I think it is a solid opening for black against e4. Whether it is better than e5 or not is, to a large extent, a matter of opinion.
Is Alekhine's Defense the best Black move in the opening?
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Dec 24, 2017
0
#3
I accidentally used it in a 5/5 game and won, so I’m a fan. Besides, a great champion invented it.
black usually gets white to over extend his pawns...that being said...if black doesnt know the opening well he could get blown off the board in the 4 pawns attack variation...well...from what ive seen that is...dont ask me to remember who played lol but overall,i dont think its a bad opening
Dec 25, 2017
0
#5
MickeyDeadGuys wrote:
Besides, a great champion invented it.
He played it twice.
Dec 25, 2017
0
#6
It's a very hypermodern system for black that isn't as popular as other opening moves but not for lack of results.
I don't play it myself and wouldn't recommend it to any club-level players, and especially wouldn't recommend it to beginners (just play 1..e5 and shut up - don't be cute). The fact is that without the requisite knowledge it's too easy to end up worse and cramped for space. But in the hands of someone who really knows what they're doing it can be very dynamic and give good winning chances as black, particularly when your opponent had prepared for something else. Theoretically, it's actually quite sound.
Also, you're not really committing the "move the same piece twice" violation when your opponent wastes a tempo themselves by pushing the same pawn twice. And if they try to attack the knight again they're gonna have weaknesses which is good compensation for the lost time.
For example, if white plays 3. c4, then white moves the knight to b6 ... and the d4 square, a very important square in the white position, is ruined and ripe for black occupation. If he pushes again, 4. c5 - well now it's just ridiculous. After moving the knight back to d5 (which is now a very cozy home in the middle of the board), look at what white has done: pretty much the entire d-file has been weakened, and those pawns must be defended (which will weaken white's position even more). In a GM game white would, already, be dead lost. And just like that. So it's not so simple to get an advantage with white. It's a good opening choice for theoretical players who prefer dynamic positions.
The following articles relating to choosing an opening repertoire are interesting and informative...
http://www.mark-weeks.com/aboutcom/aa02i07.htm
http://grandpatzerchess.blogspot.com/2007/03/openings-for-improving-players-part-1.html
http://grandpatzerchess.blogspot.com/2007/03/openings-for-improving-players-part-2.html
http://grandpatzerchess.blogspot.com/2007/03/openings-for-improving-players-part-3.html
Here are some opening repertoire suggestions by GM Nigel Davies and IM Andrew Martin:
Martin's repertoire...(click the icons with downward pointing arrows to download the pgn files)...
http://www.chesspublishing.com/content/repert.htm
Davies' repertoire...
http://www.chesspublishing.com/content/repert2.htm
A book to guide in the considerations involved in choosing your openings - the title says it all...
How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire by Steve Giddins.
You might also like to check out some of the openings repertoire books in (towards the end) the following list...
Good Chess Openings Books for Beginners and Beyond...
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-openings-books-for-beginners-and-beyond
https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell
"Dont move your pieces twice" means try not to lose tempi in the opening. But the Alekhines doesnt lose any time. lets look at it:
1.e4 White opens up his bishop, he gains a tempo.
1... Nf6 Black develops the knight, equalizing the tempi.
2. e5 White attacks the knight but he doesnt help any one of his pieces, so he doesnt gain a tempo. But he doesnt lose one either because hes attacking Blacks knight
2... Nd5 Black moves the piece twice, but has NOT lost a tempo, because white moved his pawn twice too but didnt develop a piece. the game continues.
This opening is probably just as fine as 1. e4 e5.
If u think 1.e4 Nf6 2.e4 Nd5 just loses a tempo for black, well, develop other pieces instead of moving this knight again...
So u guess, i propose u 2...Nc6 : 2 developed pieces against 0 for white : u have the advantage at move 2 for black, congrats!
MickeyDeadGuys wrote:
I accidentally used it in a 5/5 game and won, so I’m a fan. Besides, a great champion invented it.
The opening had been played since at least mid-19th century, it just wasn't known as Alekhine's Defence. Two variations starting with 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 Nb6 4. d4 were listed in Allgaier's opening guide published in 1819, a hundred and two years before Alekhine introduced it into international master practice.
blueemu wrote:
He played it twice.
That's right, once at Budapest 1921 and once at Hastings 1933/34.
Oh, and just 13 more times in other tournament games in between, not including simuls, exhibitions and such -- but who's counting?
Dec 25, 2017
0
#11
I have played the Alekhine OTB for 20 years and I have found it to be very risky. You have to know your theory. At fast time controls it is even more risky I have been destroyed by attacks on my king. I find 1....e5 more stable
lukascohen wrote:
"Dont move your pieces twice" means try not to lose tempi in the opening. But the Alekhines doesnt lose any time. lets look at it:
1.e4 White opens up his bishop, he gains a tempo.
1... Nf6 Black develops the knight, equalizing the tempi.
2. e5 White attacks the knight but he doesnt help any one of his pieces, so he doesnt gain a tempo. But he doesnt lose one either because hes attacking Blacks knight
2... Nd5 Black moves the piece twice, but has NOT lost a tempo, because white moved his pawn twice too but didnt develop a piece. the game continues.
This opening is probably just as fine as 1. e4 e5.
It develops a piece, but you should probably control the center with your pawns first
LosingAndLearning81 wrote:
It's a very hypermodern system for black that isn't as popular as other opening moves but not for lack of results.
I don't play it myself and wouldn't recommend it to any club-level players, and especially wouldn't recommend it to beginners (just play 1..e5 and shut up - don't be cute). The fact is that without the requisite knowledge it's too easy to end up worse and cramped for space. But in the hands of someone who really knows what they're doing it can be very dynamic and give good winning chances as black, particularly when your opponent had prepared for something else. Theoretically, it's actually quite sound.
Also, you're not really committing the "move the same piece twice" violation when your opponent wastes a tempo themselves by pushing the same pawn twice. And if they try to attack the knight again they're gonna have weaknesses which is good compensation for the lost time.
For example, if white plays 3. c4, then white moves the knight to b6 ... and the d4 square, a very important square in the white position, is ruined and ripe for black occupation. If he pushes again, 4. c5 - well now it's just ridiculous. After moving the knight back to d5 (which is now a very cozy home in the middle of the board), look at what white has done: pretty much the entire d-file has been weakened, and those pawns must be defended (which will weaken white's position even more). In a GM game white would, already, be dead lost. And just like that. So it's not so simple to get an advantage with white. It's a good opening choice for theoretical players who prefer dynamic positions.
It is definitely a more complicated opening than the kings pawn.
Jan 4, 2018
0
#14
LosingAndLearning81 wrote:
It's a very hypermodern system for black that isn't as popular as other opening moves but not for lack of results.
... (just play 1..e5 and shut up - don't be cute).
Horrible advice, imo. Much better would to be to find a more obscure opening system and master its intricacies. I'm sure you advocate for beginners to go for open games too, since that is chess orthodoxy and therefore shouldn't be questioned.
Alekhine's is awesome but Owen's is the best opening for Black.
Jan 4, 2018
0
#15
Your choice should be based on what sort of positions you prefer or on what you think your opponent has the most trouble with. A lot of basic principles are more guidelines than neccesseties. For example all the hypermodern systems ignore the centre in the opening more or less. Regarding your question: Consider the position after !. e4 Kf6 2. e5 Nd4 Black has one piece developed (moved that one twice) white has 0 pieces developed (moved the e-pawn twice) so purely on the basic principles black has gained a tiny bit of an advantage.
Play what you like and be not afraid to play complicated systems even as a beginner, complicated is more fun and makes you improve faster than "onedimensional" chess.
Jan 4, 2018
0
#16
blueemu wrote:
MickeyDeadGuys wrote:
Besides, a great champion invented it.
He played it twice.
ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wrecked!!!!!!!!!!!
Jan 5, 2018
0
#17
rjbuffchix wrote:
LosingAndLearning81 wrote:
It's a very hypermodern system for black that isn't as popular as other opening moves but not for lack of results.
... (just play 1..e5 and shut up - don't be cute).
Horrible advice, imo. Much better would to be to find a more obscure opening system and master its intricacies. I'm sure you advocate for beginners to go for open games too, since that is chess orthodoxy and therefore shouldn't be questioned.
Alekhine's is awesome but Owen's is the best opening for Black.
Horrible advice? If you're just starting out chess you have no business worrying about openings. You should study tactics - learn about the pieces and how they move...coordinate. Then study the endgame and middlegame. The opening is literally the last thing you should be worried about if you're new to chess, because there is no way for you to appreciate why things are the way they are until you have a grasp of the nature of each piece in space. So yes, if you're new to chess meet 1.e4 with 1...e5 and worry about playing chess. Don't concern yourself with the opening.
Additionally, if I were sub-1000 rating (or even sub 1500), I don't think I would concern myself without giving out opening advice on a chess forum.
Jan 5, 2018
0
#18
ye. nimzodynov told once it should be named as king hunt defense rather alekhine defense. after that that game it used to be considered it is unplayable for black. otherwise it is the best defense for black hoping that your opponents do not know those lines . 
Jan 5, 2018
0
#19
Otherwise? Again I say, the Alekhine defense is theoretically sound. It doesn't matter if your opponent is a freaking international GM who has a PHD in facing the Alekhine as white. If you play correctly white's advantage is minimal. Period. It's a solid, sound, hypermodern opening. There's nothing bad about it. When GMs do employ it in high level, they generally score about the same as with 1...c5 (the sicilian).
rjbuffchix wrote
Alekhine's is awesome but Owen's is the best opening for Black.
Intriguing, and very interesting. I usually play 1...e5 or, if White starts with d4, I usually play 1...d5.
Owen's Defense fianchettos the bishop, but it copies the Nimzovich-Larsen Attack.
I would think that the best move for Black is 1..e5 or 1...Nf6, the Alekhine's Defense.
Alekhine's Defense is a defense by Black, which is the move 1...Nf6. This move attacks the e4 pawn, but, if White moves his pawn to e6, now Black's knight has been attacked, and now has to run around the board. The three main goals of the opening are:
But one of the other, secondary rules of the opening, is:
Alekhine's defense is an OK opening for Black, but I think much better for black would be 1...e5.