Four Pawns Attack: main line with ...Nc6 and ...Bf5

Against the Four Pawns Attack Black exchanges on e5, develops with pressure on d4 and frees his game with the ...f6 break.

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Nc6 7.Be3 Bf5 8.Nc3 e6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O f6 12.exf6 Bxf6

Move by move

1.e4 – White occupies the centre and opens diagonals for the queen and the f1-bishop.
1...Nf6 – The Alekhine Defence: the knight attacks e4 and invites the pawn forward, planning to attack the advanced white pawns later.
2.e5 – White accepts the challenge: the pawn chases the knight and gains space.
2...Nd5 – The knight centralises on d5, from where it eyes c3, b4, e3 and f4.
3.d4 – White adds a second pawn to the centre and supports e5.
3...d6 – Black immediately attacks the e5 spearhead: the typical way to challenge White’s centre.
4.c4 – The pawn chases the d5-knight and gains more space: White builds a big centre.
4...Nb6 – The knight retreats to b6, from where it presses on c4 and d5.
5.f4 – The Four Pawns Attack: White supports e5 with f4 and grabs maximum space, but the advanced pawns leave weak squares behind.
5...dxe5 – Black takes on e5 to open the d-file and make the d4-pawn a target.
6.fxe5 – White recaptures with the f-pawn and keeps the c4-d4-e5 centre, though the g1-a7 diagonal is now more open.
6...Nc6 – Black develops with pressure on d4: knight, queen down the d-file and later the bishop will all attack the pawn.
7.Be3 – The bishop defends d4, the most attacked point of White’s centre.
7...Bf5 – The bishop develops outside the pawn chain, controls b1 and d3, and prepares ...e6.
8.Nc3 – The knight develops and controls d5 and e4, important squares for Black’s pieces.
8...e6 – Black closes the a2-g8 diagonal, frees the f8-bishop and controls d5.
9.Nf3 – The knight defends d4 and prepares Be2 and castling.
9...Be7 – Solid development: the bishop prepares castling and may later go to f6 or b4.
10.Be2 – White completes kingside development and prepares to castle.
10...O-O – Black castles and prepares the ...f6 break, which hits the e5 spearhead.
11.O-O – White castles: if the f-file opens, it also serves his rook.
11...f6 – The thematic break: Black attacks e5 to open the game against White’s centre.
12.exf6 – White exchanges on f6 rather than let Black open the chain on his own terms.
12...Bxf6 – The bishop recaptures on f6 and hits d4 together with the c6-knight: Black has freed his game.

How to exploit the position

White’s c4-d4 centre has lost the support of e5: Black has well-placed pieces against d4 and a free position.

Pressure on d4: the f6-bishop, the c6-knight, ...Qe7 or ...Qd7 and ...Rad8 all attack the pawn.
The ...e5 push removes White’s last central pawn and opens the game for Black’s bishops.
The b6-knight attacks c4; if White plays d5, the e5 and b4 squares become excellent for Black’s knights.
Watch the e6-pawn on the half-open e-file: protect it with the queen and do not let a knight into g5.

Master tips

Provoke the advance, then besiege the pawns

Alekhine’s philosophy: let White’s pawns advance to c4, d4, e5 and f4. The further they go, the more weak squares they leave behind. Attack d4 with ...Nc6 and develop the bishop to f5.

The ...f6 break

After castling, ...f6 is the natural way to open White’s centre.