Alekhine’s Defense and John Tracy Gambit
Alekhine’s Defense
Definition
Alekhine’s Defense is the reply 1…Nf6 to White’s king-pawn opening 1.e4. Black immediately attacks the e-pawn and invites White to advance it, hoping the pawn will become over-extended and vulnerable in the middlegame. The opening is catalogued in ECO codes B02–B05.
Typical Move Order
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 (3…c6, 3…g6, or 3…d5 are also common)
Strategic Ideas
- Provocation: Black tempts the e-pawn forward, then attacks its base with …d6 and piece pressure.
- Piece Play over Pawns: Black accepts a cramped space in the opening for the promise of dynamic piece play against White’s advanced centre.
- Imbalance: Early asymmetry leads to unbalanced structures, making the opening attractive to players who dislike symmetrical, drawish positions.
Main Variations (selected)
- Exchange Variation: 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 … – White grabs space and exchanges, hoping for a positional squeeze.
- Four-Pawns Attack: 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 – White throws everything forward; Black seeks counterplay with …d6 and …c5.
- Modern (or Larsen) Variation: 3…d6 4.Nf3 Bg4.
- Alburt Variation: 4.Nf3 g6 – a hyper-modern fianchetto setup.
Historical Significance
Named after the fourth world champion, Alexander Alekhine, who popularised the move in the 1921 Budapest tournament. Though initially viewed as provocative, it gained respect after Alekhine used it in his 1927 World Championship match against Capablanca.
Illustrative Game
Alekhine – Veit, Budapest 1921
The game shows typical themes: an advanced white pawn centre, Black attacking the base with …c5 and …d6, and active piece play.
Interesting Facts
- During the 1930s the opening was considered outright risky; today it is a respected surprise weapon at elite level (e.g., Vachier-Lagrave, Grischuk).
- The “pawn-grabbing” line 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 once prompted GM Bent Larsen to call Alekhine’s “an opening for people who like to think.”
- Because it immediately violates the classical principle “don’t move a knight twice in the opening,” the defense is often recommended to teach students that rules in chess are guidelines, not laws.
John Tracy Gambit (Alekhine’s Defense)
Definition
The John Tracy Gambit is a rare, aggressive branch of Alekhine’s Defense beginning
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. c4 Nb6 6. e6!? (the gambit move)
With 6.e6!? White sacrifices the e-pawn (after 6…fxe6) to rip open lines, accelerate development, and keep Black’s king in the centre. The gambit bears the name of John Tracy, an American correspondence player who experimented with the idea in the 1980s; it later found its way into some computer databases under ECO code B02.
Strategic Themes
- Open Lines: After …fxe6, files toward f7 and the long diagonal a2-g8 can become vulnerable.
- Lead in Development: White typically follows up with Nc3, Be3, Bd3, and possibly castling queenside to launch a rapid kingside assault.
- Risk vs Reward: Objectively the gambit is borderline sound; engines give Black a small plus with accurate defense. Practically, unfamiliar opponents often falter under pressure.
Typical Continuation
6… fxe6 7. Nc3 g6 (7…e5?! 8.c5!, or 7…Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.dxe6 and White recovers the pawn) 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 c6 10. Be3 Bg7 11. h4!?
White has a pawn deficit but rapid mobilization and possibilities such as h4-h5, h4-h5, or 0-0-0 with rooks swinging to the h-file.
Sample Game
J. Tracy – S. Connors, US Correspondence 1989
White’s pieces dominate despite the extra pawn for Black; the game was eventually won by White on move 36.
Practical Tips
- If you play White and enjoy speculative sacrifices, the John Tracy Gambit can be an effective surprise; make sure you’re comfortable attacking with opposite-sided castling.
- For Black, the simplest antidote is 6…Bxe6 or 6…Nc6, declining the pawn grab and focusing on safe development.
Interesting Nuggets
- The gambit is so uncommon that even large databases list fewer than 150 tournament games. As a result, many online tools mis-label it “Tracy Variation” or “Tracy Sacrifice”.
- GM Larry Kaufman once tested the line in a computer match; engines gradually refuted it, yet in rapid time-controls White scored over 60 %, illustrating its value as a surprise weapon.
- The first printed reference appears in the 1984 USCF Correspondence Quarterly, where Tracy annotated his own game and modestly labeled the pawn offer “an interesting try.”