Alekhine: Exchange, 5...cxd6
Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation
Definition
The Exchange Variation of the Alekhine Defense arises after the moves 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6. White voluntarily gives up the e-pawn to capture on d6, forcing Black to recapture and thereby exchanging a pair of central pawns. This sequence is therefore called the “Exchange” Variation.
Typical Move Order
The critical branching point comes on move 5:
- 1. e4 Nf6
- 2. e5 Nd5
- 3. d4 d6
- 4. c4 Nb6
- 5. exd6 (Exchange Variation)
- … exd6 or 5… cxd6 (see next section)
Strategic Ideas
- Space Advantage: By pushing e4–e5 and later advancing the c-pawn, White gains spatial control in the center and on the queenside.
- Structural Targets: The swap of the e- and d-pawns often leaves Black with an isolated or backward d-pawn after …exd6, or a hanging c-pawn after …cxd6. Both can be long-term weaknesses.
- Piece Activity: White’s pawns on d4 and c4 restrict Black’s knight on b6 and delay Black’s natural …e7-e5 break. Black must rely on piece pressure (…g6, …Bg7, …0-0) to compensate.
Historical Significance
Alexander Alekhine introduced 1…Nf6 at New York 1924 to unbalance the game from move 1. The Exchange line became popular in the 1970s and 1980s when players such as Ljubojević, Miles, and Korchnoi sought strategically rich, non-theoretical positions against the then-fashionable Najdorf Sicilian and 1…e5 Spanish.
Illustrative Game
Ljubojević – Miles, Banja Luka 1979 (1-0). White eventually exploited the weak d6-pawn and the cramped position of the black pieces to force a winning kingside attack.
Interesting Facts
- Grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk once called the Exchange Variation “an endgame a few moves early,” because the early pawn trades clarify the pawn structure while many pieces remain on the board.
- Modern engines evaluate the resulting positions as roughly equal, but practical results still favor White by a small margin in human play.
5…cxd6 in the Alekhine Defense
Definition
After 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6, Black has two legal recaptures. The move 5…cxd6 captures with the c-pawn instead of the e-pawn (5…exd6). It is an important sub-line that changes the pawn structure and the subsequent plans for both sides.
Why Choose 5…cxd6?
- Maintains a central pawn on e7. Black keeps the e-pawn to support a later …e7-e5 break.
- Opens the c-file. By moving the c-pawn to d6, Black clears the c-file for a rook, inviting counterplay along the half-open file.
- Isolates White’s d-pawn sooner. Without a black pawn on d6 (it moved from c7), White’s pawn on d4 can become a fixed target once Black achieves …e7-e5.
Drawbacks
- Backward d6-pawn. The pawn on d6 starts on the 6th rank and can become backward if Black fails to push …d6-d5.
- Weak light squares. The absence of the c-pawn can leave holes on c6 and d5, giving White strong outposts for knights.
Typical Continuations
Two of the most common plans:
-
6. Nc3 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Rc1
Black fianchettos the bishop, castles, and piles up on the d4-pawn. White counters by occupying the c-file. -
6. Nf3 g6 7. Nc3 Bg7 8. h3 O-O 9. Be3
A slower setup in which White eventually meets …e7-e5 with d4-d5, freezing the center.
Illustrative Game
Nakamura – Karjakin, Moscow Tal Memorial 2010 (½-½). Black demonstrated that the d6-pawn can become dynamic rather than weak, achieving …d6-d5 and full equality.
Historical Anecdote
In the 1992 Candidates match Short – Karpov, Nigel Short surprised Karpov in game 1 with 5…cxd6, a line Karpov had rarely faced. Short held comfortably and went on to win the match, later crediting “that modest little pawn on d6” for shaking Karpov’s famed positional sense.
Practical Tips
- Be ready to play …d6-d5 at the right moment—often after castling and completing development.
- If White over-expands with c4-c5, look for the counter-strike …d6-dxc5 followed by …e7-e5, opening central lines.
- Keep an eye on the d4-pawn; doubling rooks on the c- and d-files is a thematic plan.