[Event "San Remo"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Alekhine"] [Black "Nimzowitsch"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C17"] [Opening "French: Winawer, Advance, 4...c5"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. Bd2 Ne7 6. Nb5 Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 O-O 8. c3 b6 9. f4 Ba6 10. Nf3 Qd7 11. a4 Nbc6 12. b4 { Not only spoiling Black's scheme, but also forcing him to show his hand.} (12. -- cxd4 {opening the file and taking the initiative by .... Na5-c4 (occupying the furtherest available point on the open file)}) 12... cxb4 (12... c4 { the whole Queen side is blocked, giving White a free hand on the opposite wing} ) 13. cxb4 Bb7 14. Nd6 f5 {According to Alekhine, this is the decisive strategic misjudgement. By means of a few strong positional moves, Alekhine guarantees himself control of the only open file (Kotov)} (14... a5 {necessary} 15. Bb5 axb4 16. O-O) 15. a5 $1 Nc8 (15... bxa5 16. b5 Nd8 17. Rxa5 $16) 16. Nxb7 Qxb7 17. a6 Qf7 (17... Qe7 18. Bb5 $1 Nxb4 19. Rb1 $18) 18. Bb5 { Now Black is forced to defend the c6 square with all the men he can, so as to black the action of the white rooks downs the c-file. If this bastion falls, then the rooks will break in and wreak destruction along the seventh and eight ranks} 18... N8e7 19. O-O h6 20. Rfc1 { This initiates the siege of the Black position via the c-file} 20... Rfc8 21. Rc2 Qe8 {Black buttresses the knight on c6 with all the means at his disposal, so as to prevent the invasion down the c0file. The natural countermeausure in the fight for an open file - name, the exchange of some pieces - is unfortunately not available to him.} (21... Nd8 22. Rac1 Rxc2 23. Rxc2 Rc8 24. Rxc8 Nxc8 25. Qc3 Ne7 26. Qc7 $18) 22. Rac1 (22. Ra3 $1 -- 23. Rac3 -- 24. Qc1) 22... Rab8 23. Qe3 Rc7 24. Rc3 Qd7 25. R1c2 {The decisive regrouping! It is very important that the Queen should act from behind the rooks. In that way it is easiest to penetrate into the enemy position, as the rooks can invade on squares which are covered by enemy rooks, whereas a queen would be too valuable to sacrifice (Kotov)} 25... Kf8 26. Qc1 {The tripling process is complete, and Black is bound hand and foot. Only the King can move, and he will arrive on the scene too late} 26... Rbc8 27. Ba4 $1 { This threatens to break into the Black defensive lines} 27... b5 28. Bxb5 Ke8 29. Ba4 Kd8 {guarding Rc7 so that the N can move if Pb5} 30. h4 $22 {The last s traw. Black has only his h-pawn and g-pawn left to move. As soon as these have exhausted their moves, he will have to move ... Qe8 and then Pb6 demolishes hisposition} (30. b5 Nb8) 1-0