Tree path 5 levels King's Pawn Game › Alekhine Defense › Normal Variation › Alekhine Defense › Alekhine Defense
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Alekhine Defense B02
- Normal Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense B03
- Alekhine Defense B03 you are here
Alekhine Defense
Overview
Alekhine Defense is a named branch in the Semi-Open Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO B03.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
The line arises from 6 plies — specifically the moves 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Alekhine Defense, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
3 named variations grow from this line, including Alekhine Defense, Balogh Variation, Modern Variation.
Together the deeper variations number 26 across the full subtree.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- B03
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 6
- Parent
- Alekhine Defense
- Direct variations
- 3
- Total in subtree
- 26
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
5,071,200 games · White 45.6% / Draw 5.4% / Black 49.1%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| c4 | 2,112,666 | |
| Nf3 | 1,320,570 | |
| exd6 | 652,232 | |
| f4 | 574,825 | |
| Bc4 | 320,254 | |
| c3 | 19,677 | |
| Nc3 | 19,641 | |
| Qf3 | 10,421 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:19:21
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Variations (3)
Show all 26 sub-variations (full subtree)
- B03 Alekhine Defense 7-ply
- B03 Balogh Variation 7-ply
- B04 Modern Variation 7-ply
- B03 Exchange Variation 9-ply
- B03 Four Pawns Attack 9-ply
- B03 Hunt Variation 9-ply
- B04 Alburt Variation 8-ply
- B03 Modern Variation, Alekhine Gambit 11-ply
- B04 Larsen Variation 8-ply
- B04 Larsen-Haakert Variation 8-ply
- B05 Main Line 8-ply
- B04 Schmid Variation 8-ply
- B03 Karpov Variation 21-ply
- B03 Voronezh Variation 17-ply
- B03 Cambridge Gambit 10-ply
- B03 Fianchetto Variation 10-ply
- B03 Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation 17-ply
- B03 Korchnoi Variation 20-ply
- B03 Main Line 13-ply
- B03 Trifunovic Variation 10-ply
- B05 Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Alekhine Variation 9-ply
- B05 Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Flohr Variation 10-ply
- B04 Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Keres Variation 13-ply
- B05 Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Panov Variation 9-ply
- B03 Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Tartakower Variation 22-ply
- B05 Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Vitolins Attack 11-ply