Openings · B02–B05

Alekhine's Defence

Invite the pawns forward and then show that they are weak: the most provocative first move Black has.

1.e4 Nf6played as Black

Play it through on the board below, and 6 moves into the main line.

Practise the line

You play Black; the other side answers on its own. Nothing here is saved or graded. The line runs on past the moves that define the opening and into the main line, because two moves is not a drill.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
Your move 1 of 40/4
  1. 1.e4Nf6
  2. 2.e5Nd5
  3. 3.d4d6
  4. 4.Nf3Bg4

White is answering…

The idea

1…Nf6 attacks e4 and asks White to chase the knight with e5, c4 and d4. Black loses time doing it, and gets a target: a big pawn centre that cannot be defended by pawns alone, undermined later by …d6, …c5 and …f6.

It is a strategy, not a trick, and it demands that Black actually attack the centre. Played passively it is simply a knight that has moved four times while White built the position he wanted.

Common mistakes

Three that come up again and again below master level: named traps and the errors every coach corrects.

Trading the knight on c3

After 4.dxc3
  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
The mistake
Exchanging on c3 when White offers it.
Why it costs
White recaptures towards the centre and gets an extra tempo, open lines and the two bishops, while Black has given up the piece that was doing the provoking. The knight on d5 is the whole defence — it is not there to be traded for a developing move.
Instead
3…Nb6, or 3…e6 keeping the knight where it stands. If White wants that knight he should have to spend moves on it.

Leaving the pawn on e5

After 6.Nc3
  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.
  6. 6.
The mistake
Developing the bishop before taking on e5 in the Four Pawns Attack.
Why it costs
The pawn on e5 is White's whole space advantage, and every move it survives, White gets to add another: Nf3, Be3, and eventually g4 hitting the bishop that came out early. Black's position gets smaller by one square a move.
Instead
5…dxe5 first, and only then develop. The exchange on e5 is the concession Black's whole opening is designed to force.

Moving the knight a fourth time

After 3.d3
  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
The mistake
Jumping to e4 rather than retreating to d5.
Why it costs
3.d3 kicks it again and the knight has spent three moves to reach a square it must leave. Black is four tempi behind before a single piece has been developed, which is more provocation than the position can pay for.
Instead
2…Nd5, the only move played by anyone who wins with this opening. From d5 the knight is annoying; from e4 it is simply lost time.

In real games between beginners

  • 1 in 61games end with Black giving checkmate by move 15. In all openings: 1 in 54.
  • 1 in 25games end with Black getting checkmated by move 15. In all openings: 1 in 33.

From 5,954 Lichess games in this opening between players rated under 1200, blitz and slower, September 2026. How we counted.

What the engine says

After 1.e4 Nf6, these are White's six best moves according to Stockfish, with the bar showing White's chance of winning.

  1. e5+0.6
  2. Nc3+0.1
  3. d3-0.0
  4. Bd3-0.2
  5. Qe2-0.4
  6. Qf3-0.7

The engine's main line from e5: e5 Nd5 c4 Nb6 d4 d6 f4 dxe5.

Stockfish 18, depth 24. Scores are in pawns from White's side. Another engine or depth will move individual numbers a little; the picture does not change. How we check.

Analyse a game you played in itAll openings