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Alekhine's Defence

Named after World Champion Alekhine: Black invites White's pawns forward, hoping they become targets.

Intermediate · Other answers to 1.e4 · 14 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

Alekhine's Defence (B04). You play Black. Named after World Champion Alekhine: Black invites White's pawns forward, hoping they become targets.

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.e4

White plays pawn to e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 46% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...Nf6

Black plays knight to f6. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). It attacks the pawn on e4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 2% of 1.8 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.e5

White plays pawn to e5. It takes a centre square (e5). It gains space. It attacks the knight on f6. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 82% of 36k games.

Step 5

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...Nd5

Black plays knight to d5. It takes a centre square (d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 99% of 29k games.

Step 6

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 79% of 29k games.

Step 7

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...d6

Black plays pawn to d6. It controls the centre (e5). It opens a line for the bishop on c8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 98% of 23k games.

Step 8

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.Nf3

White plays knight to f3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 61% of 22k games.

Step 9

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...Bg4

Black plays bishop to g4. It develops the bishop into the game. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 35% of 13k games.

Step 10

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.Be2

White plays bishop to e2. It develops the bishop into the game. Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 92% of 5036 games.

Step 11

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...e6

Black plays pawn to e6. It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 59% of 4340 games.

Step 12

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.O-O

White castles. Castling puts the king in safety and brings the rook toward the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 69% of 2757 games.

Step 13

♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...Be7

Black plays bishop to e7. It develops the bishop into the game. Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 90% of 1775 games.

Step 14

♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the Alekhine's Defence. Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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