Alekhine’s Defense: What It Is and How to Use It in Chess

June 30, 2026

Chess openings: What is Alekhine’s Defense?

Learn how to use Alekhine’s Defense to level up your game!

Learning openings requires understanding chess notation, the system for naming pieces and moves. Get a refresher on chess notation here!

Alekhine’s Defense, named for the fourth World Chess Champion Alexander Alekhine, is a flexible, counterattacking hypermodern opening for Black. While sound, it’s a rare choice for grandmasters.
It breaks several standard opening principles, such as not moving the same piece more than once and controlling the center with pawns. Because of its unusual ideas, it’s generally a better choice for intermediate to advanced players.
This opening often leads to open, imbalanced, and active positions.

Here are the moves for Alekhine’s Defense:

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1. e4 Nf6

For more advanced players who want to surprise their opponents with an offbeat, dynamic answer to 1. e4, Alekhine’s Defense is well worth exploring.

If you’re looking for more openings, check out our guide featuring over 30 options for every skill level!