Alekhine Defence

A 2-chapter repertoire: Four Pawns Attack and Exchange Variation, then the Modern 4.Nf3 and minor lines

Alexander Alekhine’s hypermodern defence: Black invites White’s pawns forward and then attacks them with pieces. 12 lines with the typical middlegame plans and the most common traps.

Chapter 1: Four Pawns Attack & Exchange Variation

White advances with f4, c4, d4 and e5: Black counterattacks the big chain with ...Nc6, ...Bf5 and ...dxe5.

  1. Four Pawns Attack: main line with ...Nc6 and ...Bf5 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5…
  2. Exchange Variation 5.exd6 cxd6 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6…
  3. Exchange Variation with 5...exd6 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 exd6…
  4. Four Pawns Attack: the 5...dxe5 exchange 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5…
  5. Punishing the 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 overextension 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 Nd5 5.Bc4 e6…
  6. Trap: 5.c5 dxe5 6.dxe5? 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.c5 dxe5…

Chapter 2: Modern Variation 4.Nf3 & Minor Lines

The positional 4.Nf3 treatment, with 4...Bg4, 4...g6 or 4...dxe5, and the answers to White’s alternative second moves.

  1. Modern Variation 4.Nf3 Bg4 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6…
  2. Modern Variation with 4...g6 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bc4 Nb6…
  3. Miles Variation 4...dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6…
  4. 2.Nc3 d5: a Scandinavian structure 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.exd5 Nxd5 4.Bc4 c6 5.Qf3 e6…
  5. The Krejcik Gambit 2.Bc4 Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4 Nxe4 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qd5+ e6…
  6. 2.d3 e5: answering the quiet system 1.e4 Nf6 2.d3 e5 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.dxe4 Qh4+…