Current position
Alekhine Defense
1.e4 Nf6
The Alekhine Defense starts with 1.e4 Nf6 and is catalogued under ECO B02, in the semi-open games half of the book. The catalog indexes 56 lines inside it, grouped into 53 named variations, and the position after those moves has 3 playable continuations to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Develops with tempo by attacking the e4-pawn immediately.
Idea: Invite White’s pawns forward, then undermine the space they gain.
Advances to e5 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Alekhine Defense. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
29 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Alekhine Defense.