The Four Pawns Attack is a variation of the Alekhine Defense, catalogued as ECO B03. The line runs 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4, reaching the position shown below after 9 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4 and e5, and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at zero minor pieces each. It is Black to move after five moves.
On the Alekhine Defense generally: A provocative defense where Black invites White to advance pawns, then attacks the overextended center.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
See all 23 Alekhine Defense variations →
The Four Pawns Attack goes 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4. It is a variation of the Alekhine Defense and is catalogued as ECO B03.
The Four Pawns Attack is ECO B03. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Alekhine Defense.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 at +0.82 at depth 18, which is a small but real edge for White. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4 and e5, and one pawn capture is available, so the structure has not settled yet. Development is level at zero minor pieces each. It is Black to move.