← Alekhine's Defense

Practice: Chase Variation (4.c5)

Chasing the knight further

White chases the knight back with c4-c5, gaining even more space. The knight is forced to d5 where White exchanges it off, reaching a simplified structure with a large space advantage.

1. e4 Nf6
2. e5 Nd5
3. c4 Nb6
4. c5 Nd5
5. Nc3 e6
6. Nxd5 exd5
7. d4 d6
♟

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Key strategic ideas

  • 1...Nf6 invites White to chase the knight with e5, gaining space but stretching the pawns thin.
  • Black's plan is to provoke White into pushing pawns, then strike back when the pawn chain becomes overstretched.
  • After White pushes e5, Black retreats the knight and waits for the right moment to break with ...d6 or ...c5.

Common mistakes & traps

  • The Four Pawns Attack (4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 d6 6.e5) looks scary for Black, but 6...Nf5 7.Be3 dxe5 8.fxe5 c5! gives Black excellent counterplay. White's centre starts to fall apart.
  • After 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6 5.exd6 exd6, the position is equal. Black's ...d5 break fixes the knight on b6 and challenges White's centre.

Pawn structure notes

White's stretched pawns (e5, d4, c4) against Black's solid d6 and e6. Black wants to prove that White's centre is a target. After Black plays ...d5, the pawn structure simplifies.

Tips

  • The Chase Variation is even more aggressive than the Four Pawns — White gains maximum space
  • After 6.Nxd5 exd5, White has a favourable structure with more central space
  • Black must undermine the centre with ...d6 as quickly as possible

About this line

This line is rated intermediate. Practice it repeatedly until you can play the entire sequence without thinking. The in-app trainer tracks your perfect streaks and celebrates milestones.