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Normal Topic Alekhine Bc4 (Read 2929 times)
JEH
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Re: Alekhine Bc4
Reply #4 - 07/14/09 at 18:18:44
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I've got 4. Bc4 in my repertoire database despite never having played it (except in Blitz).

TN wrote on 07/13/09 at 23:41:49:
5...Bf5: I don't own Cox's book but according to my analysis, Black should equalise with this move. Black can meet 6.Qf3 with 6...Qc8 (6...e6 7.Qb7 d5 8.Ba4!), when neither 7.Bf7 Kf7 8.g4 de5 9.de5 Nc6 nor 7.Ne2 Nc6 trouble Black. 


After 7. Ne2 Nc6 I've got 8. ed cd 9. Nbc3 Nb4 10. 0-0 Nxc2 11. Rb1 Nb4 12. Bd2 d5 13. Rbe1 with a pawn sac.

TN wrote on 07/13/09 at 23:41:49:
5...de5: My opinion is that this is the simplest way to equalise. 6.Qf3 (6.Qh5 e6 7.de5 Nc6 8.c3 Qd3 offers Black strong counterplay) 6...e6 7.de5 a5 8.c3 a4 9.Bc2 and now the simplest way to equalise is with 9...Bd7!. 


I don't get 8. c3 ?! in the Qh5 line. I've got 8. Nf3 with Nc3 coming and just get on with development.

Not saying that these lines are White's best attempt, but just something "tricky" for blitz.

I've only encountered the Alekhine in 1 tournament game in 25 years  Shocked

At the time, I was completely unprepared and played 2. d3  Embarrassed



  

Those who want to go by my perverse footsteps play such pawn structure with fuzzy atypical still strategic orientations

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, stuck in the middlegame with you
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Markovich
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Re: Alekhine Bc4
Reply #3 - 07/14/09 at 13:18:44
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I faced this once, and I played 5...Bf5 with no special problems.  I don't like 5...g6 with White's bishop on the Italian diagonal; not unless my knight is on d5 and my pawn is on c6.
  

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thibdb13
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Re: Alekhine Bc4
Reply #2 - 07/14/09 at 06:46:06
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The problem with 5....-g6 is that white is not obliged to play 6.Nf3. My impression is that 6.Qf3 is more annoying.
  

Yusupov once said that “The problem with the Dutch Defence is that later in many positions the best move would be ...f5-f7” but he is surely wrong.
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TN
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Re: Alekhine Bc4
Reply #1 - 07/13/09 at 23:41:49
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5...Bf5: I don't own Cox's book but according to my analysis, Black should equalise with this move. Black can meet 6.Qf3 with 6...Qc8 (6...e6 7.Qb7 d5 8.Ba4!), when neither 7.Bf7 Kf7 8.g4 de5 9.de5 Nc6 nor 7.Ne2 Nc6 trouble Black. 

5...de5: My opinion is that this is the simplest way to equalise. 6.Qf3 (6.Qh5 e6 7.de5 Nc6 8.c3 Qd3 offers Black strong counterplay) 6...e6 7.de5 a5 8.c3 a4 9.Bc2 and now the simplest way to equalise is with 9...Bd7!. 

5...Nc6: I'm not convinced by 6.e6!? fe6 7.Nf3 when 7...g6 transposes to another variation that seems += and 7...e5 8.de5 d5 9.Be3! e6 10.c3 also appears a little better for White.

5...g6: I don't particularly like this move, but for a 4.Nf3 g6 exponent, it makes sense as the logical 6.Nf3 transposes to the main line of that variation (5.Bc4 Nb6 6.Bb3). However, White should be slightly better. 

My conclusion is that against this tricky variation, Black should prefer either Cox's main move, 5...Bf5, or ECO's main recommendation, 5...de5.
  

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thibdb13
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Alekhine Bc4
07/13/09 at 20:38:07
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Actually it is a question to Markovich and other Alekhine's specialists:
What would you guys play after 1.e4-Nf6 2.e5-Nd5 3.d4-d6 4.Bc4-Bb6
5.Bb3
John Cox recommends Bf5 in his starting out book. But dxe5 and Nc6 seem also very playable to me. The statistics on chessgames.com for all three variations are quite encouraging if I may believe them. But is your opinion.
Some weeks ago, I tried 5....-g6 (hoping to go back to the modern) but I got crushed very fast. Is g6 such a bad move or is there some hope for it?
  

Yusupov once said that “The problem with the Dutch Defence is that later in many positions the best move would be ...f5-f7” but he is surely wrong.
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