Alekhine Defence traps: 6 mistakes at 1200-1400 Elo

October 7, 2026 · 3 min read

The Alekhine Defence, 1.e4 Nf6, invites White to chase the knight with pawns. At 1200-1400 that invitation works both ways: White grabs space and leaves things hanging, and Black’s knight sometimes runs onto the wrong square.

We took the Lichess blitz and rapid games from August 2026 where both players were rated 1200 to 1400, followed the Alekhine move by move, and had Stockfish check every position where many players took the same wrong turn. Every line below was verified by the engine. All six examples are told from Black’s side.

Part 1: punish it

Three White mistakes, three punishments. Two of them are found by every Black player. The first one is missed more than a third of the time.

1. 2.Bc4, and e4 is left hanging

After 1.e4 Nf6, 5% of White players develop with 2.Bc4. Nothing defends e4 anymore, and 2...Nxe4! takes it. After 3.Qf3 d5, the bishop on c4 is shut out and Black is a pawn up. 63% of Black players took the pawn.

2.Bc4? and 2...Nxe4! wins a pawn.

2. 4.Bxf7+, a sacrifice that goes nowhere

After 2.e5 Nd5 3.Bc4 Nb6, 12% of White players sacrifice with 4.Bxf7+. Just take it: 4...Kxf7. There is no follow-up attack, and Black is a piece for a pawn up. Every Black player took the bishop.

4.Bxf7+? and 4...Kxf7 keeps the piece.

3. 5.dxc5, and the bishop on b5 falls

After 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 b5 4.Bxb5 c5, 36% of White players take the pawn with 5.dxc5. Then 5...Qa5+! gives check and hits the bishop on b5 at the same time. After 6.Nd2 Qxb5, Black wins a piece for two pawns. Every Black player found 5...Qa5+.

5.dxc5? and 5...Qa5+! wins the bishop.

Part 2: avoid it

Now the Black mistakes that come up most in the Alekhine at 1200-1400, why they fail, and what to play instead.

4. 3...Nxf2, a knight for one pawn

After 2.e5 Ne4 3.d3, the knight on e4 is attacked, and 43% of Black players jump in with 3...Nxf2. The king simply takes: 4.Kxf2. Nothing comes after, and White is a piece up.

Play 3...Nc5 instead. Retreat the knight and keep the game going.

3...Nxf2? and 4.Kxf2. Play 3...Nc5 instead.

5. 3...Nc6 before hitting e5

After 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4, 10% of Black players develop with 3...Nc6. Then 4.c4 Nb6 5.d5! chases both knights. After 5...Nxe5 6.c5, the knight on b6 has no good square and White is clearly better.

Play 3...d6 instead. Hit the e5 pawn first. That is the main line.

3...Nc6? and 5.d5! Play 3...d6 instead.

6. 3...Nf4, the knight runs the wrong way

After 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4, 9% of Black players send the knight to f4 with 3...Nf4. After 4.d4 Ng6 5.h4!, White grabs the center and h5 will kick the knight again. White is clearly better.

Play 3...Nb6 instead. That is the usual square and the main line.

3...Nf4? and 5.h4! Play 3...Nb6 instead.

What to take away

When White develops without defending e4, check if you can take it.
A bishop sacrifice on f7 with no follow-up is just a free piece.
Look for queen checks that hit a loose piece at the same time.
In the Alekhine, hit the e5 pawn with ...d6 before developing other pieces.

These patterns come from many games between players at your level, not from a theory book. Your own games have patterns too, and they are probably not the same ones. Chess X-Ray finds the moves where you lost your advantage in your chess.com or Lichess games, groups them by opening, and turns them into lessons you replay until they stick.