Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Alekhine Variation
Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation
Definition & Move-order
The Alekhine Defense begins with 1. e4 Nf6, inviting White to chase the knight with an expanded center.
The Modern Variation is reached after
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6
(…Bg7 usually follows).
Black delays immediate pressure on White’s center and instead adopts a hyper-modern setup, fianchettoing the king-side bishop to undermine the pawns from afar.
Strategic Aims
- Black:
- Undermine the e5–pawn with …Bg7, …0-0, …c5 or …dxe5 after adequate preparation.
- Pressure the long dark-squared diagonal (a1–h8) and create counterplay on the queenside with …c5 and …Nc6.
- Maintain piece activity at the cost of allowing White a spatial advantage.
- White:
- Consolidate the advanced e5-pawn with c4 and sometimes h3/Bf4 to keep g5 under control.
- Expand on the kingside (h4-h5 or f4-f5) when Black castles short.
- Exploit the space edge before Black’s pawn breaks erode it.
Typical Plans & Pawn Structures
After 5. Be2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O, the structure often resembles a Pirc/Modern Defense, but with Black’s knight already on d5 instead of g8. Key pawn breaks:
- …c5 – strikes at d4, provoking d4-d5 when the d5-knight can re-enter the game on b4 or c7.
- …dxe5 followed by …c5 – liquidates White’s center outright.
- White: c4-c5 – gains space and restricts the …c5 break, often switching play to the kingside.
Historical Significance
Alexander Alekhine introduced 1…Nf6 at the 1921 Budapest tournament, but the Modern Variation (with …g6) became popular only in the 1970s when grandmasters such as Ljubomir Ljubojević and Vlastimil Hort sought more dynamic counterplay. It remains a practical choice for players who enjoy unbalanced middlegames and theoretical flexibility.
Illustrative Game
Karpov – V. Hort, Madrid 1986 (rapid)
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Be2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. c4 Nb6 8. exd6 cxd6 9. Nc3 Bg4!?
Hort used the Modern setup to equalize quickly and later outplayed the future world champion in an ending.
Interesting Facts
- Because the early …g6 changes the character of the opening, some databases file the line under both the Alekhine Defense and the Modern/Pirc complex.
- Computer engines initially disliked Black’s cramped position, but modern neural-network engines (e.g., Leela) find the variation fully playable.
- In correspondence chess the line scores close to 50 %, confirming its soundness when both sides have time to prepare.
Mini-diagram
Alekhine Variation (Exchange Slav)
Definition & Move-order
The Alekhine Variation most commonly refers to a line in the Slav Defense’s Exchange System: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5. By pinning the f6-knight early, White intends to pressure d5 and accelerate kingside development. Alexander Alekhine employed this setup with great success in the 1920s, giving the variation its name.
Strategic Themes
- Minor-piece tension: Black must decide between …e6, …Bf5 or …Nc6, each creating different structures.
- Isolated queen’s pawn (IQP) vs. Carlsbad plans: An early …e6 can lead to an IQP after cxd5 exd5, while …g6 can transpose to Grünfeld-style positions.
- Space & simplicity: Because the central pawns are already exchanged, piece activity outweighs pawn structure. Both sides often castle opposite wings, leading to sharp play despite the “Exchange” label.
Typical Continuations
- 5…e6 6. e3 Nc6 7. Nf3 a6 – Black heads for a solid setup, keeping options open for …dxc4.
- 5…Nc6 6. e3 Bf5 – Black develops quickly, aiming for …e6 without blocking the bishop.
- 5…g6 6. e3 Bg7 – Fianchetto line, echoing Grünfeld ideas against the Exchange pawn structure.
Historical & Practical Significance
Alekhine’s pioneering use came in Vienna 1922 (Alekhine – Grünfeld) and Hastings 1925 (Alekhine – Yates). The line experienced a renaissance in the 1990s when players such as Vladimir Kramnik and Peter Svidler used it to avoid the heavily analysed mainline Slavs.
Illustrative Game
Alekhine – Grünfeld, Vienna 1922
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Nc6 6. e3 e6 7. Bd3 Be7 8. f4!
Alekhine used a kingside pawn storm and sacrificial tactics to win brilliantly, showcasing the variation’s attacking potential.
Modern Usage
The line is popular at club level because it avoids reams of theoretical Slav theory while retaining winning chances. At elite level it appears as an occasional surprise weapon, e.g., Nepomniachtchi – Carlsen, Norway Chess 2019, where Carlsen equalised with the …g6 setup.
Interesting Facts
- Despite arising from an Exchange opening, the variation often leads to opposite-wing attacks, contradicting the “drawish” stereotype.
- Some databases label it “Alekhine–Chatard Variation,” though that name is more correctly associated with a French Defense gambit.
- Because White’s fifth move is a bishop development, the line is popular in “rapid-prep”: it can be reached without memorising complex pawn-break timing.
Mini-diagram