Tree path 7 levels King's Pawn Game › Alekhine Defense › Normal Variation › Alekhine Defense › Alekhine Defense › Alekhine Defense › Exchange Variation
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Alekhine Defense B02
- Normal Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense B03
- Alekhine Defense B03
- Alekhine Defense B03
- Exchange Variation B03 you are here
Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation
Overview
Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation 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.
It is reached after 9 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Alekhine Defense, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
2 named variations grow from this line, including Karpov Variation, Voronezh Variation.
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
- 9
- Parent
- Alekhine Defense
- Direct variations
- 2
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
2,481,728 games · White 46.2% / Draw 5.6% / Black 48.3%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| cxd6 | 1,355,600 | |
| exd6 | 1,096,881 | |
| Qxd6 | 23,910 | |
| c6 | 1,316 | |
| e6 | 1,171 | |
| Bf5 | 620 | |
| Nd5 | 582 | |
| Nc6 | 504 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:58:52
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