Alekhine Defense (3… d6 4. c4)
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4
The Alekhine Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO B03, reached after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 5,309 times by this move order. White won 45%, 5% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 4… Nb6 (99% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.56 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4… Nb6 5. f4 dxe5 6. fxe5 Bf5 7. Nc3)
- ECO
- B03
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/3p4/3nP3/2PP4/8/PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 307 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2,835 | |
| 2000+ | 2,167 | |
| All | 5,309 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… Nb6 | 5,258 (99%) | |
| 4… Nb4 | 30 (1%) | |
| 4… dxe5 | 11 (0%) | |
| 4… b6 | 4 (0%) | |
| 4… e6 | 2 (0%) | |
| 4… Ne3 | 1 (0%) | |
| 4… c6 | 1 (0%) | |
| 4… g6 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
218 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 12%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- GM Dariusz Swiercz (2646) – GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2605) 1/2-1/2 · PRO League Prelim 2023 · 2023-03-10
- GM Klementy Sychev (2552) – GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2608) 1-0 · chess.com SpeedChess Q1Sw · 2023-08-21
- GM Miguel Munoz (2471) – GM Vadim Zvjaginsev (2673) 1/2-1/2 · Barcelona GM 2016 · 2016-10-25
- GM Zaven Andriasian (2586) – GM Arman Mikaelyan (2500) 1-0 · 11th Asrian Memorial 2018 · 2018-06-27
- FM Ivan Yeletsky (2469) – GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2608) 0-1 · Titled Tue 17th Sep Late · 2024-09-17
Search all games of the Alekhine Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Tempstream (2720) – FM dclasby (2784) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- Freerunning (2743) – CM JoeAssaad (2665) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Cuentatorneos (2654) – gagoteveyu (2750) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Alekhine Defense (3. d4 d6) 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6
Continuations
- Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation B03 · 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6
- Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack B03 · 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4
- Alekhine Defense: Hunt Variation B03 · 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. c5
- Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Alekhine Gambit B03 · 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2
More Alekhine Defense lines (all)
- Alekhine Defense (1. e4 Nf6) B02
- Alekhine Defense: Brooklyn Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense: Brooklyn Variation, Everglades Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense: Buckley Attack B02
- Alekhine Defense: Hunt Variation, Lasker Simul Gambit B02
- Alekhine Defense: Hunt Variation, Matsukevich Gambit B02
- Alekhine Defense: Hunt Variation, Mikenas Gambit B02
- Alekhine Defense: Kmoch Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation, Krejcik Gambit B02
- Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation B02
- Alekhine Defense: Mokele Mbembe B02
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.