Persitz beats Alexander, County Match 1954

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Persitz, Raaphi–Alexander, C Hugh O'D1–0C47County Match1Swindon27.03.1954Barden, Leonard - The Guardian
The following exciting game was played in the recent county match between Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, won by Oxfordshire by 8-6, with one game for adjudication. Persitz, who in London in the morning had won his game in the match Oxford-Cambridge on Board 2, won this game at Swindon in the afternoon on Board 1. 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.c3 f6 4.d4 b4 Recommended by Euwe in "Chess Archives as better than 4...exd4 5.d5 e7 6.xe5 0-0 A dubious gambit. Safer is the immediate 6...xe4 7.d4 xc3+ 8.bxc3 e8 Ingenious counter-play as will be seen. 9.g5 f5 10.exf5 d6 11.f4 dxe5 12.fxe5 xd5 13.0-0-0 He makes his advantage quite clear... xd4 ... for if 13...xa2 14.exf6 is quite safe or if 13...xe5 14.xe5 xe5 15.d8+ e8 16.xf6 winning a piece. 14.cxd4 e4 15.h4 c3 Black recovers his pawn at the cost of much time, while White consolidates his advantage in the centre and on the King's side. 16.d3 xa2+ 17.b2 b4 18.f3 a5 19.c3 d5 20.c4 c6 21.g4 b5 22.d3 d7 23.g5 c5 An ingenious resource which sets his own pawns in motion... 24.hf1 ... for if 24.dxc5 xe5 , etc. 24...a4 25.e4 c6 26.g6 A fine breakthrough. a3+ 27.a1 cxd4 28.gxf7+ xf7 29.e6+ g8 30.cxd4 a4 With great ingenuity Alexander has conjured up complications out of an innocuous position, and it needs White's greatest care to maintain his advantage. 31.g1 xd4 32.f6 xe4 33.f7+ f8 34.fxe8+ xe8 One might think that Black has winning chances here, but, with great insight, White has realised that his own attack is the swifter. 35.f2 b4 36.c5 xe6 37.f8+ d7 38.xg7+ e7 39.xb4 d5 40.ff7 A very creditable win by a player, aged 19, over England's leading master. (Source: Manchester Guardian, 8 April 1954) A last trap. 40.xe7?? e1# 1–0
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