| KEG: <ToTheDeath> and <Fusilli> have identified the key themes of this game. Pavlov-Pianov was obviously afraid of his brilliant opponent, and Alekhine took all sorts of liberties--most notably his unsound and unnecessary exchange sacrifice on move 17--on what proved to be the well-founded assumption that Pavlov-Pianov would wilt under the pressure. 1. d4 e6
2. e4
Offering to transpose into a French Defense, perhaps on the belief that the Exchange Variation would be the best route to securing a draw. 2... d5
Offer to transpose to the French accepted!
3. exd5
And now we have the Exchange Variation, which can be drawish. But it also leads to an open game, and that can be dangerous against so formidable an attacking player as Alekhine. 3... exd5
4. Nf3 Bd6
5. Bd3 Ne7
click for larger view5...Nf6 is most usual and probably best, but Alekhine wanted to get his opponent out of any preparation. The text was thus part of the terror tactics he successfully employed in this game against a weaker opponent. 6. c3
A novelty at the time, and apparently an attempt to establish a "safe" formation. Pavlov-Pianov could of course just have castled or developed his b1 Knight. 6... Bg4
Going all out for complications. Black can achieve an easy equality with 6...0-0 or 6...h6 or even 6...Nbc6. 7. Bg5
Faced with an entirely new opening position (at move 6!) Pavlov-Pianov decides to start exchanging pieces. One way to do this is via a pin of the Black e7 Knight. This timid approach soon led to trouble. White can simply play 7. h3 or 7.0-0 here and enjoy what edge there would be in the position. 7... Nd7
While there is nothing terribly wrong with this move, I suspect Alekhine played it to continue to surprise and keep his opponent off balance, else he might have played 7...h6 or 7...Qd7 or maybe 7...f6. 8. Nbd2 Nf8
Still messing with his opponent's head. Logical and sufficient for equality were 8...h6 or 8...0-0. After the text, the position was: 
click for larger view9. BxN?
This fraidy-cat exchange was the beginning of White's downfall. There were, to put it mildly, a number of better options, especially if Pavlov-Pianov were actually trying to play to obtain an advantage (e.g., 9. h3; 9. 0-0). 9... QxB+
10. Qe2
Perhaps hoping Alekhine would trade Queens and thus cut down the wood a bit. Objectively, 10. Be2 was better. 10... Ne6
Alekhine now has the better game, and the last thing he wanted to do was to trade Queens. As <BobakZahmat> has pointed out, Alekhine's Queen soon became "mighty" and tore White's position to shreds. 11. h3 Bh5
Unlike Pavlov-Pianov, Alekhine wasn't looking to trade pieces. 12. Bf5 0-0
13. 0-0-0?!
With the White squares on his Queen-side weakened as a result of his 6. c3, Pavlov-Pianov's decision to castle long was just asking for trouble. He probably should have played 13. g3 (to prevent Black's Nf4). He could also have castled short, which might have led to the following sharp line (given that Alekhine was in charge of the Black forces): 13. 0-0 Nxd4 14. Bxh7+ Kh8 15. QxQ NxN+ 16. NxN BxQ 17. Bc2 BxN 18. gxB Rfe8 where White's busted King-side gives Black the edge but the Bishops of opposite colors might have led to the draw Pavlov-Pianov obviously wanted. After 13. 0-0-0?!, the position was:
click for larger viewIt is interesting and instructive to watch how Alekhine went to work on his opponent's weaknesses from here. | 
Kibitzing
sac: 17...Rxe1
