Chess opening · ECO B02
Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation
Every Alekhine player reaches the Normal Variation first. Black's knight was kicked from f6 and now stands on d5, in the middle of the board but with no pawn to support it. White has a pawn on e5 and a free move. The whole game turns on one question: can White's pawns gain space faster than Black can attack them?
- Rank by weighted share
- #77 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5
- 2. e5The pawn advances with gain of time, hitting the f6 knight. It also takes the f6 and d6 squares away from Black. The cost is that the pawn has left its partners behind, so Black can start aiming at it right away with ...d6.
- 2... Nd5The knight steps to the center rather than retreating to g8 or going to e4, where it would be hit by d3. On d5 it watches c3, e3, b4 and f4, but no black pawn defends it, so a white pawn on c4 can push it again.
Three ways to treat the d5 knight
3.d4 is the calm route. White guards e5 with a second pawn and waits, and Black usually replies 3...d6 to challenge the head of the chain.
3.c4 chases the knight at once, and after 3...Nb6 White can go on with d4, which leads toward the Four Pawns Attack or the Exchange lines, or push 4.c5 to send the knight back to d5 again.
3.Bc4 develops while attacking the knight. White gives up the pawn chase and simply builds pieces, keeping the e5 pawn as a space claim.
Why Black welcomes the pawns forward
Every pawn that White pushes also becomes something to hit. Black plans ...d6 to hit e5, a knight to c6 to hit d4 and e5, and a bishop to g4 or f5 to pressure the pieces that defend them. If the center holds, White has more room. If it cracks, the advanced pawns can turn into weaknesses.
The quiet 4.Nf3 setup
3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. c4 Nb6
White develops before pushing more pawns. The bishop on g4 pinned the f3 knight to the queen until Be2 broke the pin. After c4 sends the knight to b6, Black's usual next steps are castling and ...dxe5 or ...Nc6 to keep up the pressure on d4.
Top replies by rating
d4 and c4 trade the lead from band to band, with d4 ahead from 1800 up. Bc4 holds third place in most bands, while Nf3 replaces it among players rated 1800 to 1999.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | c4 42% | d4 36% | Bc4 16% |
| 1200–1399 | d4 35% | c4 30% | Bc4 21% |
| 1400–1599 | d4 41% | c4 34% | Bc4 16% |
| 1600–1799 | c4 42% | d4 38% | Bc4 10% |
| 1800–1999 | d4 43% | c4 40% | Nf3 7% |
| 2000 and up | d4 45% | c4 31% | Bc4 9% |
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.