Semi-Open · a defense for Black
Alekhine Defense: Steiner Variation
7/7
1.e4Nf62.e5Nd53.c4Nb64.b3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Alekhine Defense: Steiner Variation65k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
71%46k54%
7.3%4.7k50%
7%4.5k51%
5.7%3.7k53%
5.2%3.3k56%
3.4%2.2k51%
0.2%12849%
0.2%12850%
0%2043%
0%1744%
Famous games in this line46 master games
Diaz, Joaquin Carlos (2485) – Marinkovic, Ivan (2415)Reprintsev, Alexander (2470) – Kopylov, Mihail (2421)Knezevic, Milorad (2460) – Rajkovic, Dusan (2420)Berg, Klaus (2375) – Hansen, Curt (2505)Kocheev, A. (2315) – Sviridov, Va (2556)Kalygin, Sergey V (2497) – Hachatrian, Vahagn (2370)Maljush, A. (2285) – Tukhaev, A. (2564)Bersamina, Paulo (2378) – Torre, E. (2446)Heroes of this opening Marinkovic, Ivan · Kopylov, Mihail · Sviridov, Va · Kalygin, Sergey V
- Family
- Alekhine Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- B02
- Line
- 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. b3
FianchettoHypermodern
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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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