Alekhine's Defense: Larsen & Haakert
Alekhine’s Defense
Definition
Alekhine’s Defense is an asymmetrical reply to 1. e4 that begins with the provocative knight move 1… Nf6. Black immediately attacks the e-pawn and invites White to thrust it forward, hoping that the advanced central pawns will later become targets. The full starting position after White’s usual reply is: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5.
How It Is Used in Chess
By sidestepping mirrored pawn structures and steering the game into unbalanced territory, Alekhine’s Defense offers fighting chances and avoids the mass of theory that surrounds 1… e5 or 1… c5. Black’s core plan is:
- Lure White’s pawns to e5 and d4, then undermine them with moves like …d6, …c5 and …Nc6.
- Exploit the outpost on d5 for the f6-knight until the center is ready to be challenged.
- Counter-attack rather than immediately equalize.
Strategic & Historical Significance
Named after the fourth World Champion Alexander Alekhine, who introduced it in the 1921 Budapest tournament, the defense embodies his fighting spirit. Though never the most popular reply to 1. e4, it has appeared in the repertoires of elite grandmasters such as Fischer, Korchnoi, and Caruana, particularly as a surprise weapon.
Typical Continuations
- Exchange Variation: 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6.
- Four Pawns Attack: 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 g6.
- Modern (Larsen) Variation: 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 (focus of the next section).
Notable Example
Bobby Fischer employed Alekhine’s Defense in his famous “Game of the Century II” against Jul Baldwin, U.S. Championship 1963/64, uncorking a piece sacrifice that demonstrated the opening’s latent dynamism.
Interesting Facts
- Alekhine himself scored +7 –0 =9 with the opening in master play.
- Computers were once skeptical, but modern engines rate the defense as fully playable.
Modern (Larsen) Variation of Alekhine’s Defense
Definition & Move Order
The Modern, or Larsen, Variation arises after the moves 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4. Black pins the f3-knight instead of the more classical 4… g6 or 4… dxe5 plans.
Strategic Ideas
- Pin and Pressure: …Bg4 puts indirect pressure on the e5-pawn; if White plays h3, the bishop can often retreat to h5 and later capture on f3 to damage White’s kingside structure.
- Delayed Center Breaks: Black normally keeps …c5 and …dxe5 in reserve until development is complete.
- Flexibility: By not committing the kingside pawn structure, Black can castle either side, although kingside is most common.
Historical Notes
GM Bent Larsen championed the line in the 1960s and 70s, most famously defeating GM Tigran Petrosian (Busum 1969) with a sparkling counter-attack, hence the common label “Larsen Variation.” Its modern reputation is robust; several engine matches rate the line in the same ballpark as 4… dxe5.
Model Game
[[Pgn|1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.O-O Be7 7.c4 Nb6 8.exd6 cxd6 9.h3 Bh5 10.Nc3 O-O 11.b3 d5 12.c5 Nc8 13.Bf4 Nc6 14.a3 Bf6 15.g4 Bg6 16.b4 a6 17.Re1 h6 18.Bf1 Re8 19.Ne5 Bxe5 20.dxe5 N8e7 21.Na4 d4 22.Nb6 Nd5 23.Bg3 Nc3|fen|]Interesting Facts
- In several sidelines, Black can castle queenside and launch a mirrored KID-style pawn storm with …g5 and …h5.
- Because engines value the pair of bishops, they often recommend the immediate 5… Bxf3, but practical results show keeping the pin can be more venomous.
Haakert Variation (within the Modern/Larsen System)
Definition & Move Order
The Haakert Variation is a sharpened sub-line of the Modern/Larsen system that appears after
- e4 Nf6
- e5 Nd5
- d4 d6
- Nf3 Bg4
- Be2 e6
- c4 …Nb6 (or …dxe5) 7. exd6 cxd6
Dutch theoretician Arie Haakert analyzed this move order deeply in the 1980s, demonstrating that the early …e6 followed by …cxd6 (instead of recapturing with the knight) gives Black fresh counterplay and keeps the dark-squared bishop unchallenged.
Strategic Themes
- Imbalanced Pawn Structure: Black accepts an isolated pawn on d6 but gains open lines for the bishops and quick development.
- Bishop Pair vs. Space: White enjoys more central space, while Black relies on long-range piece activity.
- Tactical Motifs: …Bxf3, …Nc6, and …d5 breaks can explode in the center if White is careless.
Illustrative Mini-Game
[[Pgn|1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.c4 Nb6 7.exd6 cxd6 8.Nc3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.h3 Bh5 11.b3 d5 12.c5 Nc8 13.b4 a6 14.a4 Bf6 15.Ne5 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Ne7 17.Bf4 Nbc6 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Rfd1 Nf5 20.Qd3 Nxd4|fen|]Historical & Practical Value
Although rare in top-level play, the Haakert Variation appeals to club and correspondence players wanting fresh territory. Database statistics hover around 50 % for both sides, an impressive feat for a counter-attacking defense.
Interesting Tidbits
- The line first hit printed analysis in the Dutch magazine Schaaknieuws (1984), serialized in a three-part article by Haakert himself.
- GM Sergei Tiviakov, a noted Alekhine expert, has experimented with Haakert ideas in online blitz, praising the “hidden venom” after 5… e6.