- ECO code
- B03
- Moves
- 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4
- Family
- Alekhine Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 525
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1921–2026
Alekhine Defense is the opening filed under ECO code B03, reached after 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4. It belongs to the Alekhine Defense family; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 525 games on this line — the 202nd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1921 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 199 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 47% of those games, 26% end in a draw, and Black wins 27%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are less common here than usual, by 9 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...d6, played in 513 games, followed by 3...Nb6 (11) and 3...Nc6 (1). 3...d6 leads into Alekhine Defense (B03). After 3...d6 White scores 48% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Firouzja,Alireza (39 games); on the Black side, Bortnyk,Olexandr (57).
2 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Alekhine Defense (B03); Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 47% (249)
- Draws 26% (135)
- Black 27% (141)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...d6 | 513 | 48/26/26 | Alekhine Defense (B03) |
| 3...Nb6 | 11 | 45/0/55 | — |
| 3...Nc6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Alekhine Defense (B03) · 3...d6 · 513 games
- Modern Variation · 3...d6 4.Nf3 · 344 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- Alekhine Defense · 1.e4 Nf6 · 772 games
- Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation · 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 · 633 games
Played most often by
As White
- Firouzja,Alireza 39
- Grischuk,A 29
- Shirov,A 28
As Black
- Bortnyk,Olexandr 57
- Carlsen,M 32
- Larsen, Bent 23
Games per decade
- 1920s 8
- 1930s 12
- 1940s 6
- 1950s 10
- 1960s 38
- 1970s 36
- 1980s 21
- 1990s 38
- 2000s 103
- 2010s 54
- 2020s 199
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grischuk,A | Bortnyk,Olexandr | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Taher,Yoseph Theolifus | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 21st Apr 2026 |
| So,W | Bortnyk,Olexandr | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn1 |
| Sargsyan,Shant | Rapport,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Naiditsch,A | Rapport,R | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | Bortnyk,Olexandr | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alekhine Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code B03, reached after 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4. It belongs to the Alekhine Defense family.
Is the Alekhine Defense good for White or for Black?
In 525 master games on this line White wins 47%, 26% are drawn and Black wins 27%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Alekhine Defense?
3...d6 — played in 513 of the master games on this line, which leads into Alekhine Defense (B03).
Which grandmasters play the Alekhine Defense?
On the White side Firouzja,Alireza (39), Grischuk,A (29), Shirov,A (28); on the Black side Bortnyk,Olexandr (57), Carlsen,M (32), Larsen, Bent (23).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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