Alekhine Defense
1.e4 Nf6
A defense for Black
Provoke White's pawns to advance, then attack them.
Show me the opening
0 / 2 moves
The idea
Black's knight immediately attacks the e4 pawn, forcing White to advance pawns to attack it. The knight zigzags away, and Black later attacks the overextended pawns with pieces.
The plan
Let White push pawns with e5 and d4, then develop pieces to counterattack them. The knight goes to d5, then b6 or b4, always pressuring the pawn chain.
What to play next
After the knight retreats to d5, play ...d6 to immediately challenge White's e5 pawn. Develop the bishop to g4 to pin White's knight and add pressure. Then ...e6 supports the knight on d5 and ...Be7 prepares to castle. Your goal is to undermine White's pawn chain.
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.O-O Be7
Watch the typical continuation
Show me the opening
0 / 12 moves
One tip for beginners
After 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4, play ...d6 immediately to undermine the pawn chain. Don't try to hold the knight on d5 for too long.
What to watch out for
White's four-pawn attack (3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4) is very aggressive. Meet it with ...Bg4 or ...g6 and target the overextended pawns.
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