Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation (B03)

The Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation 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 g6, reaching the position shown below after 10 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 White 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.

Related Alekhine Defense lines

• Exchange Variation, Karpov Variation
• Exchange Variation, Voronezh Variation
• Four Pawns Attack
• Four Pawns Attack, Cambridge Gambit
• Four Pawns Attack, Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation
• Four Pawns Attack, Korchnoi Variation
• Four Pawns Attack, Main Line
• Four Pawns Attack, Tartakower Variation
• Hunt Variation, Lasker Simul Gambit
• Hunt Variation, Matsukevich Gambit
• Hunt Variation, Mikenas Gambit
• Kmoch Variation

See all 23 Alekhine Defense variations →

Frequently asked questions

What are the moves of the Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation?

The Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation goes 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 g6. It is a variation of the Alekhine Defense and is catalogued as ECO B03.

What is the ECO code for the Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation?

The Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation is ECO B03. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Alekhine Defense.

Is the Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation good for Black?

Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 g6 at +0.87 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.

What kind of position does the Four Pawns Attack, Fianchetto Variation lead to?

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 White to move.