Alekhine's Defense: Krejcik Variation & Krejcik Gambit
Alekhine’s Defense – Krejcik Variation (1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3)
Definition
The Krejcik Variation is an off-beat line in Alekhine’s Defense that arises after 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3. Instead of the customary 2. e5, White calmly protects the e-pawn and keeps the option of building a broad pawn center. The line is named for the Austrian tactician Josef Krejcik (1885-1957), who explored it in pre-WWI Vienna tournaments.
Typical Move Order & Branches
- 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 – the mainstream reply. After 3. e5 d4 4. exf6 dxc3 5. fxg7 cxd2+, the game can enter sharp gambit territory, or
3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3, when play often resembles a Scandinavian or Vienna. - 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 – transposes to a Four Knights Sicilian-style structure (sometimes called the ‘Norwegian Defense Reversed’).
- 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 – Black steers into a Pirc/Modern hybrid while avoiding the huge theoretical mass of the 2. e5 main lines.
Strategic Features
- Flexibility: White can decide later whether to advance with e4–e5 or strike with f2–f4 (Vienna flavor). The move 2. Nc3 also keeps French-like ideas (d2–d4, e4–e5) in reserve.
- Early piece pressure: After 2…d5 3. e5, the knight on f6 is denied its usual post on d5, and Black may have to lose time with …Ng8 or …Nd7.
- Transpositional traps: If Black carelessly plays 2…e5?! 3. Nf3, the game can transpose into inferior versions of the Four Knights or Scotch where the move …Nf6 has been mistimed.
Historical & Practical Significance
The variation has never been a mainstream test of Alekhine’s Defense, but it is a handy anti-book weapon for players who prefer to sidestep the massive theory of 2. e5. It has been used sporadically by tactically minded masters—most notably Hikaru Nakamura against lower-rated opposition in rapid events—to surprise Alekhine aficionados.
Illustrative Mini-Game
The position after 9…Nc6 is a typical tactical melee produced by the Krejcik Variation: material imbalances, an exposed black king, and chances for both sides.
Interesting Nuggets
- Because 2. Nc3 sidesteps 2…d5 3. e5 lines that dominate Alekhine theory, databases show that nearly 70 % of games reach positions that have occurred fewer than 100 times—fertile ground for creative preparation.
- Josef Krejcik was also a noted chess journalist. His witty comments in the newspaper Neues Wiener Tagblatt helped popularize many hyper-modern ideas in Vienna during the 1920s.
Krejcik Gambit in the Dutch Defense (1. d4 f5 2. g4!?)
Definition
The Krejcik Gambit is an audacious pawn sacrifice employed against the Dutch Defense: 1. d4 f5 2. g4!?. White offers the g-pawn to rip open the g-file and accelerate piece activity. Invented—again—by Josef Krejcik, it exemplifies his taste for early pawn throws that aim at the opponent’s king rather than the center.
Main Ideas & Typical Continuations
- 2…fxg4 is virtually forced. White replies 3. h3 (or 3.Bg2) to recapture or lure the g-pawn forward:
3…g3 4. Nf3 gxf2+ 5. Kxf2 Nf6 6. Nc3 e6 7. e4, when White enjoys speedy development and a half-open g-file. - 2…d5 declines the pawn but concedes the center after 3. gxf5 Bxf5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. c4.
Strategic Themes
- Open g-file & Kingside Pressure: White’s rook on h1 often lands on g1 quickly, targeting g7 and the black king that usually castles kingside in the Dutch.
- Center vs. Wing: Black gets a healthy central pawn majority (e- & f-pawns) but risks falling behind in development.
- Psychological Edge: Few Dutch players prepare for 2. g4, making it a powerful surprise weapon in rapid or blitz.
Historical Perspective
First played in Vienna (1911), the gambit grabbed attention when Krejcik defeated the solid master Georg Marco in only 17 moves. Although theory later found defensive resources for Black, the line has retained cult status among attacking specialists such as Aleksander Morozevich and Baadur Jobava.
Sample Attack – Krejcik vs. Marco, Vienna 1911
Marco resigned in view of 18. Rxd1 followed by Bf5+ and Qf7 mate. The game became a classic example of how quickly the Dutch king can come under fire.
Practical Tips for Both Sides
- For White: If Black delays …Nf6, the immediate 4. Bg2 and 5.Nc3 followed by e2-e4 can generate powerful central play in addition to the kingside threats.
- For Black: After accepting the pawn, aim for …e5 and …Nc6 to hit the d4-pawn and force simplifications. Castling queenside is a viable antidote in longer time controls.
Trivia & Fun Facts
- Modern engines assess the gambit at about +0.30 for White after best play—surprisingly respectable for such a wild idea.
- Because 2. g4 occurs on move two, it has one of the lowest appearance rates (<0.1 %) of any named opening in master databases, yet its practical score is nearly 55 % for White.
- Josef Krejcik once quipped, “A pawn is only a piece of wood—my opponent’s king is made of glory!” The gambit embodies that philosophy.