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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...Nf6/2. Nc3/2...d5

< Chess Opening Theory | 1. e4 | 1...Nf6 | 2. Nc3
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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 kinge7 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 pawne5 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 white knightd3 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 black kingc1 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/ppp1pppp/5n2/3p4/4P3/2N5/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKBNR w

Moves: 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5

Alekhine's Defence

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2...d5

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Both main options 3. exd5, and 3. e5 lead to drawish positions in their mainlines where equality is achieved easily. However, both black and white can deviate in the 3. e5 line, leading the potentially sharper positions. However, if white wants to try get a sharp game, they can play 3. d4?!, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. However, this is considered dubious with best play, but is good for club-level and blitz/bullet play, especially given the trap potential. Other alternatives are 3. d3, 3. f3, or even 3. Bd3, but none of them give white any more than equality.

After 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Nxd5 Qxd5, Black has a strong centralised queen and easy development, leaving equality or a slight advantage to black. After 3. e5, black will most likely play 3... Nfd7, leading to a possible transposition to the Steinitz French or a pawn exchange after 4. Nxd5 Nxe5, or 3... d4, leading to either a similar variation to Nfd7 or a complex position after 4. exf6 dxc3 where many captures are possible.

Theory table

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

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5

3 4 5 6
exd5
Nxd5		 Bc4
Nb6		 Bb3
Nc6		 Nf3
Bf5		 =
e5
d4		 exf6
dxc3		 fxg7
cxd2+		 Qxd2
Qxd2+		 =

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Wikipedia has related information at Alekhine 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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