ALEKINE’S DEFENCE MODERN 5.Nxe5 c6 6.Be2 Nd7 Lines involving 11.c4 Ne7 … 14.g3
and Incorporating of Some Analysis by Sasikiran.
This Alekine’s Defence Modern line and the Caro-Kan line Classical have similarities,
which are that white has no “e” pawn, black has no “d” pawn, and the light square bishops
are exchanged off.
The line of the Alekine’s Defence modern could be described as a less pawn
aggressive line of the Caro-Kan classical variation. The white king side pawns are very
advanced in the Caro-Kan line, but they are unadvanced in the Alekine’s Defence
modern line, which thus enables black to launch an effective kingside pawn offensive.
Much of the theoretical discussion is based on the game, which was played
between Sasikiran-Rozentalis, Warsaw, 2008, found in one of the informator volumes and
annotated by Sasikiran, whose analysis is designated by (S).
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6 6.Be2 Nd7 7.Nf3 N7f6
8.0–0 Bg4 9.Ne5 Bxe2 10.Qxe2 e6 11.c4 Ne7! The black knight is heading for g6 or f5.
The c7 square is left vacant for the black queen option.
12.Rd1 Ng6 The obvious plusses
of this move is that Bf4 is prevented and that there is immediate pressure on the white knight
at e5. A key disadvantage is that black must be vigilant against the h4, h5 push. The white
h pawn advance cannot be countered with h6 or h5, because white could play Nxg6, which
would result in a disorganized kingside pawn structure and a very weak e6 pawn
13.Nc3 Qc7 Diagram 1.
13....Bd6 may also be an important possible option.
14.g3 [14.Bg5 Bd6 15.f4
(The alternative 15.Bxf6 gxf6 requires an extensive investigation and may be discussed
at a later posting) 15….0–0 (S) 16.Rd3 (16.g3 Ne8 !? ±/=) 16…. Rad8 17.Rad1 Rfe8
18.Rh3 Be7 19.b3 a5 20.Rdd3 Qd6 21.Qe1 Qb4 22.Nxg6 fxg6 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qe2 h6
25.Qc2 Kg8 26.Bh4 Ng4 27.Qd2 Bxh4 28.Rxh4 h5 =
Diagram 2.
Black has counterplay for the pawn and white has a fairly unique problem. A white rook is
positioned at the edge of the board and it suffers from lack of mobility. White may be forced
to return the pawn in order to allow the strayed rook to enter back into the game. 29.h3 Qe7
30.g3 Ne3 31.f5 Nxf5 32.Re4 Qd6 33.Rf4 Re7 34.c5 Qd7 35.g4 hxg4 36.hxg4 Nh4 37.g5 Nf5
38.d5 Rde8 39.d6 Re1+ 40.Kf2 R1e5 Adv B Diagram 3.
The black knight is much more effective than its counterpart. White has the difficult
task of protecting the c pawn and guarding the exposed king. 41.Ra4 Rxc5 42.Re4 Rxe4
43.Nxe4 Re5 44.Ng3 Nxg3 45.Kxg3 Re4 46.Qd1 Qf5 –+]
14...Bd6 [14...Be7?!
(15.Bg5 !?) (15.h4 0–0 16.Bg5 (Actually played in the Sasikiran-Rozentalis game) 16 …. Rfd8
17.h5 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Ne8 19.Bxe7 (19.Bf4 !?) 19...Qxe7 20.Qe3 0.84, but Sasikiran assesses
that white has only a slight advantage. Diagram 4.
White has control of large sectors of the board. Sasikiran, assesses that white has only
a small advantage. 20...f6 21.Re1 Qf7 22.h6 fxe5 23.Qxe5 Nd6 24.Qxg7+ Qxg7
25.hxg7 Nxc4 26.Rxe6 Rd7 27.Ne4 Rxg7 28.b3 Nb6 29.f4 Nd5 30.Kf2 Rg6
31.Re5 Rh6 0.64) ]
15.Nxg6 White decides to challenge the degree of preparedness
of black’s defensive resources. Black may be able to repel the first wave of attacks (and in
fact does!), but white is hoping for some structural damage as a consequence of the
aggressive play.
15…. hxg6 16.d5 0-0 Diagram 5.
Black is adequately prepared against the aggressive central pawn advance.
[16...0–0–0 17.Be3 Black is in trouble ±]
17.dxe6 [17.Be3 exd5 18.cxd5
Diagram 6.
White’s plan is to take advantage in the slight lead in development by quickly opening up the
centre. 18...Rfe8 (18...Rae8 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.Qf3 Re6 21.Rac1 ±/= (S) Qb7 22.Rc2 Rfe8
23.Rcd2 Bb4 24.Bd4 Nd5 25.a3 Bxc3 26.Bxc3 Qa6! (26….f6 27.Kg2 g5 ±= ) 27.Rd3 Re2
28.h4 R2e4 =
Diagram 7.
19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Qb5 Qxb5 21.Nxb5 Be5 22.Nd6 Bxd6 23.Rxd6 Ng4 24.Bd4 ±/= Re2
Diagram 8.
Black must play actively in order to stay in
the game. Perhaps a set up involving a6, Rae8,
Ne5, Δf3?
17...Rae8 18.exf7+ Qxf7 19.Be3 (S) (19.Qf1 Bb4 20.f3 Nd7 (S) 21.Bf4 g5
22.Bxg5 Ne5 =)
Diagram 9.
Black has the threats of regaining lost material, control of the g1-a7 diagonal and general
dominating of the e-file and the king side.
19...Bc5 20.Re1 (20.Kg2 Re5 21.Rf1 Rfe8 22.Nd1 Qe6 ∞/=)
20…. g5 ∞/= (S)
21.Rad1 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qe6 23.e4 Nd7 24.Rf1 g4 ±/=
Diagram 10.
White has a slight advantage, but the isolated e pawn is a potential target and a black
knight at f3 could cause white some problems.
Conclusions:
The analysis shows that the opening is solid for black and there are chances of
active counter play. White may be able to steer the game into positions, which could be a
bit too open for the Alekine player, but these positions are also sufficiently interesting.
Central to my investigation are the strategies involving 11… Ne7 and the positioning
of the dark square bishop to d6, which is more active than the e7 square. Threats involving
white playing Bg5 should not be over estimated.
The lines involving 13….Bd6 have been neglected, but should also be playable and
many lines would also transpose back to the 13… Qc7 lines.
Pages: [1] 
Alekines Def. - Modern with 4.Nf3 dxe5 (Read 38949 times)
