The final part of the series! C. H. O’D. Alexander played Alekhine four times. Alekhine was better, of world champion status, but Alexander managed to draw twice! In my opinion the more instructive of these draws is as follows:
Alexander Alekhine–Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander Hastings 1933/34
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 {The somewhat drawish Petroff.} 3. d4 {An interesting and slightly livelier way to play this than 3. Nxe5} Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 {However, we return to the mirror.} 6. O-O O-O 7. c4 Nc6 {This make some sense. Black will comfortably regain the pawn after 8…Nxd4.} 8. cxd5 Nxd4 9. Bxe4 Bxe5 10. f4 Bf6 11. Nc3 Bf5 {More pieces come off. Black induces a slightly favorable trade of the bishops while developing.}
12. Qd3 Bxe4 13. Nxe4 Qxd5 14. Nxf6+ gxf6 {Alexander accepts the doubled pawns without complaint, as they don’t matter much here.} 15. Kh1{Gets out of potential knight discoveries.} Qb5 If 15…Qxd4, 16. Qxf1+ bags an easy rook.} 16. Qxb5
Nxb5 17. b4 a5 {This allows Black to isolate White’s a-pawn on an open file, making it an easy target.} 18. bxa5 Rxa5 19. Bb2 Rfa8 {Black brings all he has to bear on the a-pawn.} 20. Bxf6 R8a6 {This temporarily dislodges the bishop.}21. Be7 Rxa2 22. Rab1 c6 23. f5 Re2 24. f6 Raa2 {Black, with two rooks on the seventh, has the definite edge.} 25. Rb3 Rxg2 26. Rg1{To prevent Rxh2#.} Rxg1+ 27. Kxg1 Rd2 {Alexander, who has outplayed Alekhine, loses a tempo with 27… Rd2. 27…Nd4 is superior, with a sample line continuing 28. Rg3+ Kh8 29. Rg7 Ne6 30. Rg3 h6. 28. Rg3+ Kh8 29. Rg7 Nd4 30. Rxf7 Nf3+ 31. Kf1 Nxh2+ {Black now has nothing better.}` 32. Ke1 Nf3+ ½-½
However, Alekhine still got his revenge with a brilliant game. This is annotated by Alekhine. His demolition of Alexander’s kingside is impressive, although the game is rarely shown.
Alexander Alekhine–Conel Hugh O'Donel Alexander Nottingham 1936
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 yield 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 bishop is wanted on the long
diagonal.} d6 9. b3 Nbd7 10. Bb2 Rb8 {Black shows his hand
decidedly too 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 sequel 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
In keeping with the theme of Alexander–Alexander matches and great games, the last will be Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush–C. H. O’D. Alexander. This game, which Alexander won on his way to sharing first with Bronstein at Hastings 1953, is interesting, as Tolush is punished for his offbeat response to the Dutch.
Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush–C. H. O’D. Alexander
1.d4 f5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 d6 4.Ne2 e5 {The correct response. Black has equalized.} 5.dxe5 dxe5 6.O-O Bc5 {Solid, and good, development by Black.} 7.Ng3
g6 8.Bc4 Qe7 9.Qd3 {A tad suspect, as now e4 comes with tempo.} Nc6 10.a3 e4 11.Qe2 Ne5 12.Ba2 h5 {12…h3 had to be played, as this helps block a queenside assault.} 13.b4 Bd6
14.f4 exf3 15.gxf3 h4 16.Nh1 g5 17.Nd2 Qg7 18.Bb2 g4 19.f4 {This gives Black e4 and f3. fxg4, although scary, was to be preferred.}
Nf3+ 20.Kg2 h3 21.Kf2 Nxd2 22.Qxd2 Ne4+ 23.Kg1 Qxb2 {Black has now cleverly won a piece. The rest is mopping up. 24.Qd5 Qf6
25.Bb3 c6 26.Qd3 Be6 27.Bxe6 Qxe6 28.Qd4 0-1
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