[Event "All-Russian Masters"] [Site "St. Petersburg RUE"] [Date "1914.01.21"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "11"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Sergey Nikolaevich 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