Alekhine's Defense: Modern, Alburt & Karpov Variations
Alekhine’s Defense
Definition
Alekhine’s Defense is an opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 Nf6. Black immediately attacks the e-pawn, inviting it to advance and over-extend. The opening is named after the fourth World Champion Alexander Alekhine, who unveiled it in the master tournament at Budapest 1921.
Typical Move Order
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6
From this tabiya White can choose between calm lines such as 4.Nf3 or ambitious setups like the Four-Pawns Attack (4.c4 Nb6 5.f4). Black’s main branches include the Modern, Alburt, and Karpov Variations, each covered below.
Strategic Themes
- Hypermodern philosophy: Black attacks White’s center from the flanks instead of occupying it early.
- Pawn targets: The advanced white e- and d-pawns can become over-stretched if Black strikes with …d6, …c5, or …f6.
- Piece activity vs. space: White enjoys more central space, while Black aims for piece play and pawn breaks.
Historical Significance
Alekhine used the opening to defeat Endre Steiner (Budapest 1921) in its debut. It later became a favorite surprise weapon for players such as Bobby Fischer, Vladimir Bagirov, and Magnus Carlsen, who beat Gata Kamsky with it in Tata Steel 2010.
Illustrative Miniature
After only a dozen moves Black already has active piece play and the c4-pawn is loose.
Curiosities
- Alekhine reportedly invented the opening during a train ride, analyzing 1…Nf6 on a pocket board.
- Only two world champions (Alekhine and Carlsen) have employed it regularly at the elite level.
Modern Variation (Alekhine’s Defense)
Definition
The Modern Variation arises after 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6. Black fianchettoes the king’s bishop, combining pressure on the d4-pawn with rapid castling.
Main Line Moves
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6 5. c4 Nb6 6. exd6 cxd6
Strategic Ideas
- Black: …Bg7 and …O-O give a solid, flexible setup. Breaks with …dxe5, …c5, or …Nc6 challenge White’s center.
- White: Can clamp down with 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0, or choose the sharper 7.h4 aiming to disrupt Black’s kingside.
- The pawn structure often resembles the Pirc or Modern Defense, but with the black knight already on d5/b6.
Historical Notes
The line was popularized by Latvian-Azeri grandmaster Vladimir Bagirov in the 1970s and remains the most common branch of Alekhine’s Defense at master level. Magnus Carlsen adopted it against Levon Aronian (Wijk aan Zee 2012), drawing an instructive endgame a pawn down.
Sample Game Reference
Karpov – Bagirov, Moscow 1971 showed the classical plan where Black sacrifices a pawn for dark-square control and drew comfortably.
Interesting Facts
- If White plays 5.Bc4 instead of 5.c4, engine databases show near-equality, yet human scores favor White by roughly 60 %—evidence of the practical pressure of early piece activity.
- The move 7.h4!? was popularized by correspondence players long before it reached over-the-board tournaments.
Alburt Variation (Alekhine’s Defense)
Definition
The Alburt Variation follows the sequence 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6. By inserting …dxe5 and …c6, Black restricts the white knight and prepares …Bf5 or …g6.
Key Ideas
- Solid center: …c6 covers the d5-square and supports a later …c5 break.
- Development: Black often plays …Bf5, …e6, and …Nd7, reaching a Caro-Kann-style structure without having committed to …d5.
- Endgame potential: Early exchanges simplify the position; Alburt himself, an endgame specialist, steered games into equal endings.
Origin and Naming
The line is named after GM Lev Alburt, three-time U.S. Champion, who used it successfully in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His win against Tal (Moscow 1979) is often cited as the variation’s showcase game.
Typical Continuation
6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Nd7 8. Qe2 Nxe5 9. dxe5 b5
Black expands on the queenside and aims for …Bc5 or …Be7, with a rock-solid but flexible set-up.
Example Position
After 9…b5, the a- and c-files can open quickly, giving Black counterplay against White’s queen-side pawns despite having less space.
Trivia
- Alburt famously stated that this variation gives him “the comfort of a Caro-Kann with the surprise value of an Alekhine.”
- Modern engines rate the line as roughly equal (≈ 0.00 at depth 40), vindicating Alburt’s intuition from pre-engine days.
Karpov Variation (Alekhine’s Defense)
Definition
The Karpov Variation is characterized by the early pin 4…Bg4 in the main line: 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4. Black pressures the knight on f3, indirectly targeting e5 and d4.
Strategic Essence
- Pin and provoke: The pin discourages 5.c4 because …Nb4 hits d3.
- Piece activity: Black can exchange on f3 to damage White’s kingside structure or retreat the bishop to h5 after …e6.
- Dynamic tension: Unlike the Alburt Variation, the center remains closed, preserving middlegame complexity.
Common Continuations
5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. c4 Nb6 8. exd6 cxd6
Both sides castle early; Black’s minor-piece pressure compensates for White’s space advantage.
Historical Background
Named after Anatoly Karpov, the 12th World Champion, who used the line repeatedly in the mid-1970s. His most famous outing was against Ljubojević at Tilburg 1977, where the pin on f3 eventually netted a pawn.
Illustrative Game
[[Pgn|e4 Nf6 e5 Nd5 d4 d6 Nf3 Bg4 c4 Nb6 exd6 cxd6 h3 Bxf3 Qxf3 Nc6 Be3 g6 Nc3 Bg7 Rd1 O-O Be2 e5 dxe5 Nxe5 Qxb7 Nbxc4 Bxc4 Nxc4 O-O Nxe3 fxe3 Bxe5 Ne4 Rb8 Qd5 Rxb2 Nxd6 Bxd6 Qxd6 Qg5 Rf2 Rxf2 Qxb8+ Kg7 Kxf2 Qf5+ Kg1 Qe4 Qxa7|fen|]>Karpov gradually outplayed Ljubojević, demonstrating the long-term power of the pin and dark-square control.
Interesting Nuggets
- The move 4…Bg4 surprised Korchnoi in their 1974 Candidates’ Final; Karpov equalised effortlessly and went on to win the match.
- Some databases list the variation as the “Modern Variation with 4…Bg4”, but tournament books universally call it the Karpov Variation.