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The Alekhine Defense: how to play it, and the trap to know

1.e4 Nf6

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The Alekhine Defense starts 1.e4 Nf6. Black’s knight attacks the e4 pawn on the very first move, and it invites White to chase it with pawns. The idea is bold: let White build a big center, then attack it. Alexander Alekhine, the fourth world champion, brought it to top-level chess in 1921, and Bobby Fischer used it to win a game of his 1972 world title match against Spassky.

The Alekhine Defense: the knight hits e4, White chases it, and Black hits back with d6.

Is the Alekhine Defense good?

It is playable, but it is not one of Stockfish’s favorites. After 1...Nf6 2.e5, Stockfish gives White about +0.7, more than after 1...e5 or 1...c5 (+0.2 to +0.3). White gets space for free, and Black must know where the knight goes and when to hit the center. In return, Black gets a fight from move two, and many White players do not know the theory. At club level, that matters more than a few tenths of a pawn. It suits players who like to counterattack and do not mind a cramped position for a while.

The main idea: 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6

The main line goes 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6. White’s pawn on e5 kicks the knight to d5, a fine central square. Then White takes more space with d4, and Black strikes back at once with 3...d6, attacking e5. This position is the starting point of almost every serious Alekhine. White now chooses between a calm setup (4.Nf3), a big pawn center (4.c4 and 5.f4), or a trade on d6.

1. The Modern Variation: 4.Nf3

This is the most popular choice at a strong level. White simply develops and keeps the e5 pawn protected. A main line goes 4...Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 Nb6. Black pins the knight on f3, builds a solid wall with e6, and waits for the right moment to hit the center with dxe5 or d5. White has more space and keeps an edge (Stockfish: about +1), but Black has no real weakness. 4...dxe5 5.Nxe5 and 4...g6 are good alternatives.

The Modern Variation: Nf3, Bg4, e6 and Be7. White has space, Black stays solid.

2. The Four Pawns Attack: 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4

Here White takes the challenge literally. 4.c4 kicks the knight to b6, and 5.f4 builds a wall of four pawns on c4, d4, e4 and f4. It is the most ambitious try, and Stockfish likes it (about +0.9). But a big center can become a big target. Black answers 5...dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6, hitting d4 and e5, then Bf5 and e6. After 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3, White holds everything and keeps the edge (+0.8). If White plays carelessly, the center falls apart.

The Four Pawns Attack: c4 and f4 build a huge center, Black targets it with Nc6 and Bf5.

3. The Exchange Variation: 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6

White trades the e5 pawn and keeps a smaller center with c4 and d4. Black can take back with either pawn. 5...cxd6 keeps more tension: Black plans g6, Bg7 and castling, and puts pressure on d4. 5...exd6 is calmer and opens the e-file. Stockfish gives White a small edge in both cases (+0.6 to +0.8), with a quieter game than the Four Pawns Attack.

The Exchange Variation after 5...cxd6: White has c4 and d4, Black will play g6 and Bg7.

A famous trap: the knight sacrifice on f7

This one catches Black players in the Modern Variation. After 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5, the move 5...Nd7? looks natural: it offers to trade the strong knight on e5. But 6.Nxf7! hits the queen on d8, so Black must take: 6...Kxf7. Then 7.Qh5+ Ke6 (7...g6 8.Qxd5+ is worse, and 7...Kf6?? loses at once) 8.c4. Black is a knight up for a pawn, but the king is stuck on e6 in front of White’s pieces, and Stockfish gives White a clear advantage (+1.3). The safe moves are 5...c6 or 5...g6, and the game is close to balanced (+0.5).

The f7 trap: after 5...Nd7?, 6.Nxf7! drags the black king to e6.

The mistakes club players really make in the Alekhine Defense

We went through the Alekhine Defense games in the club games analyzed by Chess X-Ray (most players between 250 and 1950 Elo) and checked every common move with Stockfish. These are the four positions where the most players go wrong, and how often.

1.e4 Nf6: the knight already attacks e4.

1. Forgetting that e4 is attacked. 10% of White players answer 1...Nf6 with 2.Nf3, and 68% of Black players simply take the pawn: 2...Nxe4. White is a pawn down for nothing (Stockfish: -0.8). It gets worse with 3.Bc4, the most common follow-up after 3.d3: 3...d5 hits the bishop and keeps the pawn (-1.8). 2.Bc4 has the same problem: 2...Nxe4, and after 3.Qf3, which threatens mate on f7, 3...d5 blocks the bishop (-2.4). Push 2.e5, or defend the pawn with 2.Nc3.

After 2.e5, the knight must move. d5 is the right square.

2. Sending the knight to e4. 8% of Black players answer 2.e5 with 2...Ne4, and they score only 39%. On e4 the knight has no support, and 3.d3 kicks it again. After 3...Nc5 4.d4 its best square is a6, on the edge (Stockfish: +1.4). Worse, 20% of those players then try 3...Nxf2?, and after 4.Kxf2 White is a knight for a pawn up (+4.3). The main move 2...Nd5 is the right one (+0.9).

After 3.d4, Black must hit e5 with 3...d6.

3. Developing before hitting e5. After 3.d4, 11% of Black players play 3...e6 and 5% play 3...Nc6. Both leave White’s center alone. 3...e6 is just passive (Stockfish: +1.2). 3...Nc6 is a real mistake: after 4.c4 Nb6 5.d5 Nxe5 6.c5, the knight on b6 has no safe square, and Black loses it for two pawns (+2.9). 3...d6, attacking e5 right away, is the main line (+0.8).

The main line after 3...d6: 4.c4 or 4.Nf3, not 4.f4.

4. Building the center the wrong way. 12% of White players, many of them rated around 1700, answer 3...d6 with 4.f4. Without c4 first, the knight stays on d5, a perfect central square, and the e3 square becomes weak. After 4...dxe5, or 4...Bf5, Black is fully equal (Stockfish: 0.0), where 4.c4 keeps +0.7. Black can go wrong too: 23% of Black players answer 4.f4 with 4...g6, and they score 36%. Taking on e5 first is better (+1.0 for 4...g6, 0.0 for 4...dxe5).

Plans to remember

  • White: take space with e5, d4 and c4, but keep the pawns protected. Develop with Nf3, Be2 and castling before going for f4.
  • Black: put the knight on d5 (then b6), and hit the center at once with d6. Then pin with Bg4, or play g6 and Bg7 to pressure d4.
  • Both sides: in the Modern Variation, watch f7. With a knight on e5 and the queen ready for Qh5+, the sacrifice on f7 is often in the air.

Related chess openings

If you play 1.e4 Nf6, you will also meet these openings, which start the same way:

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common mistakes in the Alekhine Defense?

In club games, the most common is White’s 2.Nf3 or 2.Bc4, which leaves the e4 pawn hanging: 2...Nxe4 wins it. On Black’s side, 2...Ne4 sends the knight to a square where 3.d3 kicks it again, and 3...Nc6 instead of 3...d6 can lose a piece after 4.c4 Nb6 5.d5. In the main line, 4.f4 without c4 gives away White’s edge.

Is the Alekhine Defense good for beginners?

It can be, if you like counterattacking. The rules are simple: put the knight on d5, hit the center with d6, and do not let it be trapped. But the positions are a bit cramped, and a few traps (like Nxf7 in the Modern Variation) punish natural moves. 1...e5 is a safer first choice.

What is the best line against the Alekhine Defense?

Stockfish prefers 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6, then the Four Pawns Attack with 5.f4 (about +0.9) or the Exchange Variation with 5.exd6. The Modern Variation with 4.Nf3 is a calmer and very popular choice. Avoid 2.Nf3 or 2.Bc4, which lose the e4 pawn.

Why is it called the Alekhine Defense?

It is named after Alexander Alekhine, world champion from 1927 to 1935 and from 1937 to 1946. He played it in two famous games at Budapest in 1921, and it has carried his name ever since.

Alekhine Defense or Scandinavian Defense?

Both meet 1.e4 with an early fight against the e4 pawn. The Scandinavian (1...d5) trades the pawn at once and gives clear, simple positions. The Alekhine (1...Nf6) lets White grab space and attacks it later, which is more ambitious and more risky. Stockfish rates the Scandinavian a bit higher.

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