Chessy
Alekhine Defense: The Squirrel — Black to move in trouble
This line of the Alekhine Defense is a sharp warning sign for Black. After 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nf4, White to move has a very pleasant position and the game is already heading in White’s favour. Stockfish rates it +1.74, a near-winning advantage for White. That means you are close to losing unless you know the right defence. Use the drill below to practise the best reply and punish the most common inaccuracies.
Play the Alekhine Defense: The Squirrel against the engine
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Create a free account →What the position is really asking from you
The big practical question here is not whether Black has a perfect solution — the position is already very hard — but how to survive the immediate pressure. The engine’s best move is d4, and the main continuation shown is d4 Ne6 d5 Nc5. That is the line to know first, because it is the most direct way to meet White’s space and keep the position from collapsing even faster. In this opening, you are fighting for coordination and time. Your knight placement has been pushed into an awkward corner, so every move should aim to avoid falling further behind in development and activity.
What the statistics say about the position
The database confirms the same story. Across 107,138 games from this exact position, White wins 62.3%, draws 2.9%, and Black wins 34.8%. That is a rough practical verdict for Black: White scores heavily and the draw rate is tiny. The most played move is d4, with 71,993 games, and White scores 65.5% there. The position after this opening is therefore not something to treat casually; if you reach it as Black, you need to know the best response and be ready for a difficult defence.
The moves that go wrong most often
Several natural-looking moves are not good enough here. g3 is an inaccuracy, and it loses about 0.9 pawns; the better move was d4. d3 is a mistake and loses about 1.0 pawns, again with d4 as the better choice. Qf3 is also a mistake and loses about 2.6 pawns, with d4 still the correct move. In practical terms, that means White’s slower or overly direct tries can be punished if you understand the position well enough to stay calm and meet them with accurate play.
How to think about your defence
As Black, your first job is to accept that this is a bad position and play accordingly. Do not waste time hoping for an easy equal game. Instead, focus on the only move the engine prefers here, and remember that the opening has already given White a big head start. In positions like this, simple chess principles matter even more: keep your pieces active, avoid extra concessions, and make White prove the advantage over the board. The drill is designed to train that defensive instinct under pressure.
Results across 107,138 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d4 | 71,993 | 65.5% |
| g3 | 23,439 | 55.2% |
| d3 | 5,668 | 59.7% |
| Qf3 | 3,189 | 52.0% |
| Nf3 | 776 | 61.3% |
| Qg4 | 574 | 42.5% |
Frequently asked questions
Is Alekhine Defense: The Squirrel good for Black?
This exact position is not good for Black. Stockfish gives +1.74, which is a near-winning advantage for White, and the database also shows White scoring much better than Black. If you play it, you need to know the best defence very well.
What is the best move for Black here?
The engine’s best move is d4. The suggested continuation is d4 Ne6 d5 Nc5, so that is the main line to learn in the drill. It is the most reliable practical choice in a very difficult position.
Which replies by White are most common?
The most played continuation is d4, with 71,993 games. Other common replies are g3, d3, Qf3, Nf3, and Qg4. The statistics show that White gets strong results from several sensible choices.
What mistakes should I watch for as Black?
The main lesson is that White’s quieter moves can still be dangerous, and Black must respond accurately. In this position, g3 is an inaccuracy, d3 is a mistake, and Qf3 is a mistake. The engine prefers d4 against all of them, so that is the move to remember.
How many games feature the Alekhine Defense: The Squirrel?
Over 107K Lichess games have reached the Alekhine Defense: The Squirrel position. White wins 62.3%, Black wins 34.8%, with 2.9% draws — based on real rated games.