Theoria
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Alekhine Defense

Modern Variation, Alekhine Variation

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  1. 1.e4Nf6
  2. 2.e5Nd5
  3. 3.d4d6
  4. 4.Nf3Bg4
  5. 5.c4
489 games44%52%

Line of the Alekhine Defense's Modern Variation in which White meets the pin 4...Bg4 with 5. c4, driving Black's d5-knight back to b6.

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About the Alekhine Variation

The Alekhine Variation answers the pin 4...Bg4 with 5. c4, hitting the d5-knight instead of unpinning. Black nearly always retreats 5...Nb6, as 5...Nb4 loses a piece to 6. Qa4+. With the knight gone, Black's queen eyes d4, so 6. Be2 is inaccurate owing to 6...dxe5 7. Nxe5 Bxe2, costing White castling or the d-pawn. White therefore plays 6. exd6. Engines slightly favor White, though Black scores well in online games.

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