Alekhine's Defense: Mokele Mbembe Modern Line
Alekhine’s Defense
Definition
Alekhine’s Defense is a hyper-modern opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 Nf6. Black immediately attacks the e-pawn and invites White to advance it, aiming to provoke an over-extended center that can later be undermined with piece play and pawn breaks. The opening is named after the fourth World Champion, Alexander Alekhine, who unveiled it in master play in 1921.
Typical Move-Order & Main Branches
After the characteristic advance 2. e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6, several well-established systems arise:
- Exchange Variation – 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6
- Four-Pawns Attack – 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4
- Modern Variation – 4.Nf3 g6 (sets the stage for the “Mokele Mbembe” line)
- Classical Variation – 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2
Strategic Concepts
- Black allows White to build an imposing pawn phalanx (pawns on c4-d4-e5-f4 in many lines) and then attacks it with breaks such as …d6–d5, …c6, and piece pressure on e5 and d4.
- Tempo matters: every pawn move by White creates squares and weakens the center; Black tries to prove that White’s space advantage is short-lived.
- Piece activity over pawn structure: Knights often hop to b6, d5, or f4, while bishops are frequently fianchettoed.
Historical Significance
Alekhine used the defense successfully against Endre Steiner (Budapest 1921) and later against top contemporaries, popularizing the hyper-modern idea that provoking rather than occupying the center could be a path to counterplay. Though never the main line at world-championship level, it has served as a dangerous surprise weapon for players such as Bobby Fischer, Nikolaï Minev, and modern grandmasters like Hikaru Nakamura.
Illustrative Mini-Game
White’s center has been fixed; Black will target it with …Bf6, …Ne7, and …Nf5, showing the typical strategic themes of the opening.
Interesting Facts
- Alekhine himself scored over 70 % with the defense during the 1920s.
- Computers originally disliked the opening, but modern engines give it a healthier evaluation thanks to dynamic resources.
- The Four-Pawns Attack inspired a famous quip: “All those pawns look great—until they have to move backwards.”
Mokele Mbembe (in the Alekhine)
Definition
“Mokele Mbembe” (pronounced mo-KEH-leh m-BEM-beh) is an off-beat but reputable sideline inside the Alekhine’s Defense Modern Variation. The name comes from a legendary Congolese lake monster—an “African Loch Ness”—chosen whimsically to suggest an unpredictable, swamp-dwelling setup. In practical terms, the variation arises after:
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6 (Modern Variation) 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 Bg7 7. Qe2
The queen sortie to e2 (instead of the more common 7.O-O) is the key move that defines the line. It supports e5, deters …d6-d5 for the moment, and prepares potentially long-term pressure on the e-file.
Strategic Aims
- For White: Maintain the advanced e-pawn, overprotect it with Qe2, and later choose between castling long (0-0-0) for a pawn-storm or short for a positional squeeze. The bishop pair (Bb3 + Bc1) eyes f7 and h6 if Black castles.
- For Black: Adopt a flexible, sometimes “hippopotamus-like” posture—pawns on d6, e7, g6, b6, c6—before striking at the center with …c5 or …dxe5 followed by …Nc6 and …Bg4. The knight on b6 is ready to jump to c4 if White is careless.
Sample Continuation
Both sides have achieved their ideal “Mokele Mbembe” positions: Black’s pieces lurk beneath the pawn cover, while White has a well-supported e-pawn and latent kingside threats.
Historical & Practical Notes
- Although uncommon at elite level, the line has been tried by creative grandmasters such as Simon Williams and Richard Rapport, often as a surprise weapon in rapid events.
- Its most celebrated outing is Gofshtein – Shirov, León 1996, where Shirov (Black) unleashed a timely …c5 break to seize the initiative.
- The variation’s exotic name makes it popular in club play: many opponents are unfamiliar with it and burn early clock time.
Modern Line (General Opening Terminology)
Definition
The label “Modern Line” is used across opening theory to denote a branch that reflects contemporary strategic thinking—often featuring fianchetto setups, delayed pawn tension, and flexible piece placement. Thus there can be a “Modern Line” of the Benoni, the King’s Gambit, or, as above, the Alekhine. The common thread is an emphasis on dynamic, hyper-modern ideas rather than classical fixed pawn structures.
Key Characteristics
- Delayed central pawn commitments. Black or White refrains from occupying the center with pawns in favor of flank development.
- Fianchettoed bishops. Long-diagonal pressure substitutes for immediate pawn presence.
- Piece activity first, pawn breaks later.
Examples in Other Openings
- Benoni Modern Line – 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nf3 exd5 5.cxd5 d6 6.Nc3 g6.
- King’s Gambit Modern Line – 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7, where Black adopts a flexible kingside fianchetto.
- Sicilian Najdorf Modern Line – 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5, reflecting updated theoretical priorities compared with older 6…e6 systems.
Interesting Tidbits
- The word “modern” can date quickly! Lines dubbed modern in the 1960s (e.g., the Modern Benoni) are now classical main lines, yet the name tends to stick.
- In databases, “Modern Line” is sometimes abbreviated “Mod.” or “Mod Var.”—useful to know when searching for games.