Alekhine's Defense Theory - part 1
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dimitriosg2002 on Thu, 12/18/2008 at 3:23pm.
ALEKHINE DEFENSE [...] 1.e4 Nf6
THEORY:
Though the move 1... Nf6 occurred prior to A. Alekhine's games, the elaboration and the substantiation of the defense fully belongs to the great Russian player. Alekhine successfully introduced it in tournament practice with his game against Schlechter (Budapest 1921). The idea of the AD lies in obtaining piece play together with organizing a counter attack against White's pawn center. The opening is popular also in modern practice, being implemented by many prominent GMs. Analyzes by I. Boleslavsky, V. Hort, V. Bagirov and V. Mikenas represent a substantial contribution in its theory.
As time go by it turned out that in most variations White obtains the better position, while statistics show that Black's victories were quite rare. Despite this the AD is currently considered to be a reputable opening being regularly implemented in tournaments. GMs V. Mikenas, B. Larsen and V. Bagirov are avowed experts of the AD (Alekhine Defense).
2.e5
[In case of 2.Nc3 Black transposes to the Vienna game by 2... e5
[or 2... d5 3.e5 (after 3.exd5 Nxd5 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 c5 6.Qh5 7.d3 Nc6 8.Nge2 Black equalizes the play) 3... Ne4 leads to the interesting play
[acceptable is standard simplifying maneuver3... d4 4.exf6 (on 4.Nce2 follows 4... Ng8) 4... dxc3 5.fxg7 cxd2+; On 3... Nfd7 White can to simplify the play by 4.Nxd5
[or sacrifices pawn with double-egded play 4.e6!?, for example 4... fxe6 5.d4 c5
[worse is 5... e5 due to 6.dxe5! (but not 6.Nxd5 exd4 7.Qxd4? Nb6) 6... e6 7.Bd3! g6 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Qe2 Nc5 10.Bg5]
6.Nf3 Nc6 7.dxc5 g6 (if 7... Nxc5, then 8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Be3 with White's advantage) 8.h4 Nf6 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.Be3
[10.h5 follows gxh5 (but not 10... Nxh5? 11.Rxh5! gxh5 12.Bxc6 Bxc6 13.Ne5)]
10... Bg7 with counter chances]
4... Nxe5 5.Ne3 c5 6.f4 (White has no reason for exchanging the black e5-knight willingly, 6.Nf3? Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 Nc6 8.Bb5 Bd7 and Black successfully occupies the d4-square abtaining an advantage. 9.b3 Nd4! 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Qh5 Rc8 Von Haulssen - Kmoch 1928),
6... Nec6 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.g3 e6 9.b3 Be7 10.Bb2 0-0 11.Bg2 Nd7 with approximately even play (Tartakower - Landau 1930)]
4.Nce2 d4 5.c3! Now black must play precisely in order to avoid difficulties. 5... Nc6 6.Nxd4! Nxd4 7.Qa4+ c6 8.Qxd4 Qxd4 9.cxd4 Ng5 10.Bc4 Ne6 11.Ne2 Nc7 12.d3 a5 White's extra pawn is of less meaning. Yakovich - Kengis 1984]
]
2... Nd5 3.c4
[3.Nc3 is not dangerous for Black 3... Nxc3
[3... e6 4.Nxd5 exd5 5.d4 d6[3.Nc3 is not dangerous for Black 3... Nxc3
[3... e6 4.Nxd5 exd5 5.d4 d6 (it is dangerous to move with the king to flank before undermining the center 5... Be7 6.Bd3 0-0 7.Qh5 g6 8.Qh6 Nc6 9.Nf3 f6? 10.Bxg6 hxg6 11.Qxg6+ Kh8 12.h4 d6 13.Ng5! and Black resigned (Andreescu - Orev 1982)) 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be2 Be7 8.Bf4 0-0 9.0-0 f6! Sides have equal chances (Saemisch - Alekhine 1921)]
4.dxc3 d6 (also possible is 4... d5 5.c4 d4) 5.Nf3 Nc6 6Bb5 Bd7 7.Qe2 Nxe5 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.Qxe5 f6! 10.Qe2 e5 11.Be3 Bd6 12.0-0 0-0 with equal chances (Kupreichik - Bagirov 1965);
Black has comfortable play after 3.Bc4 Nb6 (or 3... e6) 4.Bb3 c5 5.Qe2 Nc6 6.Nf3 d5 7.exd6 e6! (no benefit for Black in 7... Qxd6 due to 8.Nc3 Bf5 9.Nb5! Qd7 10.d4 cxd4 11.Bf4 d3 12.Qe3 and White has obvious advantage (V. Bagirov)) 8.Nc3 Bxd6 9.Ne4 Be7 10.d3 Nd5 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bd2 b6 13.Rad1 Bb7 with Black's initiative (Yates - Rubinstein 1926)]
3... Nb6 4.d4
[Continuation 4.c5 gives no advantage for White 4... Nd5 for example 5.Nc3
[or 5.Bc4 e6 6.Nc3 d6! (it is dangerous to capture the c5-pawn, as White is significantly ahead in the development 6... Bxc5 7.d4! Bb4 8.Bxd5 exd5 9.Qg4 Kf8 10.Nf3 d6 11.Qg3 Nc6 12.0-0;
or 6... Nxc3 7.dxc3 Bxc5 8.Qg4 Kf8 9.Bf4 with White's attack (Ravinsky - Fridstein 1947))
7.Nxd5 exd5 8.Bxd5 c6! (but not 8... dxe5 due to 9.Qf3) 9.Bxf7+ (bad is 9.Bb3? due to 9... dxe5 10.Qh5 Qc7) after 9... Kxf7 10.cxd6 Qe8! 11.Qf3+ Kg8 12.Qe3 Be6 13.Ne2 Nd7 14.0-0 Nxe5! 15.Qxe5 Bc4 16.Qxe8 Rxe8 17.d3! with equal play (Vasiukov - Spassky 1959)]
5... e6!
[after 5... c6 6.Bc4 d6 7.Qb3 Nd7 8.Nxd5 cxd5 (stronger is 8... Nxc5! 9.Nc7+ Qxc7!? 10.Bxf7+ Kd8 11.Qc2 g6! 12.Qc3 Bg7! Binci - Pisa 1985) 9.Bxd5 e6 10.Bxe6! fxe6 11.Qxe6+ Qe7 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.cxd6+ Kf7 14.d4 White obtains four pawns for a piece, Sveshnikov - Knezevic 1979]
6.Nxd5 (if 6.d4, then d6!) 6... exd5 7.d4 d6 (or 7... b6!? 8.Be3! bxc5 9.dxc5 c6 10.Bd3 Na6 11.Rc1 Qa5+ 12.Bd2! Qxa2 13.Ra1 Qxb2 14.Bxa6 Bxa6 15.Rxa6 Qxe5+ 16.Ne2 Bxc5 Black obtains four pawns for the piece, yet White's position remains more promising, Hennings - Smejkal 1970) 8.cxd6 cxd6 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Be2 dxe5 11.dxe5 Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Qa5]
4... d6
Moves 3 and 4 may be made in the reverse sequence.
5.f4
This is the so called "four pawns variation" that Alekhine considered to be the most logical play for White and dangerous for Black.
What are the goals of both sides in this variation? White's powerful pawn center allows maneuvering all over the board. White's main target is the d4-d5 breakthrough but organizing an assault on the queenside is also possible. Black's play is based on pressurizing the d4-point. This can be accomplished with the f7-f6 and c7-c5 advances.
[Not better 5.Nf3 due to Bg4! 6.Be2
[Interesting is Vitolinsch's move 6.d5!? dxe5 (on 6... N8d7 White sacrifices the pawn 7.e6!? fxe6 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Ne5 10.Qb3 with unclear play (Vitolinsh - Bagirov 1981);
Vitolinsh - Kengis 1984: 6... e6 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.Nc3 exd5 9.cxd5 c6 10.h3 Bh5! 11.g4 Bg6 12.Bg2 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 cxd5 14.0-0 Be7 with acceptable play for Black)
7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 White has very active position]
6... dxe5 7.c5! (incorrect piece sacrifice: 7.Nxe5 Bxe2 8.Qxe2 Qxd4 9.0-0 N8d7 10.Nxd7 Qxd7!) 7... e4! 8.cxb6 (8.Ng5 leads to the unclear position) 8... exf3 9.Bxf3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nc6 (or 10... axb6 11.Qxb7 Nd7 12.Bf4 e5! 13.Bxe5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Bb4+ 15.Nc3 Bxc3+)
11.0-0 e6 12.Nc3 axb6 13.d5 exd5 14.Nxd5 Ra5 15.Re1+ Ne7! (but not 15... Be7 16.Nxe7 Nxe7 17.Bg5!! Rxg5 18.Rad1 Qc8 19.Qe3 with equal chances in both cases)]
5... dxe5
[Also possible is 5... Bf5 that usually results in transposition but sometimes it is connected with an original strategic idea - avoiding developing the queen's knight before completing the development of the kingside, in order to make the c7-c5 move in more favorable situation after the moves 6.Nc3
[Occured variation 6.Be3 that leads to the double-egded position after 6... e6 7.Nf3 Na6 8.Nc3 (the best reply is 8.exd6 cxd6 and the black knights have no prospects) 8... c5 9.Be2 Be7 10.0-0 0-0]
6... dxe5 7.fxe5 e6 8.Nf3 Bb4]
6.fxe5 Nc6
[Argunov's continuation 6... c5 has no benefit for Black 7.d5 e6 8.Nc3 exd5 9.cxd5 Qh4+
[Mikenas' idea 9... c4 has great practical interest. Black wants to weaken d5-pawn by Bb4. After 10.Nf3! Bg4 11.Qd4(alluringly is 11.Be2 for example, Bb4 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 0-0 14.Qd4 Qc8 15.e6 Bxf3 16.Rxf3 fxe6 17.Bh6! Silva - Korostenski 1974) 11... Bxf3 12.gxf3 Bb4 13.Bxc4 0-0 14.Rg1
[very interesting is 14.Bh6! N8d7 (the white bishop is untouchable: 14... gxh6 15.e6 d6 16.d6! Nxc4 17.e7 Qe8 18.Rg1+ Kh8 19.Qg4 Rf7 20.Qg8+ and White wins)
15.Rg1 g6 16.e6 Ne5 17.Be2 Bc5! 18.Qxe5 Qh4+ 19.Rg3 Qxh6 and now 20.d6! retained better chances for White (Martin - Gonzalez 1982)]
14... g6 15.Bg5 Qc7 16.Bb3 Bc5 17.Qf4 Bxg1 A critical position of the variaton has been reached. White has sacrificed a rook but retains the strongest attack. (if 17... Re8, then 18.Bf6 N8d7
19.Ne4 Nxe5 20.Rxg6+!! White has great advantage (Marjanovic - Filipovic 1974))
18.d6 Qc5!(18... Qc8? 19.0-0-0! Bc5 20.e6 fxe6 21.Qe5 Nd5 22.d7! with decisive advantage (D. Bronstein))
19.Ne4 Qd4 20.Rd1 Qxb2 21.Nf6+ Kh8 22.Rd2 Qa1+ (weaker is 22... Qb1+ 23.Ke2 N8d7 24.Qh4 h5 25.Nxh5 gxh5 26.Bf6+ Nxf6 27.Qxf6+ Kh7 28.Bc2+ Modra - Rinaldi, (corr.) 1983)
23.Ke2 Nc6 24.Qh4 h5 (24... Qxe5+? 25.Kf1!)
25.Nxh5 Nd4+ 26.Rxd4 Qxd4 27.Bf6+ Kg8 28.Nf4 Qf2+ 29.Qxf2 Bxf2 30.Nxg6 Rfe8 31.Kxf2 with unclear play]
10.g3 Qd4 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Qe2 Nxd5 13.e6! White obtains an irrefutable attack. 13... fxe6 (or 13... Bxb5 14.Nxb5 Qb4+ 15.Bb2 Qxb2 16.exf7+ Kxf7 17.Qh5+ Ke6 18.Nf3! Qxa1+ 19.Kf2! with quick win)
14.Qxe6 Ne7 15.Nf3 Qf6 16.Qe2 Bxb5 17.Nxb5 Na6 18.Bg5 Qb6 19.0-0-0 Balashov K. - Grigorian 1967; Sometimes occures 6... Bf5 After 7.Nc3 e6 8.Nf3 Be7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 f6The position arising resembles one from the main line but Black can lso move the knight to d7, Shiyanovsky - Smyslov 1961 11.Be3 fxe5 12.Nxe5 N8d7 13.Nf3 c6 14.Qd2 Qe8 15.Rae1 Rd8 16.Qc1 Nf6 with even chances]
7.Be3
[N. Sorokin's continuation 7.Nf3 is in Black's favor: 7... Bg4 8.e6!? fxe6 9.c5 for example, Nd5! 10.Bb5 Qd7 11.Nbd2 g6 12.Qa4 Bg7 13.Ne5 Bxe5 14.dxe5 Ne3! 15.Qe4 0-0! 16.Qxe3 Nb4 Black wins]
7... Bf5 8.Nc3
[8.Bd3?? is a blunder due to Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nxe5]
8... e6 9.Nf3 Be7 A logical continuation
[Premature counter attack 9... Nb4 10.Rc1 c5 11.Be2 (pawn sacrifice 11.d5 suggested by Mikenas and after exd5 12.cxd5 N4xd5 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Bb5+ Kf8! leads to the even play;
on 11.Bg5 follows f6 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Bh4 Be7!;
and on 11.a3 Black replies cxd4 12.Bg5 dxc3! 13.Bxd8 Rxd8 14.Qb3 cxd2 15.Qxb2 Na4! with Black's advantage in both variations)
11... Be7
[weaker is 11.cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nc6 (or 12... Bg6 13.a3 Nc6 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Qxd8+) 13.Nxf5 Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1 exf5 15.0-0! White's strong bishop rogether with the pawn advantage on the queenside secures him an advantage]
12.a3
[or 12.0-0 0-0 (it is too early 12... cxd4 13.Nxd4 Bg6 14.a3 Nc6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qxd8+ Rxd8 17.Rdf1 with obvious advantage (Penrose - Mecking 1969))
13.dxc5!? Nd7 14.a3 Nc6 15.b4 Ndxe5 16.Nb5! Bd3 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Bf4 Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Nd3 20.Rcd1 White has preferable position (Mikhalchishin - karsa 1983)]
12... cxd4 13.Nxd4 Nc6 14.Nxf5 exf5 15.0-0 followed by Nc3-d5, White has advantage;
9... Qd7 10.Be2 0-0-0 11.0-0 Black fails to intensify pressure on the white d4-pawn, while White launches an attack onthe black king's position with pieces. 11... f6
[if 11... Bg4, then 15.c5! Nd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Ng5!;
and on 11... Be7 follows 12.d5 exd5 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.cxd5 Nb4 15.Nd4 g6 (bad is 15... Bc5 16.Rxf5) 16.Nxf5 gxf5 17.Rxf5! Bc5+ 18.Kh1 Nxd5 19.e6! fxe6 20.Rxd5!]
12.d5! Argunov Nxe5 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Rc1 (or 14.a4 with serious threats);
Continuation 9... Bg4 not dangerous for White 10.Qd2 Na5 (if 10... Be7, then 11.0-0-0 0-0 12.h3! with better chances for White) 11.b3 Bb4 12.Be2 next 13.0-0. It turns out that the black knights are lamely positioned while the pin along the a5-e1 diagonal contains no real threats to White]
10.Be2
[10.d5 leads to the sharp struggle with White's benefit (Kopylov - Tolush 1948) 10... Nb4
[possible is 10... exd5 11.cxd5 (11.Bxb6 Velimirovic axb6 12.cxd5 Nb4 13.Nd4 now correct is Bg6! 14.d6 0-0! Chandler - Kengis 1983) Nb4 12.Nd4 Bd7 (weak is 12... Bg6 13.Bb5+! Kf8 14.0-0)
13.e6 fxe6 14.dxe6 Bc6 15.Qg4 Bh4+ 16.g3 Bxh1 (on 16... N6d5 White wins after 17.Bh6!!)
17.0-0-0 Qf6 (17... Bf6? loses due to 18.Nf5! N4d5 19.Nxg7+ Bxg7 20.Qh5+ Ke7 21.Bc5+ William - Cafferty 1971)
18.gxh4 0-0 19.Bb5 Qe5 20.Bh6 (more often occurs 20.Bg5 c5 21.e7 cxd4 22.exf8Q+ Rxf8 23.Rxh1!? dxc3!? 24.Qxb4 cxb2+ 25.Kb1 Nd5 26.Qc4 Rf2! Despite an extra piece White experiences difficulties due to the endangered position of his king, Krantz - Nederkoom, (corr.) 1977-79)
20... c5 21.Rg1 cxd4
[Deserving attention 21... g6! J. Prince 22.e7 Qxe7 23.Nf5 Qe5 24.Bxf8 Rxf8 25.Nh6+ Kg7 26.Rxh1 Qe3+ Black obtains good play (or 26... Kxh6!?)]
22.Qxg7+ with complicated endgame (Kveinys - Panchenko 1979)]
11.Nd4
[Another possibility - Zaitsev's continuation: 11.Rc1 exd5 The best reply.
[Continuation 11... 0-0 was rejected in spite of 12.a3 Na6 13.Bd3 Bc5 14.Bxc5 Nxc5 15.Bxf5 exf5 16.b4;
Attempt to sharp play leads 11... f6 after 12.a3 Na6 13.g4! to the bad position Bxg4 If the black bishop retreats, then the e6-pawn is lost without any compensation. 14.Rg1 f5 15.h3 Bxf3
(15... Bh4+ 16.Kd2 Bh5 17.Rxg7 exd5 18.cxd5 Nxd5? 19.Qa4+ and White wins (Tringov - Rodriguez 1971))
16.Qxf3 0-0 17.Rc2 Qd7 18.Rd2 Rac8 19.d6 with overwhelming advantage for White (Velimirovic - Gipslis 1971)]
After 12.a3 c5 A. Petrosian 13.axb4 d4 14.Bxd4 (14.bxc5 dxc3 15.cxb6 cxb2!) cxd4 15.Nxd4 (interesting is 15.Qxd4!? Bxb4 15.c5 Nd5 17.Bb5+ Bd7 18.Bxd7+! Qxd7 19.0-0 Nxc3 bxc3 Qxd4+ 21.cxd4 with White's advantage (Maryasin - Kengis 1981)) 15... Qb8 16.Nxf5 Qxe5+ 17.Be2 Qxf5 18.c5 Nd7 19.Nd5 Bd8 20.Rc3 0-0 21.Ne3 Qe6 22.Bg4 White has slightly better chances (Velimirovic - Marovic 1977)]
11... Bg6 12.a3 c5 13.Nxe6! (after 13.axb4 cxd4 14.Qxd4 Bxb4 15.dxe6 Black obtains better position)
13... fxe6 14.axb4 cxb4 15.Na4!
[Kokkoris - Marovic 1970: 15.Nb5 0-0 16.d6 is dangerous for White due to 16... Bg5 17.Bd4 Be3!! 18.Bxe3 (if 19.g3, then Be4) Qh4+ 19.Kd2 Rxf1! 20.Rxf1 Nxc4+ 21.Ke2 Bh5+ 22.Rf3 Bxf3+ 23.Kxf3 Rf8+ 24.Ke2 Qg4+ 25.Ke1 Qxg2 and White resigned]
15... 0-0 16.Nxb6 axb6 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.d6 Bd8 19.Be2 b3! (after 19... Be4 20.Rf1! Bxg2 21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.Kf2 Bc6 Black faces the prospects of a diffucult struggle for equalization, since the white d6-pawn is worth a piece in any endgame) 20.Qxb3 (The most principal is 20.Rf1 Qa5+ 21.Qd2 Qxe5 22.Rxf8+ Kxf8 23.Bf4 Qa5 24.d7 Be4 25.Bd6+ Kf7 26.Bb4 Qe5 27.Qe3 Qf5 28.Qxb3 Bxg2 Arises complicated position with approximately even chances (V. Bagirov))
20... Qa1+ 21.Qd1 Qxb2 22.Qd4 Qb4+ 23.Bd2 Qb1+ 24.Bd1 Bh5 25.Be3 b5! and Black wins]
10... 0-0 11.0-0
[11.Qd2 is dangerous for White 11... f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.h3 Bg6 14.0-0-0 White's pawn storm on the kingside seems rather tardy when being compared with Black's counter attack on the queenside
14... Qe7 15.g4 Qb4 16.b3 (16.Nb5 Qxd2+ 17.Rxd2 Rac8 18.b3 a6 19.Nc3 e5! with Black's advantage (Kamyshov - Ragozin 1944)) 16... e5! ]
11... f6 12.exf6
[12.Nh4 fxe5 13.Nxf5 exf5 14.d5 White has great spatial advantage but Black obtains excellent play bye sacrificing the pawn 14... Nd4! 15.Bxd4 exd4 16.Qxd4 Nd7]
12... Bxf6 13.Qd2 A critial position has arisen. Black must play accurately in order to avoid difficulties
13... Qe7
[or 13... Qe8 14.Bg5 Rd8 15.Bxf6 Rxf6 16.Rad1 Bg4 17.Ne4 Rf5 18.Qe3 with better play for White;
13... Rf7 Black intends to build upo with major pieces on the d-file (V. Mikenas). 14.Rad1 Rd7 15.c5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Ne5! Bxe5 18.Rxf5 Bf6 19.Bg4 White obtained advantage (Lutikov - Bagirov 1960.)]
14.Rad1 Rad8 15.Qc1 Kh8
[15... e5 Gipslis - Mikenas, 1970, White must to play 16.d5! instead of exchange on e5 16... Nd4 17.Nxd4 exd4 18.Bxd4 Bg5 19.Qa1;
the best is 15... h6 Black must to make all preventive moves, excluding d4-d5 or c4-c5 16.Kh1 Kh8 17.h3 Bh7 18.Bg1 Rfe8 19.Rfe1 Qf7 Black has at least equal chances (Hecht - Timman 1971.)]
16.Kh1 Rd7 17.d5!
[17.Rd2 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 Bg4 leads to the maneuvering struggle with approximately equal chances]
17... Ne5
[or 17... Nb4 18.a3 Na6 19.b4 with White's benefit;
Bad is 17... exd5 18.Nxd5 Nxd5 19.cxd5 next 20.Bc5]
18.Nxe5 Bxe5 19.g4! Bg6 20.Rxf8+ Qxf8 21.dxe6 with an extra pawn for White, Estrin - Silberberg, (corr.) 1970-71
P.S.: There are 2 parts yet. Next mounth I'll post the 2nd and between January and February I'll post 3rd part and maybe some 'exemplary games'.
Enjoy! :)
And Merry X-Mas! :)
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