5 was necessary with a quite possible
defence.} 8. e4 N5f6 9. e5 Nd5 10. Ng5 {! The idea of this
manoeuver is mainly to prevent Black castling on the K side,
for it is only too obvious that neither in the center nor on
the queen's wing will the Black king feel comfortable.} Be7
{He could perhaps save a tempo by playing immediately Qe7 and
if 11 Qh5 g6 12 Qh3 O-O-O. But this would hardly save his
compromised situation.} 11. Qh5 g6 12. Qh6 Bf8 13. Qh3
{Threatening Nxe6, etc.} Qe7 14. Nc3 O-O-O 15. Bd2 {White's
position is so strong that this offer of a pawn sacrifice was
absolutely unnecessary. The simple 15 Rfe1 was best.} Kb8 {As
Black has nothing to lose, he should accept the sacrifice, and
wait to see whether his opponent would find a win after
15...Nxc3 16 Bxb7+ Kxb7 18 bxc3 (not, of course 17 Qg2+ Nd5)
Nxe5 18 Qg2+ Kb8 19 Ne4 Nd7 20 a4, etc. After the indifferent
text move the game was completely lost.} 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 {exd5
would not help at all} 17. Bxd5 exd5 18. Rfe1 Rc8 {The simple
threat was 19 e6 fxe6 20 Nxe6.} 19. Rac1 Bg7 20. e6 fxe6
21. Nxe6 Nf6 {21...Qf7 22 Ng5. Or 21...Qf6 22 Bg5 Qf7 23 Nxg7,
in both cases White has an easy win.} 22. Nxc7 Qf7 23. Bf4 g5
{If 23...Kb7 27 Qf1, etc.} 24. Ne8+ 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.15"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "6"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "D19"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4
5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 {The whole system of defence was
introduced by me against Rubinstein and Bogoljuboff in the
London tournament of 1922. It was nearly twenty years before
it became a fashion.} Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Ne4 {Rather
doubtful here would be c5 because of the move of the Russian
master Belavenetz 10.Na2! But 9...Bg4, played in this
tournament by Euwe against Bogoljuboff, seems also to be
satisfactory for Black.} 10. Nxe4 Bxe4 11. Rd1 Nd7 {The
following moves are easy to understand. White manages to get
control of the White squares, while Black in the meanwhile
completes his development.} 12. Bd3 Nf6 13. Ne5 Qc7 14. Bxe4
Nxe4 15. Qc2 Nf6 16. e4 h6 17. Nd3 Be7 18. f3 Rfd8 19. Be3 a5
{Black's last move has prevented the advance b4, which might
eventually have given White a serious initiative on the
Q-side. The first player still has a small advantage in space,
and might try to profit by it with a carefully prepared Pawn
advance on the K-side, leading to the opening of files in that
section of the board. Whether such a plan would succeed or not
is of course another question; but there was a fighting
chance, without much risk.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.13"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "E33"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "36"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 {The
modern defence which has not as yet found its refutation.} Nc6
5. Nf3 {After 5 e3 Black can play 5...e5 at once (Keres
vs. Alekhine, Dresden, 1936.} d6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 a5 {The
necessity for this move depends on the right solution of the
question whether Black can sacrifice a pawn by playing 8...e5;
after 7...O-O 8 b4. In the game Fine vs. Van den Bosch
(Amsterdam, 1936) Black after 9 dxe5 dxe5 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 Qxe5
Re8 12 Qb2 (Flohr's move introduced a new move 12...Qd3, which
brought his opponent into difficulties. Although White finally
won the game the whole variation still deserves a closer
examination.} 8. Bg5 {As the bishop can hardly avoid the
exchange a more promising development appears to be 8 g3 or
even 8 b3.} h6 9. Bxf6 {Very harmless. But after 9 Bh4 the
pinning of the knight would be without much effect as Black
would always have the move.} Qxf6 10. e3 O-O 11. Be2 e5 {Black
has obviously not the slightest difficulties.} 12. dxe5 dxe5
13. O-O Bg4 {This manoeuver is out of place as Black's squares
d7 and d5 are not sufficiently protected. But also after the
better move 13...Bf5 White would proceed to liquidate on the
open queen's file.} 14. h3 Bh5 15. Rfd1 Rfe8 {Otherwise
White's next move would have threatened Black's e-pawn.}
16. Rd5 Bg6 {Black admits that the bishop's excursion was
useless.} 17. Rad1 Bf5 18. R5d2 {If 18 Rb5 simply 18...Rab8
and Black's position would remain safe.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.15"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "6"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "William Winter"]
[Black "C H Alexander"]
[ECO "E27"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "49"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+
5. bxc3 O-O {As the continuation shows, this attempt to meet
White's two bishops by simple developing moves is not quite
sufficient. Instead, Black may adopt one of the following
three plans : (a) 5...b6 in order to fight against White's e4;
(b) 5...c5 in order to fix White's doubled pawns; or (c)
5...d6 in order to play as soon as possible e5.} 6. Qc2 d5
{After this White has no more trouble concerning the two
c-pawns, while his pleasure - the two bishops - still
remains.} 7. Bg5 c5 8. e3 cxd4 {Hoping to be able to play
e5. White, however, defeats the plan.} 9. exd4 Nc6 10. Nf3 Re8
11. Ne5 {! The right move, which mechanically prevents the
e-pawn's advance - possible, for instance, even after 11 Bd3.}
dxc4 {Logical but not quite sufficient.} 12. Nxc6 {The crisis
of the game. Instead of improving his position by the obvious
12 f4, White allows Black to carry out his intention. He has
no reason to fear 12 f4 Nxd4. In fact after 13 cxd4 Qxd4 14
Rd1 Qe3+ 15 Be2 Ne4 16 Ng4 white would easily maintain his
advantage.} bxc6 13. Bxc4 h6 {He could also play at once e5,
but without appreciable profit, e.g., 14 O-O exd4 15 Rad1 c5
16 cxd4 cxd4 17 Be3, etc.} 14. Bd2 {This, as will soon appear,
is an indirect protection of the d-pawn.} e5 15. O-O exd4
16. cxd4 Be6 {If ...Qxd4 then 17 Bxh6! is to White's advantage
(e.g. if 17...gxh6 18 Qg6+).} 17. Ba6 {White tries to
complicate matters, but without success, as the two weaknesses
- White's d-pawn and Black's c-pawn - are about equal
inconveniences. The position comes down therefore in a few
moves to perfect balance.} Qb6 18. Qd3 Rad8 19. Be3 Nd5
20. Bc4 {He sees that 20 Rab1 Bf5 would be to the adversary's
advantage, and therefore allows the position to be
liquidated.} Nxe3 21. fxe3 Bxc4 22. Qxc4 Rxe3 23. Qxf7+ Kh8
24. Rf4 Rb3 25. h3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.13"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Milan Vidmar"]
[Black "C H Alexander"]
[ECO "E15"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "63"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7
5. Bg2 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. Nh4 Qc7 {Instead of this 7...g6
adapted by Capablanca against me in New York, 1927, is
certainly more logical then the plan chosen by the
text-move. For after castling on the queen side Black will be
left with a by no means safe king's position and without
chances to form an attack on the other wing.} 8. cxd5 d6
9. O-O Nbd7 10. Nc3 a6 11. e4 g6 12. f4 O-O-O {Practically
forced as 12...Bg7 13 e5 dxe5 14 fxe5 Nxe5 15 d6 followed by
Re1, etc., would lead to a quick debacle.} 13. Be3 {As there
is nothing decisive after the pawn sacrifice 13 e5 dxe5 14
fxe5 Qxe5 because of the possible check at d4 this move cannot
be condemned. But White misses his way by the next two moves.}
Bg7 14. Kh1 {? This was not important for the moment. By
playing 14 a4 Rhe8 15 Bf2 followed by Rc1 and eventually b4 he
would still maintain strong pressure, thus proving the
unsoundness of Black's development.} Rhe8 15. a4 {? Either
completely overlooking the following combination, or
underestimating the strength of the sasrifice on Black's 18th
move. He should play 15 Bf2 although after 15...b5 Black's
prospects would already be slightly better than in the
variation indicated above.} Nxe4 {! This pretty stroke
completely frees Black's game and after White yields to the
temptation to win the exchange gives very good prospects of
victory.} 16. Nxe4 f5 17. Ng5 Rxe3 18. Ne6 {It is surprising
that Dr. Vidmar prefers this dubiuos enterprise to the
alternative 18 Nxh7 Nf6 (or ...Bxb2 19 Rb1 followed by 20
Nxg6) 19 Ng5 with chances for both sides. After the following
variation he should have lost.} Rxe6 19. dxe6 Nf6 {With the
prospects of winning a second pawn, and the two powerful
bishop diagonals (as 20 Bxb7+ Qxb7+ 21 Qf3 etc., would lead to
a lost end-game for White) Black had only technical work to
do.} 20. Nf3 Re8 21. Qb3 Ne4 22. Rad1 {White still hopes
against hope.} d5 {? And here it is! First 22...Qc6 and then
d5 would increase Black's position in a decisive way. Even
22...c4 was good enough.} 23. Rxd5 {Naturally!} Bxd5 24. Qxd5
{The worst is over inasmuch as Black is tremendously short of
time.} Qb7 {? This second mistake loses a game which could
still be defended by 24...Kb8 25 Ng5 Rd8 etc.} 25. Qb3 Qc6
26. Ng5 Bd4 {There is nothing to be done. If 26...h6 then 27
Nxe4 fxe4 28 Re1 and wins, as Black cannot take the e-pawn on
account of Bh3.} 27. Qd3 Qxa4 28. Nxe4 fxe4 29. Qxe4 Qb5
30. Qb7+ Kd8 31. Re1 Bf6 32. Qb8+ 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.15"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "6"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Max Euwe"]
[Black "Reuben Fine"]
[ECO "D67"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7
5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 O-O 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5
10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Ne4 {Dr.Euwe seems to like this invention of
mine, which I, on the contrary, no longer adopt, chiefly
because of he possibility of the Capablanca defence 11...Nd5f6
followed by ...Qb4+, which leads to a comparatively easy
draw.} N5f6 12. Ng3 c5 {But this is, I think more risky than
the queen check, or even Lasker's move ...e5. White could play
now 13 e4 and if ...cxd4 either 14 e5 (...Qb4+ 15 Qd2 Qxd2+ 16
Kxd2 Ng4 17 Rhf1 followed by h3) or - even simpler - 14 Qxd4
Qb4+ 15 Ke2 followed by Rhd1 and after the exchange of queens
White's prospects for the end-game would be excellent.}
13. O-O a6 14. Ne5 {At this moment 14 e4 would be less
promising , as Black could protect himself against e5 by
playing ...b5 and ...Bb7, keeping command over d5.} cxd4 {This
opening-up of the central files looks rather risky, but, as
Black's next excellent move shows, was very corrected
calculated.} 15. exd4 Qd6 {Protecting the squares c7, c6, and
d5.} 16. Qe2 b5 {Not ...Qxd4 because of 17 Nxf7! Rxf7 18 Bxe6
(18 Qxe6? Ne5!) followed by Rfd1 with a winning position for
White.} 17. Bb3 Bb7 18. Rfd1 Rac8 {This possible occupation of
the open file has also to be carefully calculated.}19. Rxc8
Rxc8 {The champion here offered a draw, which was naturally
accepted as Black saw that it could be forced by 20 Nf5 exf5
21 Nxf7 Qc7 22 Qe7 Nb6 23 Nh6+, etc. But White would not have
had any winning chances in this variation.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.18"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "William Winter"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "E72"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "56"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6
5. g3 Nc6 {A very well known stratagem, which was specially
patronised by British masters. At this particular moment,
however, it seems unnecessary, as Black could immediately play
e5. The variation 6 dxe5 dxe5 7 Qxd8+ Kxd8 followed by c6,
etc., was not dangerous for him.} 6. d5 Nb8 7. Bg2 e5 8. Nge2
Nbd7 9. h3 h6 {White's last move, aiming at Be3, was
correct. But the fact that Black, already handicapped by a
lack of space, allows himself to lose time also is sheer
carelessness, He should plat at once a5.} 10. Be3 a5 11. a3
O-O 12. O-O Nc5 {Allowing White to increase his positional
advantage on the Q side. A lesser evil was 12...b6 followed -
if 13 b4 for instance - by ...Nh5.} 13. b4 axb4 14. axb4 Rxa1
15. Qxa1 Na6 16. Qa3 Nh5 {This rather harmless attempt is made
under the conviction that White's advance on the other wing
cannot be stopped in the long run. If, e.g., 16...b6 the reply
would be 17 Nb5 threatening Na7-c6.} 17. b5 Nb8 18. g4 Nf6
19. c5 dxc5 20. Bxc5 Re8 21. Rc1 Nbd7 22. Bb4 {? With this and
the following poor moves White transforms a far superior
position into a lost one. After 22 Be3 Black would find no
compensation for the obvious weakness of his Q side and it
would be easy for White to increase his pressure. He probably
overlooked Black's 23rd move completely.} h5 23. f3 {? The
game after this is lost by force. His best chance was to try
to create complications with 23 g5 Nh7 24 h4 f6 25 Qb3 giving
him some fighting chances.} Bh6 24. Rd1 {The sacrifice of the
exchange - e.g., by 24 Nd1 - would merely prolong the game
without saving it.} hxg4 25. fxg4 Be3+ 26. Kh2 {If Kf1 Black
also plays Nxg4 followed by Qh4.} Nxg4+ 27. hxg4 Qh4+ 28. Bh3
Nf6 {Mate is forced in a few moves.} 0-1

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.20"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[ECO "D91"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "87"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7
5. Bg5 {The more usual 5 e3 gives White only a very slight
positional advantage. As he plays, he allows his opponent to
obtain the advantage of the two bishops, which, however, is
not easy to exploit, since Black cannot without taking chances
transform the game into an open one.} Ne4 6. cxd5 Nxg5 7. Nxg5
e6 8. Nf3 exd5 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2 {The game, up to the 20th
move, develops quite logically, and is easy to
understand. White by starting the "minority attack" on the Q
side, usual in this kind of position, finally (on the 21st
move) compels Black to play b5 after which both sides get
strong points at respectively c4, and c5. The only chance for
Black after that would be in open diagonals for his bishops
through an advance on the other wing; but that advance makes
his king's position unsafe, and allows White to force the
exchange of queens before the bishops become dangerous. A
well-played but rather a dull game is the result.} c6 11. O-O
Qe7 {Preventing for the time being b4.} 12. a3 Be6 13. Rc1 Nd7
14. Ne1 {The knight aims at c5; but after Black's next
cautious move the manoeuver will prove harmless.} Nb6 15. Nd3
Rad8 16. Nc5 Bc8 17. b4 {If 17 b3 (to prevent Nc4) Black could
at once start a counter-attack with 17...f5.} Nc4 18. Nb1 b6
19. Nb3 Ba6 20. Re1 {A mistake would be 20 Nb1d2 for then Nb2
21 Qe1 Nd3.} Rfe8 21. N1d2 b5 22. Ra1 Bc8 23. Bf1 {Preventing
the promising sacrifice Nxe3, etc, - e.g., after 23 Nc5.} Qd6
24. Nc5 Re7 25. Ndb3 Rde8 26. Qc1 {Still preparing a4 which
here would be premature on account of 26...bxa4 27 Rxa4? Nb2.}
f5 27. Nd3 g5 28. Qc3 f4 {Black, as already mentioned, is
practically obliged to force matters, since otherwise White
would take the initiative with a4.} 29. exf4 gxf4 30. Rxe7
Rxe7 31. a4 a6 32. axb5 axb5 33. Ra8 Re8 34. Qc1 Rf8 35. Qd1
{Not of course 35 Nxf4? for then Bh6 followed by Qxb4.} Bf5
36. Rxf8+ Bxf8 37. Qh5 Qg6 {Otherwise-after 37...Bg6 38
Qg5-the pressure exerted by the White queen would become
unpleasant.} 38. Qxg6+ hxg6 39. Nxf4 Bxb4 40. Bd3 Nd2 {This
last chance to win is sufficiently parried by White's 43rd
move.} 41. Nxd2 Bxd2 42. Bxf5 gxf5 43. Ne6 {!} Bc3 {Or
43...Kf7 44 Nd8+. Or 43...b4 44 Nc5. An easy draw in either
case.} 44. Kf1 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.10"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "D03"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bg5 {A harmless
move which could also be quite well answered by 3...Bf5.} e6
4. e3 c5 5. c3 Be7 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O Qc7 {As
9.Ne5 would not be in White's favor after 9...Nxe5 10.dxe5
Nd7, etc., Black had better play at once 8...b6; and if 9.e4
then dxe4 10.Nxe4 Bb7 etc., as in the actual game.} 9. Qe2 {If
White intended to play e4, he should do that at once. After
9...dxe4 10.Nxe4 b6 11.Qc2 h6 12.Bh4 followed by Bg3 the Black
Queen would have no suitable square. After the text move Black
finishes his development and White has not the slightest
chance to get an advantage.} b6 10. e4 dxe4 11. Nxe4 Bb7
12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. Nxc5 Qxc5 14. Bxf6 {White-it is obvious
now-only plays for a draw. Under these conditions it is
generally difficult for the second player to complicate
matters without taking chances.} Bxf6 15. Be4 Bxe4 16. Qxe4
Qb5 {! Practically dislodges the Queen from her central
position.} 17. Qc2 Rfd8 18. Rfd1 g6 19. h3 {In this type of
position the Bishop is worth more than the Knight, which has
not any permanent squares in the middle. Further play,
beginning for instance 19...Rac8, was therefore still
possible. Against a player of Dr. Tartakover's experience,
however, it is doubtful if it would prove successful.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.18"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Max Euwe"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]
[ECO "D07"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "79"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 {? A weak
continuation, which has not even the advantage of novelty. If
Dr. Tartakower thought to take his opponent by surprise he was
mistaken, as Dr. Euwe knew the variation - if not before -
from his game with Colle, Hastings, 1930-31, in which there
followed 4 cxd5 Nxd4 5 e3 Nf5 6 Nf3 Bd6 7 e4 Nfe7.} 4. cxd5
Nxd4 5. e3 Nf5 6. e4 Nd6 7. Nf3 Bg4 {Comparatively better was
f6 at once as the White Q will be extremely well placed at
b3.} 8. Qa4+ Bd7 9. Qb3 f6 10. Be3 {White has now a welcome
object of attack in Black's c-pawn.} Ne7 11. Rc1 Nec8 {Another
possible plan was c6 followed by g6 and Bg7. But White would
have no difficulty in any case in maintaining his advantage in
space.} 12. Bd3 Be7 13. O-O O-O 14. Nb5 {Aiming at the
possession of two bishops, in an anticipation of a long
positional struggle.} Bxb5 15. Bxb5 Nxb5 {? I am almost
inclined to think that Dr. Tartakower simply overlooked the
discovered check! Otherwise the move is hardly to be
explained, as the immediate disastrous consequences are only
too obvious. The right course was 15...Nf7 followed by Ncd6
with possibilities of a steady fefence.} 16. d6+ Rf7 17. dxe7
Qd7 {After 17...Qe8 18 a4 Nbd6 19 Rxc7 Nxe7 20 Bc5 White has
an easy win.} 18. Rfd1 Ncd6 19. a4 Nd4 20. Bxd4 exd4 21. e5 {!
Winning the exchange, with the better position.} fxe5 22. Nxe5
Qxe7 23. Nxf7 Nxf7 24. Qxb7 Rd8 25. Rxc7 Qe6 26. Re7 Qf6
27. Qd7 Rf8 28. Re8 {After 28 Rxd4 Black (in spite of his
optimism) would probably have resigned.} Nd6 29. Rxf8+ Kxf8
30. Rd3 Qe5 31. Kf1 h5 32. Qxa7 Nf5 33. Qd7 g6 34. Rb3 Qf4
35. g3 Qc1+ 36. Kg2 Ne3+ 37. Kh3 Qf1+ 38. Kh4 Nf5+ 39. Kg5
Qc1+ 40. Kf6 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.27"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "14"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Reuben Fine"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "D19"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "40"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4
5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Ne4 10. Nxe4
Bxe4 11. Rd1 Nd7 12. Bd2 {This seems to give Black even less
trouble than 12 Bd3, played by Dr. Lasker in the sixth round,
as he can exchange by force almost all the minor pieces.} Bxf3
13. Qxf3 Qa5 14. Qe2 Bxd2 15. Qxd2 Qxd2 16. Rxd2 a5 17. g3 Nb6
18. Bb3 Rfd8 19. Rc2 Nd5 20. Bxd5 Rxd5 {A delightful game for
the annotator. I think it is the only one in this connection
which does not even deserve a diagram.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.11"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Samuel Reshevsky"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "D19"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "62"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4
5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Ne4 {As in
the other games in this tournament this move proves to be
quite sufficient to equalise (see Lasker-Capablanca and
Fine-Capablanca).} 10. Nxe4 Bxe4 11. Nd2 Bg6 12. Nb3 Nd7
13. Bd2 {Leads to a further simplification (see Black's 14th
move). But as Black's pieces are well developed and he has no
weaknesses, there is no reason for White to complicate
matters, for instance by Rd1.} Bxd2 14. Qxd2 e5 15. a5 exd4
16. exd4 {Comparatively better than 16.Qxd4 Qe7; followed by
...Rd8 after which Black's Pawn majority on the Q-side could
become an important faqctor in the endgame.} Nf6 17. Qf4 Nd5
18. Qg3 Qf6 {Showing that he is satisfied with a
draw. Otherwise 18...Re8 and if 19.Re1 then ...Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1
b6, in order to limit the action of the White Knight, was
worth considering.} 19. Bxd5 cxd5 20. Rfc1 Rfc8 21. Qe5
{Hoping, in vain, to get the strong square d4 for the Knight
after the exchange.} Qxe5 22. dxe5 Rc4 {An exactly caculated
move which destroys White's last winning hope. If after
23.Rxc4 dxc4 White should play 24.Nc5 he would even get into
some trouble. 24...Rd8 25.Nxb7 Rd2 26.Nd6 Bd3 followed by
...Rxb2.} 23. Rxc4 dxc4 24. Nd2 Bd3 25. Ra4 Rc8 26. Rb4 c3
{The simplest} 27. bxc3 Rxc3 28. f4 Ba6 29. Rd4 Kf8 30. Ne4
Ra3 31. Rd5 {Black can now play for instance 31...Ra4 32.Nc5
Rxf4 33.Nxa6 bxa6 34.Rd6 Rc4 35.Rxa6 Rc7 etc.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.22"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "11"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Max Euwe"]
[ECO "D19"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "44"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4
5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Ne5 {If White
hopes to get an advantage with this move, in conjunction with
the following, he was mistaken. But also 9 Qe2 Ne4 (not ...c5
10 Na2 Ba5 11 dxc5 Nc6 12 Rd1 Qe7 13 Nd4 Rfd8 14 B4!, as in
Ragozin-Flohr, Moscow, 1936.) 10 Nxe4 Bxe4 11 Rd1 Nd7 as in
the sixth round game Lasker-Capablanca, seems to give white no
appreciable pull.} c5 {! This move had to be very carefully
calculated (or analysed beforehand) as it involves a temporary
pawn sacrifice.} 10. Na2 Ba5 {To allow this bishop to be
exchanged would give White without a fight a distinct
positional advantage.} 11. dxc5 Qxd1 12. Rxd1 Bc2 {! The chief
point of the defence, which enables Black to gain soon an
important tempo in development.} 13. Rd4 {After 13 Rf1 Bc7
with Bxa4 to follow, black would be very well suited.} Bc7
14. Nf3 {14 f4 Bxe5 15 fxe5 Nfd7 16 Nb4 Bg6 would yield White
no profit.} Nc6 15. Rd2 {The rook must keep on the center
file. If 15 Rh4 Rad8 16 Bd2? g5.} Bg6 {Black's minor pieces
are now very harmoniously posted, and the recovery of the pawn
can only be a question of very little time.} 16. b4 {To meet
the threat of Ne4.} a5 {!} 17. b5 Ne5 18. Nxe5 {White takes
the eariest opportunity of a drawish ending.} Bxe5 19. Bb2 Ne4
20. Re2 Bxb2 21. Rxb2 Nxc5 22. Nc1 {Black's positional
advantage is only apparent, and would soon disappear after
22...Rfd8 23 Nb3 Nxb3 24 Bxb3, etc.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.25"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "13"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Max Euwe"]
[ECO "D12"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5
5. Bd3 {This seems to promise even less winning chances than
the more usual 5 cxd5 after which Black gets a satisfactory
position by the manouver ... Qc8 and eventually ...Nfd7} e6
6. cxd5 {If first 6 Bxf5 exf5 and then 7 cxd5, Black would
reply Nxd5.} Bxd3 7. Qxd3 exd5 {The position now reached is
familiar with colors reversed, in a variation of the Caro Kann
Defence (1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c3) in which Black - as
in this case White - has to choose between a "minority attack"
on the Q side or a break in the center by e4. Dr. Lasker
selects the second method, which gives him, however, only
prospects a draw.} 8. Nc3 Bd6 9. O-O O-O 10. Re1 Nbd7 {White's
next move could not be prevented.} 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4
13. Qxe4 {This looks like a drawing proposition, as after
Black's next move further liquidation will be practically
forced. But White had no objective reason to avoid a draw, as
the alternative 13 Rxe4 Qf6 would now offer him attacking
chances.} Re8 14. Qxe8+ Qxe8 15. Rxe8+ Rxe8 16. Kf1 {At this
moment the game might safely be declared a draw; certainly
with more reason that many other games in this
tournament. That the draw was not declared here was only, I
presume, because neither player offered one, for different
reasons. Dr. Lasker, because (although he doubtless wa
perfectly aware that his isolated pawn is by no means a
serious weakness) he was, theoretically at least, at a slight
disadvantage; Dr. Euwe because as the new champion he felt
obliged to exploit even the shade of a winning chance. The
unfortunate result was the ending catastrophe, which changed
the normal course of the tournament.} Nb6 17. Bd2 f6 18. Re1
Rxe1+ 19. Nxe1 Kf7 20. Ke2 Ke6 21. h3 Nc4 22. Bc1 Bc7 23. Kd3
Ba5 {?? This move is hard indeed to understand, as even the
answers 24 Nc2 or 24 Kxc4 Be1 25 Be3 would yield Black no
advantage.} 24. b4 {! The rest of the game reqires no
comment.} Bxb4 25. Nc2 Bd2 26. Bxd2 Nb2+ 27. Ke3 Kd5 28. Bc1
Nc4+ 29. Kd3 Nb6 30. Ne3+ Ke6 31. Nc4 Nc8 32. Na5 Nd6 33. Bf4
1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.17"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Reuben Fine"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "D12"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5
5. Nc3 {5 cxd5 cxd5 6 Qb3 gives White some initiative on the
queen side. After his next move Black has no further opening
difficulties.} e6 6. Nh4 {It is true that White gets the
advantage of two bishops, but he opens up for his adversary
the h-file and lessens his pressure on the central
squares. All in all his sheme is hardly to be recommended.}
Be4 7. f3 Bg6 8. Nxg6 hxg6 9. g3 {Black was threatening Nh5
which move could be played in case of 9 e4.} Bd6 10. f4 Ne4
11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Bd2 Qe7 {Not necessary at this
moment. Instead g5 would give Black a good initiative.} 13. a3
{Also by no means convincing. If White intends to play Qb3 he
had better do so at once.} Nd7 14. Qb3 Rb8 15. Qa4 a6 16. Be2
g5 {At last.} 17. O-O-O f5 18. fxg5 {The initial of a rather
hidden sacrificial combination. Black's best chance now was to
start an immediate counter-attack by 18...b5 19 Qxa6 bxc4
followed eventually by O-O, etc. This would lead to some Wild
West play, of which the result would be by no means certain.}
Qxg5 19. c5 Bc7 {Black seems completely to overlook the
possibility of a sacrifice. After Be7 he would still have a
defensible position, although 20 Qb3 Rh6 21 g4! would give
White undeniably the initiative.} 20. Bxa6 {!} bxa6 {Useless
was 20...Ra8 21 Qb3! But with 20...O-O 21 Bc4 Qe7 the game
could be much longer defended. White would win then chiefly
because of his extra pawn.} 21. Qxc6 Kd8 22. Qxe6 {Besides
having full equivalent for his piece, White obtains also a
very strong attack against the exposed king. The game is
practically over.} Qf6 23. Qd5 {Threatening c6.} Ke7 24. Bb4
Rhc8 25. Kb1 {Threatening again c6+ which would here be
premature on account of 25...Bd6.} Nf8 26. g4 a5 27. Bc3 g6
28. gxf5 Qxf5 {If ...gxf5 then 29 Rhf1.} 29. Qc4 Ne6 30. Rhf1
Qh5 31. d5 Nxc5 32. d6+ {If ...Bxd6 then 33 Qf7+ and mate next
move.} 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.28"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "15"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Samuel Reshevsky"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "D27"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "51"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
5. Bd3 {Permitting Black to enter into a variation of the
Queen's Gambit accepted instead of adopting the more usual 5
Nc3 Nbd7, etc., leading to the Meran defence.} dxc4 6. Bxc4 c5
7. O-O a6 8. Nc3 b5 9. Bb3 Bb7 10. Qe2 Nc6 {? After White has
placed his bishop at b3 (instead of d3, as in the game
Lasker-Reshevsky, Nottinham, 1936) it would not be advisable
for Black to exchange pawns in the center, as in that case
White's pressure against e6 and f7 would become
dangerous. Much better than the text move was 10...Nbd7 not
allowing White's d-pawn to advance with gain of tempo, and
keeping the balance of the position.} 11. Rd1 Qb6 12. d5 {! A
well-known manoeuver in positions of this kind {see
Opocensky-Rubinstein, Marienbad 1933-4) which in this
particular case is exceptionally strong, as Black is not yet
able to castle.} exd5 {? The decisive mistake. A much better
fighting chance was 12...Na5 13 e4 (13 dxe6 fxe6, etc.) Nxb3
14 axb3 b4 15 Na4 Qb5.} 13. e4 {After this Black has no
satisfactory defence. If 13...d4 then 14 e5! Ng4 15 Nxd5 Qd8
16 Bf4 with the double threat 17 e6 or 17 Nf6+, the attack
bei9ng overwhelming.} dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4+ Be7 {A
pretty variation would occur after 15...Ne7 16 Ne5! c4 17
Nxc4! bxc4 18 Ba4+ Bc6 19 Rd6 Rc8 20 Bg5 f6 21 Re1 with a
winning position.} 16. Bd5 Rd8 17. Bg5 Rxd5 {After ...f6 18
Bf4 Black, with his king in the middle, would be helpless
against the numerous threats.} 18. Rxd5 O-O 19. Rd7 {! Without
this move White would still have some technical difficulties,
but now things are easy.} Bd8 20. Rc1 {? Not the best,
although good enough. Immediately decisive was 20 b4! (cxb4 21
Be3, etc.) } Bc7 21. Qe3 Nb8 22. Re7 Bxf3 23. Qxf3 h6 {In
consequence of White's 20th move Black was in a position to
make a longer resistance by playing here 20...Nc6.} 24. Bf4
Bd6 {? Another blunder. But Black's game was already perfectly
hopeless.} 25. Rb7 Qd8 26. Rd1 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.14"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Reuben Fine"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "D48"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "48"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6
5. Nc3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 b4 {Thus
avoiding the main variation of the Meran defence which
continues 9...c5. The move seems to give Black quite a
playable game, especially in connection with his strong 14th
move.} 10. Na4 c5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. O-O Bb7 13. Qe2 Be7 {Black
could even Castle at once as the variation 13...O-O 14.e5 Bxf3
15.exf3 Nd5 16.Nxc5 Nxc5 17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Qc2+ Kg8 19.Qxc5 Qh4
20.Qc2 f5; etc. was certainly not to his disadvantage.}
14. Rd1 Qa5 {This is more convincing than Lasker's stratagem
in a similar position in the first round (after ...O-O; Bg5),
viz., ...h6 followed by ...Nh5.} 15. b3 O-O 16. Bg5 Rfd8
17. Nb2 Nc5 {The simplest; If now 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.e5 Nxd3 and if
exf6 gxf6; etc. with a good game.} 18. e5 Nxd3 {Definitely
eliminating any danger; if 19.exf6 then 19...Nxb2 (A) 20.Qxb2
Bxf3 21.Rxd1+ exd8; or (B) 20.exf6 Rxd1+ 21.Rxd1 Nxd1 winning
in either case.} 19. Rxd3 Rxd3 20. Nxd3 Nd5 21. Bxe7 Nxe7
22. Nf4 Rd8 {Black had some slight advantages in the middle
game owing to his well placed Bishop; but the text-move which
allows the opponent to exchange Rooks facilitates White's
task. A good move was 22...Rc8 threatening ...Bxf3
eventually.} 23. Rd1 Nd5 24. Nxd5 {The game has some
theoretical value.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.18"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Samuel Reshevsky"]
[Black "Salomon Flohr"]
[ECO "D26"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "46"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 c5
5. Bxc4 e6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Qe2 a6 8. Rd1 b5 9. Bb3 c4 10. Bc2
Nb4 11. Nc3 Nxc2 12. Qxc2 Bb7 13. d5 {This whole variation has
been exhaustively analysed in the course of the last few
years, and the text move has - since the games
Eliskases-Flohr, Hastings, 1933-34, and Vidmar- Grunfeld,
Warsaw, 1935 - been considered to give White a strong
initiative. Flohr's innovation in the present game seems to
rehabilitate the whole line of defence.} Qc7 {! The main idea
of this is to block the center by e5 in case White plays 14
e4. 13...exd5 instead , as played in the games mentioned
above, would be answered by 14 e4 with good effect.} 14. e4
{As 14 dxe6 fxe6 15 e4 does not work on account of b4 there is
nothing better than to complete the development of the
forces.} e5 15. Bg5 {If immediately 15 Be3 then Ng4.} Nd7
16. Be3 Bc5 {Black obviously considers the opening problem as
already solved, and does not intend to simplify. By 16...Bd6
he would have more chances of taking advantage of his majority
on the Q side, inasmuch as White could certainly obtain
nothing by a demonstration on the other wing, such as 17 Nh4
g6 18 Bh6 f6.} 17. Bxc5 Qxc5 18. b3 {! This is now possible as
b5 can be answered by 19 Na4.} O-O 19. bxc4 Qxc4 20. Nd2 Qc7
21. Qb2 Rfc8 22. Rac1 Nc5 23. Nb3 {After ...Nxb3 followed by
...Qd6, Black would still have the slightly better game
because of his Q side pawn majority.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.10"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "William Winter"]
[Black "George Alan Thomas"]
[ECO "D50"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "58"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nf3 {White can avoid the following
simplification by playing 6.Rc1 c6 7.Bd3; but this is hardly
necessary, for in the following endgame the chances of the
first player will be better on account of the greater freedom
in the center and the open b-file.} Ne4 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Qc2 c6
9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Qxe4 Qb4+ 11. Nd2 Qxb2 12. Qb1 {After 12.Rb1,
Black would do better not to take the a-pawn because of the
possible attack commencing by Bd3, Ke2, etc. but play 12...Qc3
after which White could hardly avoid the exchange of Queens.}
Qc3 {Black prefers to delay the exchange for one move in order
to have the opponent's Rook at c1 and not b1.} 13. Qc1 Qxc1+
14. Rxc1 c5 {After 14...e5 15.Nf3 the opening of the e-file
would be in White's favor.} 15. g3 {A good idea, as the Bishop
will have excellent prospects on the long diagonal. Still in
the following White omits to take full profit of the
positional advantage.} Ke7 16. Bg2 Rd8 17. Ke2 {Here was, for
instance, the right moment to force by 17.Nb3 the Pawn
exchange in the middle, as after 17...cxd4 18.exd4 White could
even Castle in order to occupy promptly the central files with
his Rooks. After the move selected Black succeeds through
accurate defence in avoiding further trouble.} Rb8 {Now he
will be able to answer Nb3 with ...b6.} 18. Rc3 cxd4 {Rather
surprising, but well calculated. Black has just time to
develop his Bishop.} 19. exd4 Nf6 20. Nf3 Bd7 21. Ne5 Be8
22. Ke3 Nd7 23. Ra3 {No more promising was 23.f4 f6 etc.} Nxe5
24. dxe5 a6 25. Rb1 {White's last hope to get some advantage
but the following move destroys such illusions.} b5 {Forcing a
speedy liquidation.} 26. Rxa6 bxc4 27. Ra7+ Kf8 28. Rxb8 Rxb8
29. Rc7 Rb2 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.12"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "3"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "William Winter"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "D68"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "56"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7
5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5
10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. Qc2 e4 {The
alternative 13...exd4 14.exd4 is not without danger for Black,
for instance: 14...Nf6 15.Re1 Qd6 16.Ng5 h6 (or ...Qf4 17.Nxf7
and wins as in the game Lowenfisch vs. Riumin, Moscow 1935)
17.Nxf7 Rxf7 18.Qb3 and wins. (Dr Alkhine vs. Petersen, Orebro
1935). But by playing in this variation 14...Nb6 (instead of
...Nf6) Black still seems to have an adequate defence.}
14. Nd2 Nf6 15. a3 {Too slow. The correct move, after which
White remains with a slight advantage is Bb3 with the idea of
answering ...Bf5 with f4 and eventually playing Rc5. By this
continuation Black could hardly avoid moving the Knight to d5
and the consequent exchange, which in the majority of cases
secures White the contrpl of the c-file.} Bf5 16. Rc1 {As
White cannot be sure in this position that he will need this
Rook at c1 and as he intends to play f4 anyhow, he should play
that move prior to the Rook move.} Rad8 17. b4 h5 {A good
positional move which would be useful, for instance if White
should play 18.b5 thus allowing a K-side attack after
18...cxb5 19.Bxb5 Nd5 followed by Qg5, etc.} 18. f4 g6 19. Qb3
Rd7 {! In expectation of the following reply. Otherwise he
could improve his game by the simple 19...Kg7.} 20. b5 {? This
advance must be based on a miscalculation. Agood move was
20.Nf1 after which the issue would still be uncertain.} c5
21. Qa4 {Or 21.d5 Rfd8 simply winning a Pawn. This was the
object of 19...Rd7.} cxd4 22. exd4 Qd6 23. Nb3 {Now all the
White pieces are concentrated without effect on the Q-side and
the King's position becomes very exposed.} Qxf4 24. Rf1 Qd6
25. Qxa7 {A meagre satisfaction, for the fight will be decided
by the positional, not the material, advantage.} b6 26. Qa4
Rc7 {Threatening 27...Nd5} 27. Rg3 Ng4 {!} 28. Be2 Nxh2 {! A
well played game by Dr. Vidmar.} 0-1

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.21"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Max Euwe"]
[Black "Salomon Flohr"]
[ECO "D67"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "37"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
5. e3 O-O 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5
10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Ne4 N5f6 12. Ng3 e5 {Introduced by
Dr. Lasker against me at Zurich, 1934. Because of Black's loss
of that game the move had, as usual, a bad press. the present
game shows that it is as playable as Capablanca's
12...Qb4+.}13. O-O exd4 14. Nf5 Qd8 15. N3xd4 Ne5 16. Bb3 Bxf5
17. Nxf5 g6 {! This is the correct move. Dr. Lasker against me
played 17...Qb6? and lost speedily : 18 Qd6! Ned7 19 Rfd1 Rad8
20 Qg3 g6 21 Qg5 Kh8 22 Nd6 Kg7 23 e4! Ng8 24 Rd3 f6 25 Nf5+
Kh8 26 Qxg6 resigns.} 18. Qd4 Qxd4 19. Nxd4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.10"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Reuben Fine"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "D37"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7
5. e3 {A harmless continuation as Black can now enter on a
variation of the Queen's Gambit Accepted with a tempo
more. More aggressive, if White does not want to play the
usual 5.Bg5 is even Bf4.} O-O 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 c5 8. O-O a6
{Black is obviously not content to equalise by ...Nc6 9.dxc5
Qxd1 etc.} 9. Qe2 {Of doubtful value. More correct was 9.Bd3
with the intention of answering 9...b5 by 10.dxc5, etc., thus
forcing the position that ocurred in the actual game.} b5
10. Bd3 Bb7 {? 10...Nbd7 in order to recapture with this
Knight in case of ...dxc5 was more promising by far. After the
text move White gets a slight positional advantage, which
however does not endanger Black's game.} 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e4
Nbd7 {Intending to answer 13.e5 with Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nd5;
etc. with welcome complications.} 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bh4 b4
{Weakening the position on the Q-side without necessity or
equivalent. At move 14...Kh7 was sufficient to keep the
balance of the position.} 15. Na4 Be7 16. Rfd1 Nh5 17. Bxe7
Qxe7 18. Rac1 Ndf6 {After this most unnatural move, which
leaves the other Knight completely in the air. White's
advantage becomes overwhelming. It is really hard to
understand why Dr. Lasker rejected the natural really hard to
understand why Dr. Lasker rejected the natural 18...Nf4. The
only plausible explanation is that he did not like after
19.Qe3 Nxd3 the possibility of 20.Rc7 (20...Rac8 with
equality) and answering the move 20...Bc6. If 21.Rxc6 (or
21.Nb6 Nxb4; etc.) Nd7e5 22.Nxe5 Nxe5 23.Rc5 Rfd8 etc., he
would emerge from the difficulties. The final phase, not
altogether difficult, is played by Fine with his usual
accuracy.}19. g3 a5 20. Nc5 Rfc8 {After this White wins
perforce. The only slight hope of defence was 20...g6, at
least consolidating the position of the unfortunate Knight.}
21. Nxb7 Qxb7 22. Ne5 Rxc1 {Also 22...g6 23.Nc4 Qe7 24.e5
followed by Be4, etc., would not help.} 23. Rxc1 Rc8 24. Rxc8+
Qxc8 25. Qc2 {Decisive, as after the exchange the Black
Knights would not be able to protect the Q-side Pawns.} Qb7
{He could resist a little longer by playing 25...Qd8 26.Qc5
etc.} 26. Qc6 Qa7 27. Qc8+ Kh7 28. Nc6 Qc5 29. e5+ g6 30. exf6
Nxf6 31. Qb7 Kg8 32. Be2 {If now 32...Qc1+ 33.Kg2 Qxb2 34.Nd8
etc.} Nd5 33. Ne5 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.21"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Reuben Fine"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "A97"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nf3 Be7
5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 {I believe that Ne4 - introduced by me
against F. Samisch. Dresden, 1936, and played also in the
present tournament against J. R. Capablanca - offers Black
comparatively better fighting chances. It is generally in the
interest of the second player to delay as long as logically
possible the advance of the d-pawn in this opening, so as to
keep the choice between the two points, d6 and d5.} 7. Nc3 Qe8
8. Qc2 Nc6 {An obvious positional error, which enables White
to get control of that important square, d5. The logical move
was 8...Qh5 for Black had no reason to fear 9 e4 fxe4 10 Nxe4
Nc6.} 9. d5 Nb4 10. Qb3 Na6 11. dxe6 Nc5 12. Qc2 Bxe6 13. b3
{Intending to play 14 Nd4; a threat which should be met by
13...Nfe4 followed by Bf6. The passive line adopted by Black
in the next moves leads to an almost hopeless situation for
him.} Qh5 {?} 14. Nd4 Bc8 15. b4 Na6 16. Rb1 Kh8 {He could not
play 16...Nxb4 17 Rxb4 c5 on account of 18 Nd5, etc.} 17. Nd5
Qf7 {? An oversight which loses a pawn without
compensation. After 17...Nxd5 18 cxd5 it would have taken
White some time to transform his positional into material
advantage.} 18. b5 Nc5 19. Nxc7 Rb8 20. Nd5 Ne6 21. Nxf5 Nxd5
22. cxd5 Ng5 {? Losing two more pawns. He might as well
resign.} 23. Nxd6 Bxd6 24. Bxg5 Bd7 25. e4 Qh5 26. Be3 Rf3
27. Rb3 Rbf8 28. Bc5 Rxb3 29. Bxd6 Rf6 30. axb3 Rxd6 31. Qc7
Rh6 32. Qb8+ Be8 33. g4 Qf7 34. Rc1 Kg8 35. Rc7 Qf8 36. Rc8
1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.10"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "C H Alexander"]
[Black "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[ECO "B24"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "70"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 {Quite a
harmless variation, which offers Black many good possibilities
of defence.} g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nge2 e6 {Black already having
the control over d4 protects d5, thus obtaining a certain
advantage in the middle. A promising strategy which could be
successfully met only by very energetic play.} 6. d3 Nge7
7. O-O {? Too indifferent, he should make a demonstration on
the K-side by 7.h4 and 8.Bg5; if 7...h6 then Bf4 followed by
Qd2 and Black would have more difficulties in completing his
mobilisation than in the actual game.} O-O 8. Be3 {And here
8.Bg5 or Bf4 was better. White should leave himself the
possibility of taking the intruding Knight at d4 with his own
Knight.} Nd4 9. Qd2 d5 10. Nf4 {Comparatively better was
10.Nd1 in order to dislodge, as rapidly as possible, the
powerful Knight.} dxe4 11. dxe4 Qc7 12. Rad1 {Other methods
like 12.Rfc1 followed by Qe1 would have their inconveniences
too. The game is already very difficult to defend.} Rd8
13. Qc1 b6 14. Rfe1 Ba6 15. Kh1 {? This move, and not the next
one as was generally suggested, is the decisive
mistake. White's last chance of salvation consisted in 15.Nb1
with the intention 16.c3, and if 15...g5 16.Nd3 h6 then 17.f4
with some kind of counter-play. After the King's move the game
is strategically hopeless.} Nec6 16. Nfe2 {Only shortens the
end. The threats 16...Ne5 or eventually (in case of 16.Nb1 for
instance) 16...Nb4 were too strong.} Nxe2 17. Rxd8+ Rxd8
18. Nxe2 Bxe2 19. Rxe2 Bxb2 20. Qxb2 Rd1+ 21. Bf1 Rxf1+
22. Kg2 Rd1 23. Rd2 Rxd2 24. Bxd2 Qe5 {! Forcing an endgame in
which besides the extra Pawn he will possess a powerful Knight
against an anemic Bishop.} 25. Qxe5 Nxe5 26. Bc3 f6 27. Bxe5
{One has the impression that White wants to finish the game as
rapidly as possible; the Pawn endgame does not offer, of
course, any chance.} fxe5 28. a4 Kf7 29. Kf3 c4 30. Ke3 Ke7
31. f4 Kd6 32. c3 Kc5 33. fxe5 b5 34. axb5 Kxb5 35. Kd2 Ka4
0-1

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.25"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "13"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Theodore Tylor"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "B72"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "62"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Bg7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Nb3 a5 {This attempt
(instead of Botvinnik's Be6) gives the game a peculiar
character, but hardly to Black's benefit. In fact, he obtains
only a shade of attack on the queen side and yields in return
to White the full control of the important square b5. White
plays the next part of the game with perfect judgement.}
9. O-O a4 10. Nd4 O-O 11. Ndb5 Be6 12. Qd2 Na5 13. b3 {This
meets the threats in the simplest way, and Black's knight will
soon have to return after a fruitless trip.} axb3 14. axb3 Qd7
{Slightly more promising was the delaying of the following
exchange by 14...Re8.} 15. Bh6 Nc6 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Rad1 Ng8
18. f4 {A misjudgement, since White has no real prospects of a
K side attack. His chances are in the center, and on the other
side of the board. He should therefore play at once 18 Nd5
Bxd5 19 exd5 Nd8 20 c4 with an obvious positional
advantage. The move selected only weakens the central
squares.} f6 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 Nd8 21. Nd4 {And even here
the simplest 21 c4 was also the best.} Nh6 22. Bd3 Qc7
{Intending to profit by the comparative weakness of the Black
squares in his opponent's position. White's next move, giving
up command of e5 makes the task still easier.} 23. f5 Qc5
24. Be4 Nhf7 25. Rf3 {White realises that his position does
not now look promising, and takes the first opportunity to
force a perpetual check.} Ne5 26. Rg3 g5 27. h4 h6 28. hxg5
hxg5 29. Rxg5+ {!} fxg5 30. Qxg5+ Kf7 31. Qh5+ Kg7 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.18"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "George Alan Thomas"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "C73"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "74"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6
5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. d4 f6 {I think that this, a logical sequence
to Black's 4th move, is one of the most promising defences
against the Lopez, in which the chances of the two sides may
be considered about even. An interesting idea instead of
White's 5th move is 5 c4.} 7. Be3 {With the object of
answering g6 with 8 Qd2 followed eventually with Bh6. But
Black has a much easier line of development.} Ne7 8. Nc3 Ng6
9. Qd2 {If 9 h4 then simply exd4 followed by Ne5. The knight
would not be dislodged from its central square by f4 as the g4
square would remain weak. But 9 Qe2 offered better prospects
than the text move.} Be6 {With the obvious intention of
playing d5.} 10. b3 {? This can be considered in a higher
sense as the losing move, although White need not actually
lose material after it. The emancipating 10...d5 should be
prevented by 10 Rd1 after which the real fight would begin.}
d5 {!} 11. O-O {Giving up at least a pawn, without the
slightest compensation. This could be avoided by 11 exd5 cxd5
12 Na4 e4 13 Ng1 but White's position would remain bad
enough.} dxe4 12. Nxe4 Bd5 13. Ng3 {The knight cannot be
protected on account of 13...f5, etc.} Bxf3 14. gxf3 Nh4 {!
Securing a decisive material advantage as 15 Qe2 would be met
by Qd5 16 Ne4 Qe6! (less convincing would be 16...exd4 17
Nxf6+ gxf6 18 Bg5+) and ....Qh3. The rest of the game is
merely a matter of technique.} 15. Qd3 Nxf3+ 16. Kh1 Nxd4
17. Qe4 Qd5 {By trying to keep the two extra pawns Black will
eventually meet with difficulties.} 18. Qxd5 cxd5 19. Bxd4
exd4 20. Rad1 Bc5 {If ...c5 White would also win a pawn by 21
c3, etc.} 21. Nf5 Kf7 22. Nxd4 Rhe8 {Besides his material
superiority Black has also the better position - the only open
file, bishop vs. knight, and a more active king.} 23. c3 Re5
24. Rd3 Rae8 25. a4 {? This creates a new weakness in the
b-file, which Black exploits in a very convincing manner. A
longer resistance was possible after 25 Kg2.} Bxd4 26. Rxd4
{26 cxd4 Re1 27 Kg2 Rxf1 28 Kxf1 Ke7 29 Rc3 Kd6 30 Rc5 Rb8 31
Ra5 Rb6 left White helpless.} c5 27. Rd2 Rb8 28. Rb1 a5
29. Kg2 Ke6 30. Rc2 Kd6 31. f3 g5 32. Kg3 h5 33. h4 {Otherwise
Black would win by c4 followed by Re3.} gxh4+ 34. Kxh4 Re3
35. Kg3 {35 Kxh5 Rg8 would put White's king in a mating net.}
c4 {! Winning another pawn.} 36. b4 axb4 37. cxb4 Rb3 {A
simple but instructive rook endgame.} 0-1

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.20"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Theodore Tylor"]
[Black "George Alan Thomas"]
[ECO "C50"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "58"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 {If Black
does not intend to develop the bishop at c5 or b4 but to play
d6 it is better to make that move first. He would then have
the option in certain cases of developing the B in
fianchetto.} 4. d4 d6 5. h3 {Hardly necessary at the moment,
but will be useful later to keep Black's minor pieces off
g4. 5 Nc3 Bg4 6 h3 occurred in Alekhine vs. Breyer, Mannheim,
1914.} Nf6 6. Nc3 a6 {This move would prove rather harmless if
White replied simply 7 a3. As it happens, however, it leads to
an exchange which facilitates the defence.} 7. Be3 b5 8. Bd5
{Simplest as he has to consider two possibilities - 8...b4,
and 8...exd4 9 B or Nxd4 Nxd4 10 B or Nxd4 c5.} Nxd5 9. Nxd5
O-O 10. O-O Bb7 {An indirect protection of d5, in order to
prepare for f5. White prevents this project by his next move.}
11. Qd3 exd4 12. Bxd4 Nxd4 13. Nxd4 {The famous "two bishops"
will in this instance be perfectly useless, as one of them
will be necessarily be exchanged off in a very few moves.} Bf6
14. c3 Re8 15. a4 Bxd4 16. cxd4 {Not of course 16 Qxd4 on
account of c6 followed by c5.} c6 {Too optimistic. In the
ensuing blockade the superiority of the knight over the bishop
will become apparent. Much safer was 16...Bxd5 17 exd5 bxa4 18
Rxa4 Qb8 with a rather easy draw in the near future.} 17. Ne3
c5 18. d5 Qd7 19. f3 f6 20. b3 {White's plan is obvious; he
intends to free the c4 square for the knight.} Reb8 21. Rf2
Bc8 22. Rfa2 bxa4 {A sad necessity, as Bb7 would be worse, on
account of 23 axb5 axb5 24 Ra5, etc.} 23. Rxa4 Rb5 24. Nc4
Rab8 25. R4a3 Qc7 26. Qe3 Bb7 27. Qf4 Rd8 28. Kh2 Qd7 29. g4
{This is somewhat premature, and would be more effective after
29 Na5 Ba8. But even now White's prospects in the middle and
end game are superior, and he should not have stopped playing
after his opponent's next move.} Bc8 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.22"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "11"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Theodore Tylor"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "C49"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "133"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4
5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Bxc3 {If Black wants to play for a win, he
would do better with first 6...d6. Now White could by
exchanging on his eight move obtain a symmetrical position,
with bishops of opposite colors, and would have no difficulty
in drawing.} 7. bxc3 d6 8. Re1 Qe7 9. Qe2 {Probably with the
object of answering Bg4 with 10 h3 Bh5 11 Qe3. Black's next
move leads to a position known as the Metger Defence., in
which both players hold trumps in their hands- White his two
bishops, Black the sounder pawn position.} Nd8 10. d4 c5
11. Bd3 Kh8 {Black's plan must be to try to induce his
opponent to play d4, when he will be able to develop an
initiative on the king side. He could perhaps attain that
object more quickly by 11...Bg4 but rigidly determined to keep
his bishop.} 12. h3 Ng8 13. Bb2 Ne6 14. g3 f6 15. Kg2 Bd7
16. d5 {This looks rather inconsequent after his attempt (on
his 13th move) to protect d4. But a further delay would be
useless, as Black by ...Rac8, for instance, would sooner or
later force a clearance of the position in the center.} Ng5
17. Nxg5 fxg5 18. Bc1 {Here and in what follows White works up
the right defensive position.} Rf7 19. Be3 Raf8 20. Rh1 Qd8
{The object of this is not quite clear. He could instead play
immediately h6 with Nf6 to follow.} 21. c4 h6 22. Qd2 Nf6
23. Raf1 Nh5 24. f3 Rf6 {! This move will cause the opponent
some difficulty.} 25. h4 {? Very tempting (if in reply g4,
then f4!) but not the best. The only eventual threat from
Black could be met, for instance by 25 Qe1 after there was no
immediate danger for White.} gxh4 26. Rxh4 Nf4+ {? Losing a
pawn without compensation, instead of which he could get an
advantage by 26...Nxg3 27 Kxg3 (27 Bxh6 Nxf1 28 Bg5+ Kg8 29
Bxf1 Rg6) Rg6+ 28 Rg4 Rxf3+ 29 Rxf3 Bxg4!, etc.} 27. Bxf4 exf4
28. Rxf4 g5 29. Rxf6 Qxf6 30. Qd1 {Or immediately 30 f4} Kg8
31. f4 gxf4 32. Rxf4 Qg7 33. Rxf8+ {? The right move was 33
Qf3 with the threat of 34 Rxf8+ Qxf8 35 Qf4.} Kxf8 34. Qf3+
Ke7 35. Qf4 Qg5 36. Be2 Ba4 37. Bd3 Qh5 38. Qh4+ Qxh4 39. gxh4
Kf6 40. Kf3 Ke5 41. Ke3 Bd7 42. c3 Bg4 43. Bc2 Bh3 44. a3 Bf1
45. Bb3 a6 46. Ba2 Bh3 47. Bb1 Bg4 48. Bc2 Bh5 49. Ba4 Bg6
50. Bc2 Be8 51. Bd1 Bd7 52. Bc2 b6 53. Kf3 Bh3 54. Bd3 Bc8
55. Bb1 Bd7 56. Bc2 a5 57. Bd1 Be8 58. Ke3 Bf7 59. Be2 Bg8
60. Bf1 Bh7 61. Bg2 Bg6 62. Bf3 Bf7 63. Be2 Be8 64. Bd1 Bd7
65. Kf3 Bc8 66. Be2 Ba6 67. Ke3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.17"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "A02"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "31"]

1. f4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 Bg4 {This
development of the queen bishop is not very promising, as
black will not be able to avoid the exchange. More usual-just
the same as for White against the Dutch Defence- the king's
fianchetto.} 4. c4 e6 5. Nc3 Nbd7 {Black renounces the
opportunity to exert pressure against d4 and so relieves his
adversary of any possible worries. He should play 5...c5 and
if 6 cxd5 exd5 7 Bb5+ then Nbd7 (or even Nc3) 8 O-O Bd6, etc.,
with better prospects than he has in the actual game.} 6. cxd5
exd5 7. Be2 c6 8. O-O Bxf3 {To prevent d4 followed by Ne5. But
White has now the pair of bishops.} 9. Bxf3 Bb4 10. Qc2 O-O
11. b3 Qe7 12. Na4 {At this point, or even before, White
should have played a3, to preserve his two bishops. After the
text move the position becomes perfectly even, and neither of
the performers seems to enjoy further play.} Ba3 13. Bxa3 Qxa3
14. Rac1 Rfe8 15. Nc3 Rad8 16. Ne2 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.20"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "A02"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1. f4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. Nf3 g5
{The Lasker Attack (Bird-Lasker, 2nd match-game, 1892) leads
to lively situations if White avoids, as in the present game,
the exchange variation : 5 d4 g4 6 Ne5 Bxe5 7 dxe5 Qxd1+ etc.}
5. d4 g4 6. Ng5 {If Black replies ...f5 then 7 e4 h6 8 Nh3
sacrificing a piece for an interesting attack. After Black's
actual move White should keep his superiority without any
sacrifices.} Qe7 7. Qd3 {! Threatening 8 Ne4 and preparing
also for h3.} f5 8. h3 Nc6 9. hxg4 {9 c3 was also to be
considered, but the text move is keener and better.} Nb4
10. Qb3 f4 11. Bd2 {? A tame move which spoils the whole
effect of the energetic opening play. Logical was 11 Rxh7!
Rxh7 (Qxg5 12 Qf7+ followed by 13 Rxh8 and wins) 12 Qxg8+ Kd7
13 Nxh7 Nxc2+ 14 Kd1 Nxa1! 15 e4! fxe3 16 Bxe3 with an
overwhelming attack, as Black must be mated or lose his queen
if he takes the bishop (16...Qxe3 17 Nf6+, etc.). After the
exchanges in the text Black gets ample compensation for his
slight material inferiority.} Nxc2+ 12. Qxc2 Qxg5 13. Nc3 {If
13 Rxh7 then simply rxh7 (not Bf5 14 Qa4+) 17 Qxh7 Bxg4 with a
promising position.} Nf6 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4+ Qe7 16. Qf3
{16 Qxe7+ Kxe7 17 Bc3 Bxg4 18 d5 h5 19 Bxh8 Rxh8 gives Black a
splendid game. White's bishop being imprisoned.} Be6 17. Qxb7
{Not merely for the sake of a pawn but also tp prevent O-O-O.}
O-O 18. Qf3 Qg7 19. Bc3 Bxg4 20. Qd5+ Kh8 21. O-O-O Rae8
22. Rd3 {The only possible attempt to bring the king bishop to
life; but without the opponent's help it certainly could not
succeed.} Bf5 23. Rf3 Be4 {Why such a hurry? After Re7 for
instance, White would be without useful moves.} 24. Qh5 Bxf3
{? So false an appreciation of the position by a player of
Winter's experience can only be due to shortage of time. By
24... c6 25 Rfh3 (d5 26 Be5) Rf7 followed by Bd5 he could
still keep up a tremendous pressure. The "win" of the
exchange, on the contrary, completely changes the aspect of
the game in his opponent's favour.} 25. exf3 Re3 26. Bc4 Rfe8
27. Bb3 R8e7 28. Qf5 c5 {? A last error. But also after
28...Re8 29 Bc2 his position would remain very difficult.}
29. Rxh7+ Qxh7 30. Qf8+ 1-0

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.18"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Milan Vidmar"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "D85"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "46"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5
{After this move, and especially after the next, White can
hardly expect anything but an equal game. Black can easily
mobilise his forces, at the same attacking his opponent's
central pawns. The mode of to-day is 4 Qb3.} Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3
6. bxc3 c5 7. Be3 {Instead of this, 7 Bb5+ in order to
exchange this bishop (as played e.g., by Kashdan at
Folkestone, 1933) would possibly facilitate the defence of the
center.} Bg7 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. h3 {Practically forced as Black
threatened Bg4.} O-O 10. Qd2 Qa5 {!} 11. Bc4 {To prevent
11...Be6 which would be the answer to Rd1.} cxd4 {The right
moment for this simplification, 11...Rd8 12 Rd1 would improve
White's chances.} 12. cxd4 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Rd8 14. Bd5 {After
14 Kc3 Bd7 followed by Rac8 White would gradually get into
trouble.} Bd7 {After this White succeeds in equalising without
difficulty. Also the tempting ...Nxd4 (which in most
variations would leave Black in a superior position) is not
quite satisfactory because of 15 Bxd4 e6 16 Bxg7 Kxg7 17 e5
with a positional advantage for White fully compensating for
the pawn lost. But by the simple 14...e6 15 Bxc6 bxc6
threatening c5 and e5, Black's advantage would be evident. The
establishment of this fact gives to the present short game a
certain theoretical value.} 15. Rab1 e6 16. Bc4 {! Now White
does not need to exchange this valuable bishop, and Black
after a few moves will have to declare himself content with a
draw.} Be8 17. Kd3 Rac8 18. Rhc1 Na5 19. Bb5 Rxc1 20. Bxc1 Nc6
21. Bg5 {! If 21 Be3 Black would succeed by a6 in forcing the
exchange of White's king bishop.} f6 {Not 21...Rd6 22 Be7.}
22. Be3 b6 23. Ke2 Ne7 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.14"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[ECO "B72"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "40"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 {On another
ocassion I would probably have played 3 b4 a sacrifice for
which White in this particular position has to my mind
sufficient strategical reasons. But playing for the first time
with the Soviet Champion, for whose play I have the greatest
appreciation, I did not like the idea of being accused of
overweening confidence, undue boldness ( and this independent
of the result of the game) or of such things as
"underestimating," "bluster", etc.} cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
6. Be2 Bg7 7. Be3 {Already intending to make the following
pawn advance. Otherwise I would first play 7 O-O followed by
Nb3.} Nc6 8. Nb3 Be6 9. f4 {In order to be able to answer
9...d5 by 10 e5.} O-O 10. g4 {I first saw this interesting
move in a game of the talented Slovakian Master, Foltys, from
the recent tournament at Podebrad but did not know that it had
already experimented with in the Moscow Tournament. As the
present game shows, the move permits White to force a quick
draw - but no more.} d5 {! Already played by Botvinnik against
Lowenfish (Moscow, 1936) who answered 11 e5 d4 12 Nxd4 Nxd4 13
Bxd4 Nxg4 14 Qd3 a6 15 O-O-O with about even chances.} 11. f5
Bc8 12. exd5 Nb4 13. d6 {Doubtless the best move. If instead
13 fxg6 hxg6 14 Bf3 then 14...Nxg4 15 Bxg4 Bxg4 16 Qxg4 Nxc2+
17 Ke2 Nxa1 18 Rxa1 Bxc3 19 Qxd5 with rook and three pawns for
two minor pieces.} Qxd6 {Of course not 13...exd6 because of 14
g5 followed by f6.} 14. Bc5 {The alternative 14 Qxd6 exd6 15
O-O-O gxf5 was certainly not dangerous for Black.} Qf4 {!
Again the only move as 14...Qxd1+ 15 Rxd1! Nc6 (...Nxc2+ 16
Kd2) 16 g5 followed by 17 f6 etc., would give White a distinct
advantage.} 15. Rf1 {White, too, has nothing better than to
accept the piece sacrifice.} Qxh2 16. Bxb4 Nxg4 {This second
sacrifice forces the perpetual check.} 17. Bxg4 Qg3+ 18. Rf2
{Of course not 18 Kd2? ...Bh6+ and wins.} Qg1+ 19. Rf1 Qg3+
20. Rf2 Qg1+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.22"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "11"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "C H Alexander"]
[ECO "E11"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "54"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2
{The usual move nowadays is 4 Bd2, in order to develop the
knight on the more natural square c3. But, on the other hand,
if Black wants to avoid the exchange of his king's bishop, he
will now be forced to lose time by retreating it to e7. The
text move therefore cannot be condemned. It has the advantage
anyhow of leading to more complicated lines than the usual
move.} b6 5. g3 Bb7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Bxd2 {? Instead of this
exchange, which yiels White the advantage of the pair of
bishops without necessity, Black could play either d5
(Rubinstein-Alekhine, Semmering, 1926) or even Be7, followed
by d6, Nbd7, etc. In both cases he would have better
equalising prospects than in the actual game.} 8. Qxd2 {The
correct recapture, as the queen bishoop is wanted on the long
diagonal.} d6 9. b3 Nbd7 10. Bb2 Rb8 {Black shows his hand
decidedly to early. The obvious object of the text move is to
play Ne4 followed by f5, for which purpose the bishop must be
protected, to avoid the possible answer Ng5. But the same idea
could have been combined with a mobilisation by 10...Qe7,
11...Rad8, and eventually Ba8.} 11. Rad1 {! An interesting and
effective method of meeting Black's plan. The White queen
bishop is to play in the following development a most
important and practically decisive part.} Ne4 {If Qe7 then 12
Qe3 (Ne4 13 d5).} 12. Qe3 f5 13. d5 {This pawn will only
apparently be weak, as White can always protect it by
counter-attack.} exd5 {e5 instead would lose a pawn by 14
Nh4!} 14. cxd5 Ndf6 15. Nh4 Qd7 {If Nxd5 then 16 Rxd5 Bxd5 17
Qd4 winning a piece.} 16. Bh3 {Again preventing Nxd5 , this
time because of 17 Qxe4.} g6 17. f3 Nc5 18. Qg5 {Threatening
not only 19 Bxf6 but also 19 B or Nxf5; and if 18...Nxd5 then
19 Nxg6 wins. Black's reply is therefore forced.} Qg7 19. b4
Ncd7 {Equally hopeless would be Na4 20 Ba1, etc.} 20. e4 {!
The initial move of the decisive sacrificial combination.}
Nxe4 {Black clearly based his last hopes on this ingenious
stroke. If now 21 Bxg7 Nxg5 22 Bxf8 then Nxf3+ 23 Kg2 Rxf8 24
Kxf3 Nf6 followed by Nxd5 with good fighting chances.} 21. Qc1
{! Much more effective than 21 fxe4 Qxb2 22 exf5 Qf6 yielding
White only a possible win after a laborious end-game.} Nef6
22. Bxf5 {! The surprising sequal to 20 e4. After gxf5 23 Nxf5
Black would either lose his queen or be mated (23...Qh8 24
Nh6+ Kg7 25 Qg5 mate).} Kh8 23. Be6 {At last the d-pawn is
definitely safe.} Ba6 24. Rfe1 Ne5 25. f4 {Far the simplest
way to force resignation.} Nd3 26. Rxd3 Bxd3 27. g4 {There is
no remedy against g5. This game won the special prize for the
most brilliant king side attack at Nottingham.} 1-0

[Event "NED Wch-m (02)"]
[Site "NED Wch-m (02)"]
[Date "1937.10.07"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Max Euwe"]
[ECO "D17"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "81"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4
5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 {I considered it vital to find out
immediately what defence my opponent had in mind against the
line he himself adopted in the first game.} e6 {! Played twice
by Bogoljuboff against me in the 1929 match. As the experiment
did not succeed (he only managed to draw one game with great
difficulty and he lost the other game), the move 6...e6
disappeared from master practice. But, as was proved
especially by the eleventh game of this match, it is much
safer than the fashionable Kmoch variation (6...Nbd7 in
conjunction with Qc7 and e5.)} 7. Bg5 {As after 7 f3 Bb4, the
move 8 e4? would provoke the absolutely sound sacrifice
8...Nxe4! (first played by Mikenas against Dr. Vidmar, Prague,
1931), White must not hurry to form a pawn centre. Still,
after the following answer, he had no better move than 8 f3,
which would lead to the position obtained in the fourth and
eleventh games.} Bb4 {Much more logical and better than
7...Be7 , as played by Bogoljuboff in our fifth match game in
1929.} 8. Nxc4 { Very harmless, inasmuch as Black, instead of
the complicated variation actually selected, could simply play
here 8...h6, and if 9 Bh4 then 9...g5 10 Bg3 Ne4 11 Rc1 (or 11
Qb3 Na6) c5,etc., with at least equal prospects.} Qd5 {Also a
good move which leads after a short, sharp intermezzo to an
equally balanced position.} 9. Bxf6 {The alternative, 9 Ne3
Qa5 10 Nxf5 Qxf5 etc., was even less promising. And if 9 Qb3,
then 9...Na6.} Qxc4 {Better than 9...gxf6 10 Ne3 Qa5 11 Qb3
with slightly better prospects for White.} 10. Qd2 {The only
move, as 10 Rc1? would have been refuted by 10...gxf6 11 e4
Qa2, etc.} gxf6 11. e4 Qb3 12. exf5 Nd7 13. fxe6 fxe6 14. Be2
O-O-O 15. O-O {These last few moves were practically forced
and the position thus reached offers about equal attacking
possibilities for both sides.} e5 {This logical move—which
brings the knight into a strong position and opens the queen's
file to Black's advantage—has been, in my opinion, unduly
criticized. In any event 15...Nb6, which was recommended
instead, would expose Black to dangerous threats after 16 a5
Na4 17 Qe3 Nxb2 18 Rfc1—and this without offering him any real
winning prospects.} 16. dxe5 Nxe5 17. Qc1 Bxc3 {As 18 Ne4 was
not really a strong threat, this exchange should have been
postponed till a more appropriate moment. Black should have
played 17...Rhg8; for if 18 Ne4 (18 Qe3 Qxb2) then ...Nf3+ 19
Bxf3 Qxf3 20 Ng3 Qg4, etc., with quite a satisfactory
position. After the move in the text White obtains the better
chances because his bishop will prove superior to the knight
as soon as the Black piece is dislodged from e5.} 18. bxc3
Rhg8 19. Qe3 Kb8 {Not absolutely necessary, as he could
indirectly protect his queen rook's pawn by playing 19...Qd5
20 g3 Qd2; but then after 21 Qxd2 Rxd2 22 Rfe1 (here if ...Nd3
23 Rad1!) White's endgame chances would still be the better.}
20. g3 Rd7 21. Rab1 {!} Qc2 22. Rfe1 {! The most subtle move
of the game, by which White prepares the important f4. The
immediate advance of that pawn would be refuted by 22...Rd2 23
Rfe1 Nd3.} Qd2 23. Qxd2 Rxd2 24. f4 Ng6 25. Bc4 Rgd8 {Or
25...Rg7 26 Re8+ Kc7 27 Kh1! with advantage to White.} 26. Re6
{! In order to exchange one pair of rooks. It must be noted
that Black cannot play 26...Rc2 on account of 27 Ba6 b6 28
Rxc6.} R8d6 27. Rbe1 Kc7 28. Rxd6 Rxd6 {If 28...Kxd6, then 20
Bg8, threatening both 30 Bxh7 and 30 Re6+.} 29. h4 {In order
to play the king to f2 without being disturbed by the rook
check on the second rank.} Kd7 30. Kf2 Ne7 31. Kf3 Nd5 {After
this loss of time Black's position becomes rapidly hopeless,
as the White king will be able to attack and win the pawn on
h7. But it is to be doubted if the game could be saved even by
the best answer, 31 ...f5 Then White would not play
immediately 32 g4 because of 32...fxg4+ 33 Kxg4 Rg6+, followed
by 34...Nf5 with counterattack; but he would play first 32 h5,
after which g4 would free his king bishop's pawn with
disastrous effect for Black since the latter's majority on the
queen side has a nominal value only, owing to the passive
position of his pieces.} 32. Bd3 h6 33. Bf5+ Kd8 34. Kg4 Ne7
{Or 34...Nxc3 35 Kh5 Nxa4 36 Kxh5, followed by the victorious
advance of the passed king rook's pawn.} 35. Bb1 Ke8 {If
35...Rd5 then 36 f5, etc.} 36. Kh5 Kf7 37. Ba2+ Kf8 38. Kxh6
Rd2 {The main variation was 38...Nf5+ 39 Kg6 Nxg3 40 f5
followed by the advance of the rook's pawn.} 39. Be6 Rd3
40. g4 Rxc3 41. g5 {Even simpler than 41 Rd1 Nd5. If
41...fxg5, then fxg5.} 1-0

[Event "Madrid"]
[Site "Madrid"]
[Date "1941.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "I Naharro"]
[ECO "B10"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "24"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine After the moves 1 e4 c6 2 Nc3 d5 3
Nf3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 one arrives at a position analagous to the
normal variation (with 2 d4) and Black might be tempted to
continue in the same way, that is to say 4...Bf5. In reality
this move is an important loss of time here and frequently
leads to swift catas trophe.} c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4
Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 {? The lesser evil would be 5...Bg4.} 6. h4 h6
7. Ne5 {! Herein lies the difference with the variation whivh
begins by 2 d4: White can at once attack the bishop, which can
choose only between the square h7 and an exchange which
weakens the pawn structure in a decisve way.} Nd7 8. Nxg6 fxg6
9. d4 {! This prevents 9...Ne5.} e5 10. Qg4 Qf6 11. Be3 {! The
best. Less effective would have been 11Bg5 Qf7 etc. But if
Black castles then 12 Bg5! is played.} Ne7 {? Black should not
lose so quickly, although strategically and in the long run
his game could not be defended.} 12. Ne4 {Winning the queen.}
1-0

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1941.09.18"]
[EventDate "1941.09.08"]
[Round "13"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Peter Leepin"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "A22"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "40"]

1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5
5. Bg2 Nb6 6. a4 {This move is not recommendable at this stage
of the game, since white obtains no advantage and at the same
time gives up to Black the square b4.} a5 7. d3 Bb4 {the first
consequence of white's sixth move; otherwise the bishop would
modestly have had to satisfy itself with the square e7.}
8. Nf3 Nc6 9. O-O O-O 10. Be3 Bg4 11. Rc1 f5 {! A precisely
calculated pawn sacrifice, the acceptance of which leads to
rapid destruction foreseen by black here on the eleventh
move.} 12. Ng5 {Apparently effective in view of the threats 13
Ne6 and 13 Qb3+.} f4 {!} 13. Bxb6 Qxg5 14. Bxc7 Qh5 {Moe
efficacious than 14...Nd4, to which White would have been able
to respond with 15 f3. But now this move is impossible in view
of 15...Bc5+ with an immediate win.} 15. Bxc6 {This eliminates
one enemy but there still remains sufficient reserves. 15 Bf3
would also have lost quickly after 15...Bxf3, followed by
...Rf6.} bxc6 16. Rc2 {If 16 Re1 then 16...fxg3 17 hxg3 Rxf2!
18 Kxf2 Bc5+.} Bxc3 {The most exact. In the continuation from
the plausible 16...f3 white would have been able to stop the
direct mating threats with 17 h4! Bxc3 18 Rxc3 fxe2 19 Qb3+,
followed by 20 Re1 etc.} 17. Rxc3 Bxe2 18. Qb3+ Kh8 19. Re1
Qh3 {! This reveals the idea behind the exchange on the
sixteenth move. For the only plausible move, 20 f3, I had
prepared mate in eight moves: 20...fxg3! 21 Rxe2 Rxf3 22 Rc1
Raf8 23 Qd1 (or 23 Rg2 gxh2+ and mate in two) Rf2! 24 Rxf2
gxf2+ 25 Kh1 f1 (Q)+ etc.} 20. Bxe5 {After this move Black has
the agreeable choice between mate with 20...f3 or with
20...Bf3.} f3 {!} 0-1

[Event "Lublin"]
[Site "Lublin"]
[Date "1942.10.17"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Klaus Junge"]
[ECO "C86"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. e4 {Annotation by Alexander Alekhine.} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Qe2 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 {In
connection with the following move this is a safe method of
preparing to counter the aggressive plan of Black which was
indicated by his seventh move.} d5 9. d3 dxe4 {The opening of
the queen's file is to White's advantage. But 9...d4 10. cxd4
Nxd4 11. Nxd4 Qxd4 12. Nc3 followed by 13. Be3 would also have
involved some difficulty for Black.} 10. dxe4 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5
12. Bg5 {Preventing 12...Na5 which would be refuted by 13. g4
Bg6 14. Nxe5 simply winning a pawn.} Ne8 13. Bxe7 Bxf3 {If
immediately 13...Nxe7 then 14. g4 etc.} 14. Qxf3 Nxe7 15. Rd1
Nd6 16. Nd2 c6 {A better defensive idea would have been
16...Kh8 in order to be able to answer 17.Bc2 with 17...c6 and
17.Nf1 with 17...f5.} 17. Nf1 Qc7 18. a4 {The opening of the
a-file in the Ruy Lopez is almost without exception favourable
to White.} Rad8 19. Ng3 Nec8 20. axb5 axb5 21. Nf5 {In order
to maintain, after the possible exchange, a new weapon of
attack in the form of the pawn at f5.} Nb6 22. Qe3 Nxf5 {after
22...Nbc4 White would acquire a decisive positional advantage
by means of 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.Qc5!} 23. exf5 c5 {It is already
the end. To 23...Nd5 White would have replied 24.Qf3 after
which Black's position could not be held.} 24. f6 gxf6 25. Qh6
f5 26. Bxf7+ {An elegant finish. Whether or not he captures
the bishop Black loses material.} Qxf7 27. Rxd8 Na4 28. b3 {If
28...Nxc3 there follows 29.Raa8.} 1-0

[Event "Crakow"]
[Site "Crakow"]
[Date "1942.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Werner Eberhardt Kunerth"]
[ECO "D46"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "113"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c6
5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 {The Meran Variation 6...dxc4 7 Bxc4 b5
8 Bd3 a6 - so popular in the past - is less frequently played
nowadays.} 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Nf6 10. Bc2 Bb4+
11. Kf1 {Sharper and much better than 11 Bd2 which is refuted
by 11...Qa5.} b6 12. h4 Bb7 13. Rh3 Bd6 14. Qe2 Qc7 15. b3 {
More energetic would have been 15 Bd2 O-O-O 16 B4! and if
16...c5 then 17 dxc5 bxc5 18 b5.} O-O-O 16. Bb2 h6 {Instead of
this passive move 16...c5 would be preferable.} 17. Ne5 Rhe8
{?} 18. a3 {!} Bxe5 {After this exchange Black's situation
remains extremely precarious. But now 18...c5 would solve
nothing owing to 19 b4!} 19. dxe5 Nd7 20. Rg3 g5 {A desperate
move since 20...g6 21 b4 could not offer Black worse
prospects.} 21. hxg5 hxg5 22. Rxg5 Rh8 23. Qg4 {! Much
superior to 23 Rh5 c5 followed by 24...Qc6 with an effective
threat.} c5 24. Ke2 Nb8 25. Rd1 Nc6 26. Rd6 Rhf8 27. Rxd8+
Qxd8 28. Rg7 Kb8 29. Qf4 Qd7 30. Qd2 {simpler than 30 g4 etc.}
Qe7 31. Qd6+ Qxd6 32. exd6 e5 33. Bf5 Nd4+ 34. Bxd4 exd4
35. g4 b5 36. Kd3 {! And not 36 cxb5 Bd5 37 Bc2 Rd8.} Ba6
37. g5 bxc4+ 38. bxc4 Bb7 39. f4 Bg2 40. Kd2 {A shorter road
to victory would have been 40 Ke2!} Bf1 41. Bd3 Bxd3 42. Kxd3
Kc8 43. Rh7 Kd7 44. Rh6 f6 45. g6 Re8 46. Rh5 Re3+ { or
46...Kxd6 47 Rd5+ Kc6 48 Rf5.} 47. Kd2 Rg3 48. Rxc5 Kxd6
49. Rd5+ Ke7 {If 49...Kc6 then 50 Rg5! fxg5 51 f5 etc.} 50. f5
Rxa3 51. Rxd4 Rg3 52. Re4+ Kd6 53. Re6+ Kc5 54. Rxf6 Kxc4
55. Rf7 a5 56. g7 Kd4 57. f6 1-0

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1942.09.15"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Gedeon Barcza"]
[ECO "C78"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "57"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6
5. O-O Be7 6. Nc3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. Nd5 {!? With this intersting
move I defeated Bogoljubov in the Munich tournament last
year. The correct continuation for Black is 8...Na5 when White
has at his disposal no particularly advantageous line.} Bg4
9. c3 O-O {If Black had played ...Nxe4 either now or on his
previous move the reply d4! would have had a demolishing
affect.} 10. h3 {! Forcing the Bishop to declare its plans at
this stage is very precise. After 10...Bh5 White would play 11
d3 without the loss of time.} Be6 11. d4 Kh8 {! Preparing
against 12 Nxe7 which would now be refuted by means of
12...Bxb3 13 Nxc6 Bxd1 14 Nxd8 Bxf3 etc.} 12. Re1 Nd7 {And not
12...Na5 because of the reply 13 Nxe7 Nxb3 14 Nc6 Qd7 15 axb3,
followed by d5.} 13. Bc2 f6 14. a4 Na7 {If 14...Rb8 then 15
axb5 axb5 16 Ra6 with a good game.} 15. axb5 axb5 16. Be3
{Again threatening 17 Nxe7, winning a piece.} c5 17. dxc5 dxc5
18. Ra6 {! With the threat 19 Qe1} Bxd5 19. exd5 Qc8 20. Qa1
Qb7 21. b4 {! It will no longer now be possible to avoid 22 d6
etc.} Rfb8 22. d6 Bd8 23. bxc5 Rc8 24. Ra2 e4 {Veritable
desperation. If 24...Nxc5 there follows 25 Bxc5 Rxc5 26 Be4
etc.} 25. Bxe4 Qxe4 26. Bd4 Qg6 27. Rxa7 Rxa7 28. Qxa7 Ne5
29. Bxe5 1-0

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1942.09.18"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Paul Keres"]
[ECO "E17"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. c4 Bb7 4. g3 e6
5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. b3 {Avoiding the inevitable
simplification that would occur after 7 Nc3 Ne4!} d5
{Recommendable too is 7...c5 since 8 d5 would be answered by
8...Nxd5!, followed by 9...Bf6.} 8. Ne5 c6 {8...c5 is of
course more enterprising.} 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. Nd2 c5 11. e3
{Sustaing the central tension and at the same time gaining a
certain advantage in space.} Rc8 12. Rc1 Rc7 13. Qe2 Qa8 {?
The rook at c7 is not secure, and this move helps white to
undertake a favourable mobilization. Much better was 13...Qb8,
followed by 14...Rfc8.} 14. cxd5 Nxd5 15. e4 N5f6 16. b4 {!
Taking the greatest possible advantage of the deficient
position of the Black rook at c7.} Rfc8 17. dxc5 bxc5 18. b5
a6 {? Also after 18...Nxe5 19 Bxe5 Rd7 20 Nb3 Black's game
would be inferior but allowing the opening of the a-file is
practically suicidal.} 19. a4 axb5 20. axb5 Qa2 {Keres must
have overlooked the rejoinder. In any case his position is
already hopeless.} 21. Nec4 {!} Qa8 22. Bxf6 {! Winning the
exchange anyway.} gxf6 {If 22...Bxf6 23 b6 or 22...Nxf6 23 Nb6
etc.} 23. b6 Rc6 24. e5 Rxb6 25. Nxb6 Nxb6 26. Bxb7 Qxb7
27. exf6 Bxf6 28. Ne4 Be7 29. Qg4+ Kh8 30. Qf4 {! Threatening
not only 31 Qxf7 but also 31 Nxc5!} Bf8 31. Nxc5 Qc7 {After
32...Rxc5 White would recover the piece either at d4 or at
e5.} 32. Nxe6 Qxf4 33. Nxf4 1-0

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1942.09.24"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Braslav Rabar"]
[ECO "E02"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "53"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4
5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qxc4 Bc6 7. Nf3 Bd5 {Black loses too many tempi
with these bishop moves. Better is 7...Nbd7 and if 8 Nc3 then
8...Nb6 9 Qd3 Bb4, as it was played in the game Junge-Alekhine
in the same tournament.} 8. Qd3 c5 9. Nc3 Bc6 {If 9...cxd4
there would follow 10 Nxd5 Qxd5 11 O-O with the strong threat
of 12 Nxd4.}10. O-O Nbd7 11. Rd1 cxd4 {If 11...Be7 then 12 e4
and White with the threat of 13 d5, would practically force
the exchange at d4, which would guarantee him the advantage of
the bishop pair.} 12. Nxd4 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 Be7 14. Qf3 {The
queen now exerts strong pressure on the enemy queen's side.}
Qb6 {this move will be refuted by energetic combinative
play. but 14...Qb8 15 Nb3 with the threat of 16 Bf4 would be
equally unsatisfactory.} 15. Be3 {! The consequences of this
move are not very difficult to calculate, but it is
interesting to prove that from this moment onwards Black
already lacks any satisfactory defence. Against 15 Qxb2 White
replies 16 Ncb5 and if 15...Ne5 there would follow 16 Ndb5!}
O-O 16. Nf5 Bc5 {This apparent salvation will be refuted by a
well-concealed combination. Nor would the alternative 16...Qd8
17 Nxe7+ Qxe7 18 Qxb7 Rfb8 19 Qc7 Rxb2 20 Bd4 have saved the
game.} 17. Na4 Qa5 18. Nxc5 Nxc5 19. Nxg7 {! This wins at
least a pawn and leads to a simply won ending. The only reply
- excluding the text - would be 19...Nce4, against which White
would first have forced the black queen to abandon the fifth
rank and would then have occupied the long diagonal with the
bishop, with decisive effect: 20 b4! Qe5 21 Bf4 Qb5 (or
21...Qc3 22 Nh5!!) 22 a4! Qxb4 23 Be5 etc.} Kxg7 20. Bd4 {the
strngth of this move lies mainly in the fact that after
20...Nd7 White simply plays 21 Bc3, with the unavoidable
threat of 22 Rxd7.} Ne4 21. Qxe4 Qf5 {The endgame that follows
is without any technical difficulties.} 22. Qxf5 exf5 23. Rac1
Rfe8 24. Rc7 Rxe2 25. Rxb7 Kg6 26. Bxf6 Kxf6 27. Rd6+ {If
27...Kg7 there follows 28 Rdd7 Rf8 29 Kf3 Rc2 30 Rdc7 Rd2 31
Ke3.} 1-0

[Event "Crakow"]
[Site "Crakow"]
[Date "1942.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "C13"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "84"]

1. e4 {Annotation by Alexander Alekhine.} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 {This interesting attack was
introduced by me at Mannheim in 1914 and since then has been
incorporated into master praxis.} c5 {One of the numerous
replies which are possibe but which do not present White with
any difficulties Much more is promising is 6...f6.} 7. Bxe7
Kxe7 {if 7...Qxe7 there follows 8 Nb5.} 8. Qg4 Kf8 9. Nf3 Nc6
{With the offer of an exchange of queens by 9...cxd4 10 Qxd4
Qb6 Black could obtain approxmate compensation.} 10. dxc5 Nxc5
{sharper would have been 10...Ndxe5 11 Nxe5 Nxe5 12 Qg3 f6.}
11. O-O-O a6 12. Rh3 h6 {Usually Black does not worry about
the king's side and seeks counter play on the queen's
flank. This move is not corrected and, as will be seen, White
manages to take possesion of and exploit the strong strategic
point d4. The opportune move would have been 12... Qc7 13 Rg3
f6 14 exf6 gxf6 with changes of a counter of attack.} 13. Rg3
Rg8 14. Bd3 Nxd3+ 15. Rxd3 Qb6 16. Rd2 Qc7 17. Qf4 Bd7 18. Ne2
Rc8 19. Ned4 Na5 20. Rd3 Nc4 21. b3 Qa5 {A blow which is based
on a tactical calculation. With ...Na5-c6 Black would have
been able to defend himself for some time but I had already
lost my taste for this position and also my confidence in the
resistance I would be able to offer.} 22. bxc4 dxc4 23. Re3 c3
{Too late I realized that 23...Qxa2 is refuted by 24 Nd2! with
the double threat of 25. Ra3 and 25 Ref3} 24. Nb3 Qa3+ 25. Kd1
a5 26. Nfd4 Ke7 27. Ref3 Be8 28. Ne2 Qb2 29. Nxc3 Rd8+ 30. Rd3
Bc6 {In case of 30...Qxc3 there would follow 31 Rxd8 attacking
the queen.} 31. Qc4 Rxd3+ 32. Rxd3 Rc8 33. Qc5+ Ke8 34. Qxa5
Bxg2 35. f3 Bf1 36. Qb5+ Kf8 37. Qxb7 Re8 38. Rd7 Kg8 39. Qc7
Rf8 40. Rd8 Rxd8+ 41. Qxd8+ Kh7 42. Kd2 {I resigned a few
moves later. Bogoljubov exploited my mistakes very well,
winning the game in elegant style.} 1-0

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1942.09.22"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Paul Keres"]
[Black "K Richter"]
[ECO "A28"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "118"]

1.c4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4
5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 g5 {Unexpected but a stroke that is
characteristic of the German player} 8.Bg3 d6 9.Rc1 {Better
would have been 9.e3 or 9.f3} Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Bf5 11.h4 {? A
considerable loss of time. 11.f3 would be better.} Kd7 {!
Intrepid and well inspired. If now 12.Be5 then 12...Bc5
13.Bxf6 Bxd4 14.Bxd8 Raxd8 with advantage to Black.} 12.Rd1
Ne4 13.Qe5 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Nxg3 15.fxg3 {Also after 15.Qxg3 b6
Black would have the better game.} Bg6 16.hxg5 Qxg5 {At this
moment White has some counter-attacking chances and Keres
makes use of them with the ingenious spirit in which he
specializes. This opportunity could be avoided by means of
16...hxg5 17.Rxh8 Qxh8 and White's disorganized pawnswould
guarantee Black a good endgame.} 17.Qf4 Rae8 18.Rd5 {! Forcing
the undoubling of one of the pawns.} Qxf4 19.gxf4 b6 20.Kf2 h5
21.e3 h4 22.Be2 Be4 23.Rg5 Reg8 24.Bg4+ Kc6 25.Rxg8 Rxg8
26.Rxh4 Kc5 27.Bf3 Bxf3 28.Kxf3 Kxc4 {In spite of all his
efforts, the White king has not succeeded in counter-balancing
all the advantages that his rival obtained in the
opening. However, as we shall see later on, this advantage
should not be decisive.} 29.Rh7 Rf8 30.g4 Kxc3 31.Ke4 c5 32.g5
c4 33.Kd5 Kb4 34.e4 c3 35.Rh2 Rc8 36.Rc2 b5 37.f5 a5 38.Kxd6
{? The decisive mistake. Instead of this unfortunate move,
necessary was 38.Kd4 with good chances of salvation. Let us
look at two principal variations: (a)38...Rg8 39.Rg2! c2
40.Rxc2 Rxg5 41.Kd5 Rg4 42.Re2 Kc3 43.Kxd6 Kd3
44.Rf2. (b)38...a4 39.Kd3 Ka3 40.Rxc3+ Rxc3+ 41.Kxc3 b4+
42.Kd4 b3 43.g6} Kc4 39.e5 b4 40.Kd7 Ra8 41.e6 fxe6 42.f6 a4
43.g6 b3 44.axb3 axb3 45.Rxc3+ Kxc3 46.f7 b2 47.g7 b1=Q
48.f8=Q Qb7+ {? Immediately decisive was 48...Qb5+ because if
49.Kxe6 then 49...Ra6+ winning in a few moves.} 49.Kxe6 Ra6+
50.Ke5 Qb5+ 51.Kf4 Ra4+ 52.Kg3 Qd3+ 53.Qf3 Ra8 54.g8=Q Rxg8+
{Here or on the previous move exchanging queens would have
sufficed.} 55.Kh2 Rh8+ 56.Kg1 {A king that does not want to
resign!} Rg8+ 57.Kh2 Kc2 58.Qc6+ Kd1 59.Qf3+ Qe2+ 0-1

[Event "Warsaw"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1942.??.??"]
[EventDate "2003.10.18"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Hans Ropstorff"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine.} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6
5. d3 d6 6. c4 {A system which, thirty years ago, enjoyed the
favour of the Bohemian champion Duras but which has been
demonstrated to be totally inoffensive. In this game too,
Black manages to get a good position without difficulty.}
6... Be7 7. Nc3 $1 O-O 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Nd5 f5 10. O-O Kh8
11. Bc2 Bf6 {11... f4 was to be considered here as a
preparation for a pawn attack. For example 12. Bd2 g5 13. Bc3
Nh6 14. d4 Nf7 etc., but it was also interesting to maintain
the tension and await developments.} 12. d4 {A correct and
very dynamic move.} 12... exd4 13. Bxd4 fxe4 {Bogoljubov does
not want to submit himself to a cautious line, as in the case
of 13... Bxd4 14. Nxd4 fxe4 15. h3 Nf6 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Nxf6
Qxf6 18. Bxe4 Rb8 and prefers to launch into the hazardous
gain of a pawn.} 14. Bxf6 (14. Bxe4 { is a mistake owing to}
14... Bxd4 15. Nxd4 Qh4) 14... Nxf6 15. Nxf6 Qxf6 16. Bxe4
Qxb2 17. Ng5 $1 g6 (17... h6 18. Qh5 {gaining material})
18. Rb1 Qf6 19. Qd2 h6 20. Nh3 Kg7 21. Rb3 Nd4 22. Rg3 Bf5 {
This apparently plausible move is revealed to be a fatal
decision. Correct is 22... Nf5 23. Rf3 Qd4 24. Qc2 Re8! with
better fighting chances for Black. } 23. Nf4 Kh7 24. Bxf5 Nxf5
{24... gxf5 25. Rg6 would follow with decisive effect.}
25. Rxg6 Qd4 26. Qc1 { maintaining the threat Ne6} 26... Rg8
27. Rd1 Qh8 $2 { Now there is no possible hope. It was
absolutely essential to play 27... Qe5 28. Re1 Qd4 29. Ne6
with a possible draw through the continuation 29... Qd3
30. Rxg8 Rxg8 31. Nxc7 Qf3. White would not find himself in
danger of deficit.} 28. Rxg8 Rxg8 29. Qb1 { decisive.}
29... Rf8 30. Ne6 Rf7 31. Nd4 Qf6 32. g4 Qg5 33. Nxf5 Qxg4+
34. Ng3+ Kg8 35. Re1 Kf8 36. Qb2 Qg7 37. Qe2 Qd4 38. Qe8+ Kg7
39. Nh5+ Kg6 40. Qg8+ { A game played with the strong
energetic initiative which is characteristic of the
representative of Cracow.} 1-0

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1942.09.21"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Klaus Junge"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "E25"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "80"]

1.d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3
{Bogoljubov takes it upon himself to demonstrate in practice
the deficiency of this treatment of the Nimzowitsch defence by
White, and herein lies the value of this game, although it was
inadequately played by Junge.} d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5
exd5 {! After 7...Nxd5 White could have played 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e4
with an excellent game.} 8.e3 Bf5 {!} 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.Qb3 {? A
loss of time which is all the more noticeable given White's
retarded development. Necessary was the move 10.dxc5, followed
eventually by Nd4.} O-O 11.Ng3 {If 11.Qxb7 there would follow
...Na5 12.Qa6 Nb3 13.Ra2 Qe7, followed by ...Rfe8 with clear
advantage to Black.} Bg6 12.dxc5 Qe7 13.c4 {? After this grave
error the battle is practically resolved. But also after
13.Be2 h5! White's position would be mortally threatened.} Nd4
14.Qc3 Nc2+ 15. Kf2 Nxa1 16.Qxa1 Qxc5 17.cxd5 Nxd5 {The
technical problem of forcing victory is undertaken by Black in
irreproachable style} 18.Be2 Rfe8 19.Qd4 Qxd4 20.exd4 Rac8
21.Bd2 Rc2 22.Rd1 Nc3 23.Bxc3 Rxc3 24.f4 f6 25.a4 b6 26.Bb5
Rd8 27.Ne2 Rc2 28.Kf3 Bf7 29.g4 Bc4 30.Bxc4+ Rxc4 31.Ra1 Rd5
32.Ke4 Ra5 33.f5 Rcxa4 34. Rxa4 Rxa4 35.Kd5 Ra2 36.Nf4 Kf7
37.Kd6 b5 38.Kc5 a6 39.Nd5 Rxh2 40.Nc7 Rc2+ 0-1

[Event "Munich"]
[Site "Munich (DEU)"]
[Date "1942.09.24"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Gedeon Barcza"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "E04"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "89"]

1.Nf3 {Notes by Alekhine} c5 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.O-O Nc6 5.d4
e6 6.c4 {The strength of White's treatment of the opening is
more apparent than real. As this game also demonstrates, Black
can reach a comfortable position without great effort.} dxc4
7.Qa4 Bd7 8.dxc5 Na5 {!} 9.Qc2 Bxc5 10.Ne5 Rc8 11.Bd2 b5 {The
simple reply 11...O-O would also be fairly acceptable. But
Black is more ambitious.} 12.Nxd7 Nxd7 13.Qc3 Nc6 14.Bxc6 Rxc6
15.Qxg7 Qf6 16.Qg4 Qd4 {!} 17.Qxd4 Bxd4 18.Bc3 e5 {? With the
simple move 18...Bxc3 19.Nxc3 a6 Black would have assured
himself of a comfortable and favorable endgame.} 19.a4 {! A
powerful move which changes the aspect of the battle.} b4
20.Bxb4 Bxb2 21.Ra2 c3 {Also after 21...Bd4 22.Rc2 the c-pawn
would finally succumb.} 22.Bxc3 Bxc3 23.Rc1 Ke7 24.Rxc3 Rhc8
25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Nd2 Rc3 {Notwithstanding his pawn advantage,
the final phase is not an expeditious triumph for White since
Black has greater space available for his forces. Barcza
treats the ending with exquisite finesse until obtaining
victory.} 27.f3 Nc5 28.Kf2 f5 29.Rb2 {!} Kd6 30.a5 Kc7 31.Rb5
e4 {? Greater drawing chances were offered by 31...a6 32.Rb6
Ra3 etc.} 32.fxe4 fxe4 33.Nf1 Kc6 34.Rb8 Ra3 35.Rh8 Rxa5
36.Rxh7 Ra2 37.g4 {The advance of this pawn quickly forces
victory.} a5 38.g5 Rb2 39.g6 Rb8 40.g7 Rg8 41.Ne3 Ne6 42.Nf5
Kc5 43.Rh8 Rxg7 44.Nxg7 Nxg7 45.h4 1-0

[Event "Prague"]
[Site "Prague"]
[Date "1943.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Milan Bartosek"]
[ECO "C07"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "68"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 Nc6
5. Bb5 {White's inclination is to maintain the tension in the
center for as long as possible. Black's next move although
fairly plausible, is nonetheless a mistake which is perhaps
decisive. Relatively better would be 5...cxd4 whereupon White
can castle since the defence of the pawn at d4 would only
create difficulties for Black.} Bd7 6. exd5 exd5 7. O-O Nxd4
{It is quite clear that Black will not manage to castle on the
king's side. Through the exchanges arising from the text move
one perceives that he is trying to prepare to castle long,
which furnishes him -although only comparatively so- with the
best chance of resistance.} 8. Nxd4 cxd4 9. Qe2+ Be7 10. Nf3
Bxb5 11. Qxb5+ Qd7 12. Qe2 O-O-O {If 12...Nf6 then, naturally,
13 Re1 and Black cannot castle.} 13. Bf4 {! Virtually forcing
the exchange of bishops and at the same time eliminating a
very useful defensive piece.} Bd6 14. Bxd6 Qxd6 15. Nxd4 Nf6
{The problem of creating an attack is not very easy to
resolve. Neither 16 Nf5 Qf4! nor 16 Nb5 Qb6 would have any
result. On the other hand Black is going to occupy the e-file
with his rooks, which will procure a counter-attacking
advantage. White's next move is the only one likely to give
him a lasting initiative.} 16. Qf3 {! This threatens 17 Nf5
and at the same time 17 Nb5.} Qb6 17. Rfd1 Rhe8 {It is clear
that the capture of the b-pawn, either now or on the following
moves, would have deadly consequences for Black.} 18. a4 Re4
19. a5 Qc5 {For example, if 19...Qxb2 then 20 c3!} 20. c3 Rde8
21. h3 {! Making use of a moment's respite to open up an
escape square for the king. This move will be found in
analogous positions in many of my games.} Qc7 22. a6 b6 23. c4
{! 23 Nb5 Qc5 24 Nxa7+? Kb8 would be premature but the move
played is very effective because against 23...dxc4 White
responds with 24 Nb5 winning the exchange.} Qc5 24. Nf5
{Threatening to win by 25 Nxg7.} Qb4 25. cxd5 Rf4 26. Qd3 Re5
27. Rac1+ Kd7 {If 27...Kb8 then 28 d6 etc.} 28. Ne3 Ne4
29. Ng4 {!} Re8 30. g3 {This wins at least the exchange since
the rook cannot retreat because of 31 Rc4. But 30 Rc4 played
immediately would constitute an error owing to 30...Nxf2!} Nc5
{This move allows an even more rapid finish.} 31. Rxc5 Re1+
32. Rxe1 Qxe1+ 33. Kg2 Rxg4 34. Qf5+ {followed by mate in a
few moves.} 1-0

[Event "Prague"]
[Site "Prague"]
[Date "1943.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Friedrich Saemisch"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "C79"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "54"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6
5. O-O d6 6. Re1 {Better would have been Bxc6+ followed by
d4.} b5 7. Bb3 Na5 {The exchange of the White king's bishop
gives Black the present of the best prospects of obtaining
equality.} 8. d4 Nxb3 9. axb3 Nd7 {More common and perhaps
better is 9...Bb7. The text move in any case, provides White
with a problem which is not very easy to resolve.} 10. dxe5
{And-after forty-five minutes reflection!-Samisch, dismayed,
decides upon a liquidation which hands over to Black a very
peaceful game. Schmidt in his game against Keres at Salzburg
1943 played the proper manoeuver: 10 Bd2! followed by
Ba5. Black had to make considerable efforts to achieve a drawn
game.} Nxe5 {Not 10...dxe5 because of 11 Qd5.} 11. Nxe5 dxe5
12. Qxd8+ Kxd8 {The two Bishops promise Black a few remote
prospects but the exploitation of this advantage is not an
easy matter.} 13. Be3 Bb7 14. Nd2 {Nc3 would be simpler.} Bd6
15. f3 Ke7 16. Bf2 Ke6 17. Nf1 g6 {It is evident that Black
must attempt to open up the game in order to leave the field
free for his bishops.} 18. c3 a5 {In order to prevent 19 b4,
followed by Nd2-b3-c5.} 19. Ra2 {This move has no effect. But
it is already difficult to indicate a good defensive plan for
White.} Ra6 20. Ne3 f5 21. exf5+ gxf5 22. Nc2 Kf7 {! This
prevents 23 Nd4+. In this position f7 is the best square for
the king.} 23. b4 {White, after strenuous efforts, will
succeed in exchanging one bishop but in the meantime Black
will have secured other advantages.} a4 24. Bc5 Rg8 25. Kf2
Rc6 {! After this move White must make a decision: yield to
his opponent the command of the queen's file or opt for a new
restriction on the activity of his pieces after 26 Be3 f4
etc. In this latter case Black would also conserve excellent
winning chances.} 26. Bxd6 Rxd6 27. Re2 {? Losing
immediately. In any case even if he had played 27 g3
(definitely not 27 Rxe5 Rd2+ 28 Re2 Rxg2+! winning a piece)
which was the best move, he would not have saved the game. For
instance 27...Bd5 28 Raa1 Bc4 29 Rad1 Rgd8 30 Rxd6 Rxd6 and
the entry of the rook to the seventh rank will be decisive.}
Bd5 {This wins the exchange after 28 Ra1 Bc4, and all further
fight is impossible.} 0-1

[Event "Warsaw"]
[Site "Warsaw"]
[Date "1943.03.28"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "D30"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "64"]

1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dxc4
5. Qa4+ Qd7 {The exchange of Queens that Black will force with
this maneuver gives him very few advantages, because it does
not solve the chief problem, which is the development of the
queen's bishop.} 6. Qxc4 Qc6 7. Nbd2 Qxc4 8. Nxc4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2
Bxd2+ 10. Ncxd2 {Preferable to 10 Nfxd2 which, after 10...Nc6
11 Nf3 Nb4! would have offered Black some changes. Despite the
simplification Black still faces a difficult problem: if he is
compelled to play ...c6 what future will be left for the
bishop? Boglojubov takes a radical measure; with t6he aim of
protecting the points he prepares to castle long. In the
continuation we shall see the weak side of this strategy.} Nc6
11. Bg2 Bd7 12. O-O O-O-O 13. Rac1 Rhe8 14. Nc4 {It goes
without saying that White will not allow ...e5.} Re7 15. a3
Be8 16. Rfd1 Nd5 17. b4 Nb6 18. b5 {! An important move which
forces the knight to withdraw and permits the blocking of the
queen's side. For if 18...Nxc4 then 19 bxc6 Nxa3 20 cxb7+ Kxb7
21 Ne5+ Kc8 22 Nc6 Bxc6 23 Bxc6 Rd6 24 Rc3 followed by 25 Ra1
and wins.} Nb8 19. Nxb6+ axb6 20. a4 f6 21. Bh3 {Threatening
to advance the d-pawn.} Bd7 {Now it seems that Black is at
last going to free himself by 22...e5.} 22. Nd2 {!! Decisive,
because if 22...e5 there follows 23 Nc4 with the threat of 24
Nxb6 mate. What follows now is practically all forced.} Rf8
23. Bg2 {! 23 Nc4 would allow Black to play 23...Kd8, followed
by 24...Bc8.} c6 24. Nc4 Kc7 25. e4 cxb5 {desperation, since
there is no defence against the advance of the d-pawn.}
26. axb5 Bxb5 27. d5 {! More accurate than 27 Na3+ Bc6 28 d5,
after which Black would not have been under any obligation to
exchange pawns.} exd5 28. Na3+ Bc6 29. exd5 Rd7 30. Nb5+ Kd8
31. dxc6 bxc6 32. Nd4 {! This wins at least a pawn. An
instructive game from the strategic point of view.} 1-0

[Event "Madrid"]
[Site "Madrid"]
[Date "1943.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Friedrich Saemisch"]
[Black "A Medina Garcia"]
[ECO "D08"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "38"]

1.d4 {Notes by Alekhine. In this game Saemisch was the victim
of routine. Singularly he believed that in the variation
selected by his opponent Black would have to castle on the
king's side, when he castled on the queen's side, Saemisch
lost his head and almost immediately committed the decisive
error.} d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nbd2 Be6 6.g3 Qd7
7.Bg2 Nge7 8.O-O Ng6 9.a3 Be7 10.b4 O-O-O {In reality here
castling here marks the beginning of a combination and is
based on the consideration that White could not capture on the
thirteenth move.} 11.Bb2 Bh3 12.b5 {At all events 12.Qa4 would
be better.} Ncxe5 13.Qa4 Bxg2 {!} 14.Kxg2 Nxf3 15.exf3 {And
here 15.Nxf3 is preferable.} Bc5 16.Rad1 Qf5 17.Nb3 Rd6 {!}
18.Nd2 {White sees disaster coming, but it is too late. If,
for instance, 18.Nxd4 then 18...Nxh4+! 19.gxh4 Rg6+ 20.Kh1
Bxd4 winning a piece. A short and instructive game.} Nf4+ {!}
19.gxf4 Rh6 0-1

[Event "Madrid"]
[Site "Madrid"]
[Date "1945.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Arturo Pomar-Salamanca"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "C01"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "95"]

1. e4 {Notes by Alekhine} e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 {The exchange
variation is very far from being as innocent as it
appears. This, of course, providing that one of the
protagonists plays for the advantage. Here, as we shall see,
it was Black who took it upon himself to complicate the game,
and not without danger, it must be confessed.} exd5 4. Bd3 Nc6
5. c3 Bd6 6. Nf3 Nge7 7. O-O Bg4 8. Re1 Qd7 9. Bg5 f6 {This
move was not obligatory now. He could perfectly well have
continued with 9...O-O-O and if 10 Bb5 then 10...f6 hh Bh4 Qf5
12 Nbd2 Ng6! 13 Bg3 Nce7 with better chances than in the
actual game.} 10. Bh4 O-O-O 11. Nbd2 h5 {I did not play
11...Ng6 12 Bg3 Nf4 because of the pin 13 Bb5 which seemed to
be unpleasant.} 12. Bg3 h4 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 {13...cxd6 deserved
to be taken into consideration, suppressing any danger of
attack against Black's castled position. In a general way
Black, whose whole interest is in winning, does not examine
carefully the details of the position and he will soon be
faced with a dilemma which is hardly pleasing.} 14. h3 Bh5
15. Qe2 Bf7 {In order to be able to play to win Black must
withdraw his bishop to a square without a future. Preferable
is 15...Bg6 16 Bxg6 Nxg6 17 Qe6+ Qe6 18 Rxe6 Nf4 19 Re3 g5
with a good game but with minimal chances of achieving victory
on account of the paucity of material.} 16. Nb3 Rde8 17. Nc5
Nd8 18. Qc2 b6 19. Nb3 {? There are positions in which a
combination is obligatory. In order to evade the necessary
mental effort the player lets slip his chances and little by
little finds himself reduced to the defensive and ends up by
suffering a defeat which logically is well merited. In this
particular case the offer of the knight by 19 b4 bxc5 and then
either 20 bxc5 (considered by me) or 20 dxc5 (analysed by
Pomar) would have secured White an irresistible attack, the
black pieces not being well arranged for the defence of his
King. It was not my intention to take the knight. I calculated
19 b4 Kb8 20 Reb1 Ka8 21 Na6 c6 and Black can defend himself
but it will be difficult for him to organize an attack on the
other wing.} g5 20. Nh2 {As no direct threat existed, the
demonstration 20 a4 would be the right move. Against 20...Rhg8
White would have had sufficient time available to play 21
Nh2.} Ne6 21. c4 {White's position starts becoming unpleasant
and Pomar perceives that he must undertake something. But the
price he pays for the opening of the c-file (the weakness of
the central pawn and the square d5 for the Black pieces) is
decidedly too high. 21 a4 a5! 22 Nd2 still offered some
possibilities.} dxc4 22. Bxc4 Kb8 {But not 22...Nd5 23 Qf5!}
23. Rac1 Nd8 24. Bxf7 Nxf7 {Now Black has a specific objective
for the endgame, the d-pawn, and he no longer has to attempt
direct attacks against the king.} 25. Qc4 Nd5 26. Qb5 {As will
be seen, the e-file here has no more than a relative value.}
Rxe1+ 27. Rxe1 c6 28. Qe2 Nh6 29. Nd2 Nf4 30. Qe4 Qd5 31. Nhf3
{If 31 Qxd5 cxd5!, followed by ...Rc8 etc., since 32 Rc1 is
impossible on account of 32...Ne2+.} Nf5 32. Kh1 {With the
object of being able to play 33 Rc1, but the king is badly
placed for the endgame.} Rd8 33. Rc1 Kb7 34. b3 Qxe4 35. Nxe4
Nd5 36. Re1 Kc7 37. Ned2 {It is obvious that White has a very
difficult game but with 37 a3 he could still have defended
himself. The plan foreseen by Black in this case was 37...Re8,
followed by ...Re6 and ...Nf4.} Nb4 {!} 38. Re6 Rd6 39. Re8
Nxa2 40. Ne4 Rd8 41. Rxd8 Kxd8 42. Nxf6 Nc1 43. b4 {Otherwise
after the capture of this pawn the Black a-pawn would advance
straight to its queening square.} Nd3 44. d5 Ke7 45. Nh7 cxd5
46. b5 g4 {!} 47. hxg4 Nxf2+ 48. Kg1 Nxg4 {There is no defence
against 49...Kd6, followed by 50...Kc5.} 0-1

