Tree path 7 levels King's Pawn Game › Alekhine Defense › Normal Variation › Alekhine Defense › Alekhine Defense › Alekhine Defense › Four Pawns Attack
B03

Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack

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Overview

Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack 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 begins with 9 plies and takes 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 to reach the canonical position.

In the opening tree, this line branches off from Alekhine Defense, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.

6 distinct sub-variations branch from this opening; prominent examples include Cambridge Gambit, Fianchetto Variation, Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation, and others.

Together the deeper variations number 7 across the full subtree.

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
6
Total in subtree
7

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. A more detailed, human-written description is on the way — and you can speed it up by suggesting one yourself.

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Variations (6)

Show all 7 sub-variations (full subtree)