Interesting Alekhine line

[Zachary Dukic]

Mike Egorov told me of this attacking line in the Alekhine Defence, and it looks really strong so I thought I would share it. 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. c5! Nd5 5. Nc3! The idea is to recapture with the d pawn, after which it is easy for black to screwup. 5. ... Nxc3 6. dxc3 d6?! 7. Qb3 dxe5 8. Bg5 h6? 9. Bc4! and black is hopeless. The critical line is instead of 6 ...d6, blacks best move is e6, attacking whites c5 pawn. After 7. Be3 b6 8. cxb6 axb6 9. Nf3 Nc6 10. a4! I like white's space advantage.

[Joshua Guo]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Black can just play 5...e6, attacking c5 pawn. If 6.d4 then Nxc3, bxc, follow by the undermining b6.

The problem with Chase variation is white MUST crash through on the k-side, thru sacrifice or whatever means, otherwise black will win because of white's weak pawns on the q-side. c5, c3, a2 will just be targets.

Still I agree, its a good choice at the club level. Its tactically dangerous against Alehkine players who's unprepared.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Sveshnikov is one GM who has included the Chase Variation as part of his repertoire, probably after he learned that it can transpose to lines of his favourite c3-Sicilian, say after 5.Nc3 e6 6.d4 d6 7.cxd6 cxd6 8.Nf3 Nc6.

An interested viewer can look up games involving the 5.Nc3 e6 6.d4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 b6 line, a high level example from 1994 being Sveshnikov-Morozevich, as played at Alushta, which is found in Informant 60 (if not in one's database[s] as well). This game didn't exactly follow the script that Josh wrote for this line, in that it was a long draw.

[Zachary Dukic]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Black can just play 5...e6, attacking c5 pawn. If 6.d4 then Nxc3, bxc, follow by the undermining b6.

The problem with Chase variation is white MUST crash through on the k-side, thru sacrifice or whatever means, otherwise black will win because of white's weak pawns on the q-side. c5, c3, a2 will just be targets.

Still I agree, its a good choice at the club level. Its tactically dangerous against Alehkine players who's unprepared.

Thanks for your opinion josh! But I think even the line runs 5...e6 6. d4 and follows, I think 6. Nxd5 is stronger with the idea of 6. ...exd5 7. d4 whereas the difference is white does not have weaknesses on c3 and a2 like in the other variation, and although whites pawns are somewhat overextended, blacks d5 pawn will compensate. For example, 7. ... d6 8. cxd6 cxd6 9. Nf3 dxe5 10. dxe5 there will be a controversy as to whether blacks isolated d5 pawn, or whites overpushed e pawn will be more of a weakness. :)

[Mike Ivanov]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

It's an interesting line, kind of like the Saemish attack which goes e4, Nf6, e5, Nd5 and simply Nc3. There you have only the e5 pawn to worry about and probably the best reply is e6 which leads to interesting play.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

5. ... c6 is also played.

[Zachary Dukic]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Thanks Kevin, I never knew that an alekhine could transpose into a c3-sicilian especially one that avoids 2...d5 thanks for the idea!

[Zachary Dukic]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

It's an interesting line, kind of like the Saemish attack which goes e4, Nf6, e5, Nd5 and simply Nc3. There you have only the e5 pawn to worry about and probably the best reply is e6 which leads to interesting play.

Yea, they are quite similar, but the difference is, black hasn't wasted any tempos moving his knight and instead of whites pawn being somewhat overextended, but solidified on c5, the pawn is on c2 behind a c3 pawn also. But still, white has less weaknesses to deal with, but black has almost no weaknesses himself. :D

[Zachary Dukic]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

5. ... c6 is also played.

5... c6 is solid, but it would take away blacks idea of d6, where he would have to wait for white to make a decison. Also whites c5 pawn isn't being attacked right away, which gives white the luxury of playing 6. Nf3 and after if black decides to play 6 ... e6 then white can play 7. d4 and black has a big hole on d6, that can be used if black chooses not to trade the knights. For example, white can manouevere Nc3-e4-d6 where black might have to give up his dark squared bishop, and when white recaptures with the c pawn, white is more then fine. :)

[Adam Cormier]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

I prefer the line that is played in this article,

http://www.chess.com/article/view/op...ekhine-defense

Bc4 before Nc3 followed by a pawn sac to try to gain a big lead in development, it seems very dangerous and hard to play from the blackside.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Bc4 before Nc3 followed by a pawn sac to try to gain a big lead in development

White has TWO weaknesses in this variation: pawns c5 and e5. Yes, immediate Bxc5 (after Nxc3 cxd3) is not good for Black (Qg4 and troubles begin), but Nc6 is playable for Black.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

5... c6 is solid, but it would take away blacks idea of d6, where he would have to wait for white to make a decison. Also whites c5 pawn isn't being attacked right away, which gives white the luxury of playing 6. Nf3 and after if black decides to play

6. ... d6 and Black don't care what will stand on the d6-square, but White must start to worry about a strong Black d5-knight ;)

[Zachary Dukic]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

I prefer the line that is played in this article,

http://www.chess.com/article/view/op...ekhine-defense

Bc4 before Nc3 followed by a pawn sac to try to gain a big lead in development, it seems very dangerous and hard to play from the blackside.

Interesting, but like Mr. Zeromkis said, Black doesnt have to take on c5 immediately, he can just play nc6 attacking e5 and then if nf3 Bxc5 is available because the queen can no longer access g4.

[Gordon Gooding]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Just wondering Zachary,

DId I play against you in the Brantford Active not that long ago? If so, is this Alekhine line interest in any small part due to our game where I played the Alekhine? ;)

[Zachary Dukic]

Re: Interesting Alekhine line

Just wondering Zachary,

DId I play against you in the Brantford Active not that long ago? If so, is this Alekhine line interest in any small part due to our game where I played the Alekhine? ;)

Haha yes Gord, you played the Alekhine against me in brantford, except at that time I didn't know of this attacking variation. And yes, it was because of that game that drew my attention to this line ;) Next time if your going to play the alekhine you better be prepared ;)