Abraham Speijer vs Alexander Alekhine - Hamburg 1910.07.20

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Abraham Speijer vs Alexander Alekhine
Hamburg Hamburg GER round 3 1910.07.20
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit 0-1

[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, 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 c4.} 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...Qd7; 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

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Updated: 28 January, 2022
Created: 28 January, 2022