Semi-Open · a defense for Black

Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation

17/17
1.e4Nf62.e5Nd53.d4d64.c4Nb65.f4dxe56.fxe5Nc67.Nf3Bg48.e6fxe69.c5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation801 games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
79%62935%
15%11850%
3.6%2947%
1.6%1319%
1.2%1025%
0.1%10%
0.1%10%
Famous games in this line3 master games
Franzoni, Giancarlo (2435)Hort, Vlastimil (2590)19880–1Vetemaa, Juri (2200)Mikenas, Vladas (2410)19721–0Vetemaa, Juri (2325)Franssila, Tommi (2225)1998½–½
Heroes of this opening Hort, Vlastimil · Vetemaa, Juri
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
B03
Line
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 dxe5 6. fxe5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. e6 fxe6 9. c5
AggressiveHypermodern
Read the guide: Alekhine DefenseExplore all 56 Alekhine Defense lines
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From the archives

Alexander Alekhine played 1...Nf6 at Budapest in 1921 and made it his: invite White's pawns to chase the knight across the board, then treat the overextended centre as a target. The move had been analysed a century earlier; the name stuck to the only world champion to die while still holding the title.

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