Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation
Chess opening · ECO B02 · 4 half-moves
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5
The Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation is reached after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5. It is White's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Alekhine Defense with 2. e5 Nd5.
How often it is played
The Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation and its variations appeared in 0.33% of games — 9,751 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 129 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 48%, 3.8% were drawn and Black won 48%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.70 — a clear edge for White. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation | 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 | 0.18% |
| King's Knight Opening | 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 | 15% |
| Sicilian Defense | 1. e4 c5 | 9.6% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Alekhine Defense: Two Pawns Attack | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. c4 | 0.08% |
| Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 | 0.06% |
| Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 | 0.04% |
| Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 | 0.04% |
| Alekhine Defense: Sämisch Attack | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. Nc3 | 0.02% |
| Alekhine Defense: Balogh Variation | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Bc4 | 0.01% |
| Alekhine Defense: O'Sullivan Gambit | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 b5 | 0.01% |
| Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation, Alekhine Gambit | 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. Be2 | 0.00% |
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