Chessy
Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation — play White with confidence
After 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4, the game has already taken a sharp turn. Black can challenge your setup immediately, and the position is not one where you can drift through the opening on autopilot. The drill below puts you in the critical moment with Black to move, so you can practise how to answer the most direct test and understand why some natural-looking replies go wrong. Use the position to train your eye for quick tactics, king safety, and the danger of moving without checking the engine’s idea.
Play the Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation against the engine
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Play the drill now and test your handling of this sharp early position. Create a free account to track your progress and revisit the line later.
Create a free account →The position you need to know
This is the Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation, reached after 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4. You are White, and Black is to move in the drill position. The key thing to notice is that the opening has already become concrete: Black’s best answer is direct, and the board can open fast if you are careless. Stockfish rates this -0.86, a clear, lasting advantage for Black. That means you are already worse here, so your goal is not to “equalise by force” but to handle the coming pressure accurately and avoid giving Black extra chances.
What the engine wants
The engine’s best move here is Nxe4, and the main continuation given is Nxe4 Bxf7+ Kxf7 Qh5+. That tells you a lot about the character of the position: Black is happy to grab the central pawn and rely on activity and king exposure rather than slow development. For White, the practical lesson is simple — when the opponent is ready to hit in the centre, every move should be checked for tactics first. If you can recognise this pattern in the drill, you will be much better prepared for similar early opening battles.
What the database says about real games
At this exact position, the database covers 625,392 games. White wins 46.4%, draws 3.5%, and Black wins 50.2%. Those numbers fit the engine verdict: Black does very well here, and the position is not a comfortable one for White. The most-played continuation is Nxe4 with 330,934 games, where White scores 43.9%. Other common choices are e6 with 67,481 games, e5 with 65,348 games, d5 with 59,319 games, d6 with 34,756 games, and Nc6 with 27,601 games. In other words, this is a real opening battleground, not a quiet sideline.
The mistakes to punish
Several natural-looking moves are marked as mistakes here. e6 is a mistake and loses about 1.3 pawns, with Nxe4 as the better choice. e5 is also a mistake and loses about 1.0 pawns, again with Nxe4 as the better move. d5 is the worst of the listed errors, losing about 1.4 pawns, and Nxe4 is still the stronger answer. The pattern is clear: if Black can take the initiative with the correct tactical shot, passive or routine moves can fall behind very quickly. When you see this opening over the board, treat the first critical reply as a tactical test, not a formality.
Results across 625,392 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nxe4 | 330,934 | 43.9% |
| e6 | 67,481 | 46.4% |
| e5 | 65,348 | 51.3% |
| d5 | 59,319 | 46.7% |
| d6 | 34,756 | 48.4% |
| Nc6 | 27,601 | 51.7% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the main idea of the Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation?
After 1.e4 Nf6 2.Bc4, the position becomes tactical very quickly. Black’s best move is Nxe4, so White has to stay alert and respond to direct pressure rather than playing casually.
Is White better or worse in this position?
Stockfish rates this -0.86, a clear, lasting advantage for Black. That means you are worse here and need accurate play to avoid letting the position slip further.
What is the strongest move for Black here?
The engine’s best move is Nxe4. The given continuation is Nxe4 Bxf7+ Kxf7 Qh5+, which shows how quickly the position can become sharp.
Which replies are common, and which ones are bad?
Nxe4 is by far the most-played continuation, with e6, e5, d5, d6, and Nc6 also appearing often. Among the listed mistakes, e6, e5, and d5 all lose material according to the engine, and Nxe4 is better in each case.
How many games feature the Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation?
Over 625K Lichess games have reached the Alekhine Defense: Krejcik Variation position. White wins 46.4%, Black wins 50.2%, with 3.5% draws — based on real rated games.