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D85 Gruenfeld Defense

Gruenfeld Defense: Exchange Variation

Milan Vidmar vs Alexander Alekhine, 1936

1/2, 23 moves

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham ENG"]
[Date "1936.08.18"]
[EventDate "1936.08.10"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Milan Vidmar"]
[Black "Alexander Alekhine"]
[ECO "D85"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "46"]
1. d4 {Notes by Alekhine} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 {After this move, and especially after the next, White can hardly expect anything but an equal game. Black can easily mobilise his forces, at the same attacking his opponent's central pawns. The mode of to-day is 4 Qb3.} Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 c5 7. Be3 {Instead of this, 7 Bb5+ in order to exchange this bishop (as played e.g., by Kashdan at Folkestone, 1933) would possibly facilitate the defence of the center.} Bg7 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. h3 {Practically forced as Black threatened Bg4.} O-O 10. Qd2 Qa5 {!} 11. Bc4 {To prevent 11...Be6 which would be the answer to Rd1.} cxd4 {The right moment for this simplification, 11...Rd8 12 Rd1 would improve White's chances.} 12. cxd4 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Rd8 14. Bd5 {After 14 Kc3 Bd7 followed by Rac8 White would gradually get into trouble.} Bd7 {After this White succeeds in equalising without difficulty. Also the tempting ...Nxd4 (which in most variations would leave Black in a superior position) is not quite satisfactory because of 15 Bxd4 e6 16 Bxg7 Kxg7 17 e5 with a positional advantage for White fully compensating for the pawn lost. But by the simple 14...e6 15 Bxc6 bxc6 threatening c5 and e5, Black's advantage would be evident. The establishment of this fact gives to the present short game a certain theoretical value.} 15. Rab1 e6 16. Bc4 {! Now White does not need to exchange this valuable bishop, and Black after a few moves will have to declare himself content with a draw.} Be8 17. Kd3 Rac8 18. Rhc1 Na5 19. Bb5 Rxc1 20. Bxc1 Nc6 21. Bg5 {! If 21 Be3 Black would succeed by a6 in forcing the exchange of White's king bishop.} f6 {Not 21...Rd6 22 Be7.} 22. Be3 b6 23. Ke2 Ne7 1/2-1/2

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