Alekhine's Defense, Scandinavian Defense & Myers Gambit
Alekhine’s Defense
Definition & Move Order
Alekhine’s Defense is a hyper-modern reply to 1. e4 that begins 1…Nf6. Instead of mirroring White’s central pawn advance, Black attacks it from the flank, inviting the pawn to push forward and hopefully over-extend.
Main starting sequence: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5
Strategic Ideas
- Provocation: Black tempts White to chase the knight with pawns (e5, d4, c4, f4), hoping those pawns can later be targeted.
- Counter-punching: Black’s pieces aim at the advanced pawn chain rather than occupying the center early.
- Piece Play: Because Black delays …d6 or …d5, minor pieces have flexible development, often leading to …g6 and a fianchettoed bishop.
Typical Variations
- Four-Pawns Attack: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 – White grabs space; Black counters with …dxe5 or …g6.
- Exchange Variation: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. c5 Nd5 5. d4 – quieter, but still space-grabbing.
- Modern Variation: 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 – transposes to a Scandinavian-type structure.
- Two-Pawns Attack: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 – a solid central clamp without f-pawn advance.
Historical Notes
The opening is named after the fourth World Champion, Alexander Alekhine, who popularized it in 1921 (notably against Endre Steiner in Budapest). It was a sensation at the time because allowing White to march forward with tempo violated classical principles. Hyper-modernists embraced it, and it remains a respected if less common weapon today (seen in the repertoires of Fischer, Ljubojević, Baburin, and more recently Adams and Nakamura).
Illustrative Miniature
A textbook example of White’s pawns steamrolling forward only to become targets; Black’s 10…Bxe6 and 11…Qd7 starts the counter-offensive.
Interesting Facts
- The move 1…Nf6 technically violates the principle “don’t bring the knight out before securing the center,” making it a poster child for hyper-modern strategy.
- Bobby Fischer employed Alekhine’s Defense twice in the 1972 World Championship training games, joking that it was “more poisonous than it looks.”
- The notorious “Brooklyn Double” coffee-house trick (…Bb4+ followed by …Qh4) stems from some Four-Pawns lines.
Scandinavian Defense
Definition & Move Order
The Scandinavian Defense (also called the Center-Counter) is the immediate challenge 1…d5 against 1. e4, striking the e-pawn instead of defending or ignoring it.
Main line: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5
Main Branches
- Classical (3…Qa5): The queen retreats one step, eyeing c3 and a2.
- Modern (2…Nf6): 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6, offering a pawn in some lines and often leading to the Portuguese Gambit (3. d4 Bg4).
- Qd8 Retreat (3…Qd8): Sometimes called the Gubinsky-Melts, Black brings the queen home to avoid harassment at the cost of a tempo.
- Icelandic Gambit: 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 c6 4. dxc6 Nxc6 – Black sacrifices a pawn for quick development.
Strategic Themes
- Early Queen Activity: Black’s queen is active from move 2 but can be chased; accurate re-deployment is critical.
- Solid Pawn Structure: After …c6 and …e6, Black often attains a Caro-Kann–like set-up.
- Simple Development for White: White gains tempo by hitting the queen yet must decide where to place the d- and c-pawns without falling behind.
Historical Perspective
The Scandinavian has the oldest known printed example in chess literature—Lucena (circa 1497) analyzed it. Pillsbury used it in the 1890s, and it saw a renaissance when GM Curt Hansen and later GM Sergei Tiviakov adopted it as their main defense, scoring remarkable percentages. Even Magnus Carlsen has employed it in rapid play, continuing the opening’s elite presence.
Model Game
Sergei Tiviakov demonstrates how Black’s queen side-steps harassment, pieces flow out, and Black equalizes comfortably.
Trivia
- In some Scandinavian move orders, Black can castle long as early as move 7, a rarity among 1…e5 or 1…c5 openings.
- The line 2…Nf6 3. d4 c6 is named the Icelandic-Palme Gambit because it was analyzed extensively by Icelandic masters after the 1972 Reykjavík match.
Myers Gambit (French Defense)
Definition & Move Order
The Myers Gambit is an aggressive pawn sacrifice in the French Defense Advance structure, introduced by American IM Hugh E. Myers.
Main line: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5!?
White offers the e-pawn to accelerate development and attack the sensitive f7-square.
Strategic Concepts
- Direct King Pressure: After 4. Ng5 White eyes f7; typical continuations involve Bc4, Qe2, and sometimes f3 or f4, building a rapid initiative.
- Unbalanced Play: Black keeps an extra pawn but faces awkward piece placement—especially the g8-knight and dark-squared bishop.
- The “French Without c5” Problem: Because Black’s queen knight and light-squared bishop take time to enter the game, White hopes to strike before …c5 restores harmony.
Critical Continuations
- 4…Nf6 5. Nc3: White threatens Ngxe4, Bc4, or even Ngxe4–f3 ideas. Black often counters with 5…Bb4 or 5…Nc6.
- 4…f5?! – a sharp attempt to blunt the g5-knight, but it fatally weakens e6 and e5 squares.
- Declining with 4…Be7: A calmer path, conceding space but avoiding immediate tactics.
Origin & Legacy
Hugh Myers (1930–2008) delighted in unorthodox openings—he also produced the off-beat 1…a6 (the “Myers Defense” to 1. e4). He first published analysis of 4. Ng5 in the 1960s and scored several upsets with it in U.S. events. Although never fully mainstream, the gambit attracted experimenters such as GM Bent Larsen and GM Leonid Shamkovich in the 1970s.
Example Game
White’s sacrificed pawn buys open lines, active pieces, and a direct assault on the black king—an archetypal Myers Gambit struggle.
Curiosities
- Because 3. Nf3 is itself a sideline in the French, the gambit often catches French specialists off guard.
- Modern engines evaluate the position as roughly equal (or slightly better for Black with perfect play), but in practical play the initiative frequently decides the game before move 25.
- IM Myers humorously called his lines “highly unsound—but fun,” stressing the psychological edge of surprise.