Alekhine's Defense: Two Pawns, Lasker, Mikenas Variations
Alekhine’s Defense
Definition
A hyper-modern chess opening that begins 1. e4 Nf6, in which Black immediately attacks White’s center pawn from the flank instead of occupying the center with pawns. Named after the fourth World Champion, Alexander Alekhine, who popularized it in master play during the 1920s.
Main Line Move-Order
- e4 Nf6
- e5 Nd5
- d4 d6
- Nf3 g6 (or 4…Bg4 / 4…c6, etc.)
Strategic Ideas
- Black tempts White to over-extend in the center with pawns, planning to undermine and counter-attack them later with moves such as …d6, …c5, and piece pressure on d4/e5.
- The resulting positions are often imbalanced and sharp; Black accepts a space disadvantage in return for dynamic piece play.
- Central tension and pawn structure transformations (e.g., IQP, hanging pawns, or isolated e-pawn for White) are common thematic issues.
Historical Significance
Though occasionally employed earlier, Alekhine used the defense successfully against top contemporaries—most famously against Efim Bogoljubov (Hastings 1922) and in several exhibition games—cementing the line’s reputation. It has since been employed sporadically at the highest level by players such as Robert Fischer, Lev Alburt, and Vassily Ivanchuk, offering a surprise weapon and an invitation to a fight.
Illustrative Game
Alekhine vs. Yates, London 1922: Alekhine, playing Black against F.D. Yates, unleashed early …d6 and …c5, eventually winning a tactical queen-side skirmish that left his central targets intact. The game is still quoted in opening manuals as a model of counter-attacking play.
Interesting Facts
- Because the first move is purely a knight leap, the ECO code group for Alekhine’s Defense (B02–B05) is among the smallest for 1. e4 openings.
- Grandmaster Lev Alburt titled one of his autobiographical books “The Alekhine for the Practical Player,” reflecting his long-time preference for the line.
Two Pawns Attack (Alekhine’s Defense)
Definition
A sharp branch of Alekhine’s Defense where White advances both the c- and d- pawns in addition to e5, attempting to gain massive central space at the cost of development. The canonical move-order is:
- e4 Nf6
- e5 Nd5
- c4 Nb6
- c5 (the signature thrust)
The ECO code is B02.
Strategic Themes
- White clamps down on d6 and b6 squares, hoping for a space squeeze and eventual pawn storm on the queen side.
- Black strives for immediate counter-play against the over-extended center with breaks such as …d6, …e6, or …d5, and piece activity against the c5-pawn.
- Many games revolve around whether Black can successfully undermine the proud central phalanx before White finishes development.
Critical Continuations
- 4…d6 5.cxb6 dxe5 – A double-edged pawn sacrifice by Black, opening lines for the pieces.
- 4…Nc6 5.cxb6 axb6 – Black accepts an isolated a-pawn but speeds development.
- 4…e6 – A modern, flexible approach preparing …d6 or …d5.
Historical Snapshot
The variation was fashionable in the 1970s and 1980s among Soviet theoreticians. Even Anatoly Karpov sampled it in blitz, although he never chose it in classical play. Today the line has boutique appeal; it surprises opponent preparation and steers the game away from theoretical minefields found in the Four Pawns and Exchange variations.
Example Game
Alburt vs. Browne, U.S. Championship 1986: White’s central pawns surged forward, but Browne’s counter-break …d6 followed by …dxe5 shattered the center and shifted the initiative to Black, illustrating the risky nature of the Two Pawns Attack.
Lasker Variation (Queen’s Gambit Declined)
Definition
A solid but dynamic line in the Queen’s Gambit Declined (QGD) introduced by World Champion Emanuel Lasker. The defining moves occur after:
- d4 d5
- c4 e6
- Nc3 Nf6
- Bg5 Be7
- e3 h6
- Bh4 O-O
- Nf3 Ne4 (the hallmark Lasker move)
Instead of continuing the orthodox QGD with …h6 followed by …b6 or …c6, Black exchanges minor pieces to relieve central pressure and simplify.
Strategic Concepts
- Early piece exchange (usually bishop for knight on g5 and knight for knight on c3) reduces White’s attacking potential against Black’s king.
- Black accepts a slightly cramped but rock-solid pawn structure, often reaching an equal endgame where the bishop pair provides latent dynamic chances.
- If mishandled, White’s slight space edge can convert into a dangerous minority attack on the queen side (b4–b5), so precise timing of …c5 or …e5 breaks is vital for Black.
Typical Continuation
After 8…Ne4 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Nd2 e5, Black achieves a symmetrical center with clear development and the possibility of …exd4, activating the light-squared bishop.
Historical and Practical Significance
- Lasker first used the line versus Carl Schlechter in the 1910 World Championship match as a drawing weapon when he led the score.
- The variation enjoyed a revival in the 1980s and 1990s, championed by Anatoly Karpov and later by Vladimir Kramnik, who used it to neutralize Garry Kasparov in their 2000 World Championship match.
- Because of its reputation for solidity, the Lasker Variation remains a popular choice in correspondence and engine chess as a “reliable wall.”
Famous Example
Kasparov – Kramnik, World Championship (Game 2), London 2000: Kramnik employed the Lasker with surgical precision; the game fizzled into an equal rook ending, validating his defensive strategy against Kasparov’s famed attacking prowess.
Trivia
- In databases, the Lasker is coded as D55–D57.
- Lasker reputedly quipped, “Why should I allow my opponent to attack if I can exchange the attacking pieces first?”—a philosophy embodied in this variation.
Mikėnas Variation (English Opening / Mikėnas–Carls)
Definition
A combative setup for White in the English Opening arising after:
- c4 Nf6
- Nc3 e6
- e4
Named after Lithuanian Grandmaster Vladas Mikėnas, it is also called the Mikėnas–Carls Variation (after Danish master Carl Carls, who analyzed it independently).
Strategic Essence
- White seizes central space with e4 and threatens rapid expansion with d4, often transposing into favorable lines of the King’s Indian, Benoni, or Nimzo-Indian—but with an extra tempo.
- Black must decide between immediate central tension (3…d5), a hyper-modern approach (3…c5), or the sharp counter-strike 3…Bb4, pinning the knight and challenging e4.
- Because the move e4 departs from traditional English fianchetto schemes, it frequently unbalances the pawn structure and leads to open, tactical middlegames.
Main Black Replies
- 3…d5 4.e5 d4 – A Benoni-flavored structure where White enjoys spatial edge; Black seeks breaks with …f6 or …b5.
- 3…c5 4.e5 Ng8 – The “retreat variation,” yielding space but aiming at …Nc6 and …g6.
- 3…Bb4 4.e5 Ng8 – A sharp line forcing Black’s knight back but doubling down on dark-square pressure.
Historical Highlights
Mikėnas unveiled the idea in the 1930s, scoring notable wins in Soviet events. Its modern resurgence stems from the 1990s, when players like Alexei Shirov and Boris Gelfand began employing it in classical tournaments, attracted by its surprise value and fighting character.
Illustrative Game
Shirov – Kramnik, Linares 1994: Shirov used the 3.e4 system to provoke an early …d5. After a thematic pawn sacrifice, he unleashed a king-side assault culminating in a spectacular queen sacrifice—an evergreen demonstration of the variation’s attacking potential.
Fun Facts
- Because of the early e4 thrust, engines historically undervalued the line, labeling it “dubious” until deeper horizon analysis revealed its resources—making it a favorite among computer-savvy prepared players.
- In blitz, Magnus Carlsen has occasionally adopted 3.e4, relishing the swift development and surprise factor it grants.