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Alekhine Defense: Ideas, Variations and Traps

Following Tigran Gharamyan's methodGrandmaster, French Champion 2018, peak rating 2676Updated September 20265 min read

You will not get bored with Alekhine's Defense. It is a dynamic, slightly risky opening, and both sides know exactly what they are playing for from the very first move.

This guide walks through the big ideas behind the Alekhine Defense, its main variations, and some of the most famous games ever played with it.

What Is the Alekhine Defense?

The Alekhine Defense chess opening starts with the moves 1.e4 Nf6.

Diagramposition after 1.e4 Nf6

It is one of the rare openings where Black does not push a center pawn on the very first move.

Why Play the Alekhine Defense?

With the Alekhine Defense, Black's plan is out in the open from move one. Black lets White push the center pawns forward, betting that this pawn center will end up overextended and weak. Black will have less space to develop, but real, concrete targets to attack.

This is a good moment to remember one of the great principles of space in chess. The side with less space should look to trade pieces, so that its remaining pieces stop getting in each other's way and development becomes easier. The side with a space advantage should do the opposite and try to keep as many pieces on the board as possible, since it needs them to keep an eye on all the extra squares it controls.

Here is an extreme example where White pushed four pawns into the center only to watch that center get harassed and then completely collapse. Notice the pawn breaks with c5 and e6 on Black's sixth and seventh moves, chipping away at White's center. That is the Alekhine Defense in a nutshell. Click through the moves of the game to bring up a live board.

Game viewer — Zorin vs Khruschiov, Volodarskij Spring-A 2007, Alekhine Defense Four Pawns Attack, 0-1

Starting position

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Who Is Alexander Alekhine?

The Franco-Russian Alexander Alekhine was World Champion from 1927 to 1935, then again from 1937 until his death. He is considered the master of dynamic, attacking chess. He took the world title from Jose Raul Capablanca, and famously never granted him a rematch. Their rivalry, and their contrast in style, has stayed legendary ever since. Alekhine left behind countless spectacular attacks, deep strategic plans, and, fittingly, an opening all his own.

When Alekhine Played His Own Defense

This is where things get wild. Watch the sheer dynamism Alekhine brings to his own opening.

Game viewer — Znosko-Borovsky vs Alekhine, Paris 1925, Alekhine Defense, 1/2-1/2

Starting position

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The Main Variations of the Alekhine Defense

The Alekhine Defense is fairly easy to get a handle on, since it does not have too many major branches.

The Four Pawns Attack

We start with one of the most aggressive tries for White.

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.f4

Diagramposition after 5.f4

White grabs every bit of space in the center, and Black does not challenge it at all until move four. A common continuation is shown below.

5...dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6

Diagramposition after 6...Nc6

And here you can see exactly what Black is up to. Both knights are aimed straight at White's center. The bishop on c8 is ready to come out to f5, or even to g4 to pin White's knight if it lands on f3. It is quite common to see Black castle long in this kind of position.

The Modern Variation

This line begins with 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3

Diagramposition after 4.Nf3

Black has a lot of options here. The old main line was to pin White's knight with the bishop on g4, since that f3-knight is the key defender of White's center. These days, though, Black more often plays g6 to fianchetto the bishop, or simply captures on e5 to free up the position.

The Exchange Variation

This time White gives Black a bit of room in the center by trading off the e5 pawn.

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.exd6

Diagramposition after 5.exd6

White reasons that it will be easier to hold a center built on the c4 and d4 pawns than a more ambitious one anchored on e5. Black can now recapture with either the e-pawn or the c-pawn, leading to two quite different kinds of positions.

Traps in the Alekhine Defense

Such an aggressive opening is bound to be full of traps. Here are two classics.

The Bishop Sacrifice on f7

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.exd5 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4

Diagramposition after 6...Bg4

So far, so good. Both sides seem to have played natural developing moves. And then comes the thunderclap.

7.Bxf7+!!

Diagramposition after 7.Bxf7+

A classic sacrifice. White lures the black king onto a square that lets the f3-knight break free of its pin.

7...Kxf7 8.Ng5+

And on the next move White's queen scoops up the bishop on g4. A sacrifice well worth remembering.

The Trapped Bishop

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 e6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.c4 Bb4+

Diagramposition after 5...Bb4+

That untimely bishop check is about to cost Black the game.

6.Ke2!!

Diagramposition after 6.Ke2

A very surprising move, and after it, Black is about to drop a piece.

6...Nb6 7.c5 Nd5 8.a3 Ba5 9.b4

And the bishop is trapped.

Famous Games with the Alekhine Defense

Here are a few landmark games in the history of Alekhine's Defense.

A Queen Sacrifice in the Opening

Let's start with a spectacular, classic queen sacrifice.

Game viewer — Bryson vs Luther, Bled Olympiad 2002, Alekhine Defense Four Pawns Attack, 1/2-1/2

Starting position

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The Alekhine Defense Played by Magnus Carlsen

Here are two games from five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen against two of the strongest players on the planet.

Game viewer — Caruana vs Carlsen, Carlsen Invitational Prelim 2020, Alekhine Defense Four Pawns Attack Fianchetto Variation, 0-1

Starting position

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Game viewer — Aronian vs Carlsen, Clutch Chess International 2020, Alekhine Defense Exchange Variation, 0-1

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The Alekhine Defense in a World Championship Match

We could not let you go without showing you the game between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, played during their 1972 World Championship match. It is a genuine clash of ideas on the board.

Game viewer — Spassky vs Fischer, World Championship Match, Reykjavik 1972 (game 19), Alekhine Defense Modern Variation, 1/2-1/2

Starting position

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Your Move

That was our guide to the Alekhine Defense. We hope it helps you win a few extra games with it. Feel free to share it if you enjoyed it. Here are some good next steps if you want to keep exploring.

  • Browse our overview of the main chess openings to see where the Alekhine fits in
  • The Alekhine shares its hypermodern spirit with the Pirc Defense, another opening where Black lets White build a big pawn center before striking back at it
  • Discover the Scandinavian Defense, the most direct way to challenge 1.e4 from move one
  • Learn the Italian Game, the classic way to open with White

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