The story behind the game
Euwe gains space on the queenside while Alekhine advances kingside pawns. White’s knight and rook remain active in the centre, and a later pawn break on d5 changes the heavy-piece exchanges. Compare the pressure on both wings with the central squares that make White’s next moves possible.
Take these ideas to your next game
- A knight outpost can restrict central defenders.
- A rook lift needs support from the rest of the position.
- A fork can change which pieces should be exchanged.
- A central pawn break can open a rook’s entry file.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
a4 is the strongest saved candidate; b6 and Nd2 also receive credit. Euwe played Nd6, establishing the knight outpost. The saved comparison prefers preparing the position first, with Nd6 appearing later in the strongest line. Compare the pawn support and move order rather than treating an attractive outpost as automatically the best immediate move.
Rf4 brings another piece into the central and kingside contest. Black attacks the rook with a pawn advance in the recorded continuation. White retreats to f2 and then doubles rooks on the f-file. Judge the lift through that later coordination as well as the immediate placement on the fourth rank.
Ng6 forks Black’s queen and rook. Black saves the queen and White captures the rook on f8. The other black rook then recaptures. Count the whole exchange and compare the f-file that remains open for White’s rooks before choosing the next central pawn move.
d5 challenges a central defender and changes the rook exchanges. Black’s knight captures on d5, vacating f6. White can then exchange a rook on f8, after which the bishop and queen improve. The pawn offer matters through the cleared file and resulting activity, rather than a direct threat to promote.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 18: Support the queenside space
Which pawn advance supports the pawn on b5 from a4? In the game: Nd6. a4 is the strongest saved candidate; b6 and Nd2 also receive credit. Euwe played Nd6, establishing the knight outpost. The saved comparison prefers preparing the position first, with Nd6 appearing later in the strongest line. Compare the pawn support and move order rather than treating an attractive outpost as automatically the best immediate move.
Engine-supported alternatives
a4 Qg5 Nd6 Qg6 Qc2 Bd7 Nxb7 Be7 b6 Ng4 Nd6 Rxf1+ · +2.50 · depth 21
b6 Bd7 Ne5 Be8 Qc4 Nd7 Rxf8+ Kxf8 Nxd7+ Bxd7 Qc2 e5 · +2.43 · depth 21
Nd2 Qg6 b6 Be7 Bb2 Bd7 Rf4 e5 dxe5 Nd5 Nxe4 Nxf4 · +2.07 · depth 21
Nd6 Qg6 b6 Be7 Nc4 Ng4 h3 Nh6 Rxf8+ Bxf8 Kh2 Nf7 · +1.90 · depth 23
Move 23: Lift the rook before doubling
Which rook move from f1 reaches the fourth rank? In the game: Rf4. Rf4 brings another piece into the central and kingside contest. Black attacks the rook with a pawn advance in the recorded continuation. White retreats to f2 and then doubles rooks on the f-file. Judge the lift through that later coordination as well as the immediate placement on the fourth rank.
Engine-supported alternatives
a4 Rae8 Rac1 h5 Rf4 Qh6 h3 Bd5 Kh2 Qh7 Bc3 g5 · +2.23 · depth 20
Rf4 a4 a3 h5 Raf1 Qh6 h3 Rae8 Kh2 Bb3 Bb4 Bd5 · +2.07 · depth 19
a3 h5 Rf4 a4 Raf1 Qh6 h3 Rae8 Kh1 g5 R4f2 Qh7 · +2.03 · depth 19
Move 30: Fork the queen and rook
Which knight move attacks the queen on h4 and the rook on f8? In the game: Ng6. Ng6 forks Black’s queen and rook. Black saves the queen and White captures the rook on f8. The other black rook then recaptures. Count the whole exchange and compare the f-file that remains open for White’s rooks before choosing the next central pawn move.
Engine-supported alternatives
Ng6 Qh7 Nxf8 Rxf8 d5 Ng4 Rxf8+ Bxf8 h3 cxd5 Bd4 Qh4 · +4.23 · depth 20
Be1 Qh7 a4 Kg7 Rg1 Nd5 Rxf8 Rxf8 Bg3 Nb4 Rf1 Rxf1+ · +2.06 · depth 20
Rg1 Kg7 Be1 Qh7 Bf1 Nd5 Rfg2 Rf5 Qd2 Raf8 Bc4 Rf3 · +1.89 · depth 19
Move 32: Open the file through a central break
Which d-pawn advance attacks the bishop on e6? In the game: d5. d5 challenges a central defender and changes the rook exchanges. Black’s knight captures on d5, vacating f6. White can then exchange a rook on f8, after which the bishop and queen improve. The pawn offer matters through the cleared file and resulting activity, rather than a direct threat to promote.
Engine-supported alternatives
d5 Ng4 Rxf8+ Bxf8 h3 cxd5 Qe1 Bxc5 Qg3 Bc8 Bd4 Bxd4 · +4.07 · depth 21
Kg1 Qh6 d5 Bxd5 Bxf6 Bxf6 Qg4 Qg6 Kh1 Kg7 a4 Rf7 · +3.36 · depth 21
Rxf6 Rxf6 Rxf6 Bxf6 Bxa5 Qd7 Qc2 Bd5 Be1 Qe6 a4 g4 · +3.16 · depth 21
Every piece has a part to play.
Euwe gains space on the queenside while Alekhine advances kingside pawns. White’s knight and rook remain active in the centre, and a later pawn break on d5 changes the heavy-piece exchanges. Compare the pressure on both wings with the central squares that make White’s next moves possible.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 13–21. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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