ECO code: B02
Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation
Moves: 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5
Characteristic: The Alekhine Defense is known for its provocative approach, where Black immediately challenges White's central control by attacking the e4 pawn with the knight. In the Normal Variation, after White advances the pawn to e5, Black retreats the knight to d5, maintaining pressure on White's advanced pawn and inviting White to overextend.
Attacking or Defensive: As Black, this opening is somewhat hypermodern and defensive in nature, as Black allows White to build a broad pawn center early on, aiming to undermine and attack it later. As White, this is an attacking stance, seizing space and central control.
Center Control: This opening directly contests the center. White occupies the center with pawns, while Black attacks and tries to destabilize White’s center from the flanks.
This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 135 - Move #4 white