games annotated by alekhine

Game 21
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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 Be2 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

Game 22
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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

Gmae 23
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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

Game 24
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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

Game 25
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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

Game 26
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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 {Blacl already having
the control over d4 protects d5, thus obtaing 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 indiffernt, 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 conmsisted 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

Game 27
[Event "Nottingham (11)"]
[Site "Nottingham (11)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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

Game 28
[Event "Nottingham (05)"]
[Site "Nottingham (05)"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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

Game 29
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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 equalisingwithou
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

Game 30
[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[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