Alexander Alekhine vs Efim Bogoljubov - Match 1943.03.28

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Alexander Alekhine vs Efim Bogoljubov
Match Warsaw POL round 2 1943.03.28
French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "Warsaw POL"]
[Date "1943.03.28"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Alexander Alekhine"]
[Black "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[ECO "D30"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "63"]

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

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Updated: 9 December, 2021
Created: 9 December, 2021