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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...Nf6

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Alekhine's Defence
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black kingh8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqkb1r/pppppppp/5n2/8/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w

Moves: 1. e4 Nf6
ECO code: B02-B05
Parent: King's Pawn Opening

Alekhine's Defence

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1...Nf6

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The main idea of the Alekhine is to allow White to advance and push pawns, which Black can pick at later. While it is not played very often at master level, it is not unsound. White's most popular continuation is 2. e5, and White has dreams of advancing in the center with d4, later c4, and sometimes even f4. Black hopes to attack and destroy White's pawn center in the future.

If White doesn't want to follow the main line, they may simply defend the pawn with 2. Nc3 (which may transpose to Vienna Game).

A sharp variation called the Krejcik Variation consists in playing 2. Bc4. It looks like a gambit, but in fact, if Black plays 2...Nxe4, White can regain the pawn and prevent Black from castling with 3. Bxf7+ Kxf7 4. Qh5+.

The opening is named after Alexander Alekhine, who introduced it in 1921; however, the theory and mainlines were created much later.

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1.e4 Nf6

2 3 4 5 6
Main Line e5
Nd5		 d4
d6		 Nf3
Bg4		 Be2
e6		 O-O
Be7		 ∞/=
Nc3
d5		 exd5
Nxd5		 Bc4
Nb6		 Bb3
Nc6		 Nf3
Bf5		 =
d3
e5		 Nf3
Nc6		 g3
Bc5		 Bg2
O-O		 O-O
d6		 =
...
...		 f4
Nc6		 Nf3
d5		 fxe5
dxe4		 exf6
exf3		 =/+
Krejcik Variation Bc4
Nxe4		 Bxf7+
Kxf7		 Qh5+
Kg8		 Qd5+
e6		 Qxe4
d5		 =+
...
...		 ...
...		 ...
g6		 Qd5+
e6		 Qxe4
d5		 =+
...
...		 ...
...		 ...
...		 ...
Ke8		 Qxe4
d5		 =+

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Wikipedia has related information at Alekhine's Defence

References

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  • Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
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