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.
Repositions the knight to d5, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Improve the piece’s activity and support the next stage of the plan.
Advances the c-pawn to gain queenside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Repositions the knight to b6, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Improve the piece’s activity and support the next stage of the plan.
Advances the c-pawn to gain queenside space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Repositions the knight to d5, where it influences a new part of the board.
Idea: Improve the piece’s activity and support the next stage of the plan.
Develops the bishop to c4, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances to e6 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Develops the knight to c3, bringing it into the game.
Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.
Advances to d6 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Captures the knight on d5 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the knight on d5 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Captures the pawn on d5 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
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.