Chessy
Playing White Against the Alekhine Defense
The Alekhine Defense asks White to prove that the knight on f6 can be met with good central play, and this drill puts you in that exact spot. Stockfish gives this position +0.62, a small edge for White, so you are not trying to survive — you are trying to press. The most important thing is to make a confident first decision and understand which replies are the practical ones, which are the common ones, and which ones are flat-out mistakes.
Practice playing against the Alekhine Defense
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Jump into the drill and practise the key move until it feels automatic. Create a free account and keep sharpening your opening play.
Create a free account →The move that sets the tone
In this position, the engine’s best move is e5. That is the move the drill wants you to find first, and it is also the most popular continuation in the database. The position is not about memorising a long line; it is about choosing an active central response and letting your space advantage do the work. If you play boldly here, you steer the game into a more favourable structure for White and keep Black under pressure from the start.
What the database says
The numbers at this exact position support the same idea. Across 19,034,112 games, White wins 49.5%, draws 3.8%, and Black wins 46.7%. That tells you this is a real fighting position rather than a forced theoretical knockout. White is slightly better, but the game still depends on making sensible decisions after the opening move, so the drill is worth repeating until your first choice feels automatic.
Common replies you should expect
The most-played continuations are e5 with 7,883,479 games, Nc3 with 6,626,907 games, Nf3 with 1,447,068 games, d3 with 1,329,934 games, Bc4 with 626,160 games, and Qf3 with 349,077 games. The big message is simple: you will see a lot of different setups, but e5 is the main practical move to know. The other choices still come up often enough that you should recognise them, especially the quieter moves that try to sidestep direct central play.
The mistakes to punish
Some choices here are marked as mistakes or inaccuracies. Nf3 is a mistake and loses about 1.5 pawns; d3 is an inaccuracy and loses about 0.7 pawns; Bc4 is a mistake and loses about 1.7 pawns. In every case, the better move was e5. That is valuable because it shows the position rewards active central play and punishes slow development when it is not tied to a strong plan. If your opponent chooses one of these moves against you, you should feel encouraged rather than surprised.
Results across 19,034,112 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| e5 | 7,883,479 | 51.2% |
| Nc3 | 6,626,907 | 49.8% |
| Nf3 | 1,447,068 | 45.0% |
| d3 | 1,329,934 | 47.7% |
| Bc4 | 626,160 | 46.4% |
| Qf3 | 349,077 | 48.9% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move for White against the Alekhine Defense here?
The engine’s best move is **e5**. That is also the most played continuation, so it is both the practical and the strongest choice in this position. The drill is built around making that move reliably.
Is White better in this position against the Alekhine Defense?
Yes. Stockfish gives this position **+0.62**, a small edge for White. You should still play accurately, but the position is good for you.
What should I expect Black to do after my main move?
The engine’s best continuation shown here is **e5 Nd5 d4 d6**. You do not need to memorise more than that for this page; the key is to understand that White has a playable central plan and can keep the initiative.
Which responses are common and which ones are bad?
The most common replies include **e5**, **Nc3**, **Nf3**, **d3**, **Bc4**, and **Qf3**. Among those, **Nf3**, **d3**, and **Bc4** are flagged as mistakes or an inaccuracy, while **e5** is the move the engine prefers.
How many games feature the Alekhine Defense?
Over 19 million Lichess games have reached the Alekhine Defense position. White wins 49.5%, Black wins 46.7%, with 3.8% draws — based on real rated games.