Alekhine Variation

In the Alekhine Variation White meets the pure Slav's 4...dxc4 with 5. e3. It neither prevents ...b5 with 5. a4, the main line, nor seizes the center with 5. e4 as in the Geller Gambit. The pawn on e3 gives up some central ambition but keeps d4 firmly protected and opens the f1–c4 diagonal for the bishop. White accepts that Black may hold the extra pawn for a while and tries to tempt the queenside pawns forward, then attack them once they are overextended. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced.

The most common reply is 5...b5, which keeps the pawn and is usually met by 6. a4 b4. After 7. Na2 e6 8. Bxc4 White recovers the material. The alternative 7. Nb1 Ba6 8. Nbd2 c3 9. bxc3 Bxf1 10. Nxf1 bxc3 leads to a much more unbalanced game. Black can also develop first with 5...Bg4, pinning the knight, or play the more passive 5...e6. In the database White scores better against 5...e6 than against the other two main replies.