The Four Pawns Attack, Ilyin-Zhenevsky 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 dxe5 6. fxe5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. e6 fxe6 9. c5, reaching the position shown below after 17 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4. Black is ahead in development, with three minor pieces out to White's one, and Black is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move after nine moves. Black has doubled pawns on the e-file; Black’s e-file pawn is isolated; the f-file file is fully open.
On the Alekhine Defense generally: A provocative defense where Black invites White to advance pawns, then attacks the overextended center.
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The Four Pawns Attack, Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation goes 1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4 dxe5 6. fxe5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. e6 fxe6 9. c5. It is a variation of the Alekhine Defense and is catalogued as ECO B03.
The Four Pawns Attack, Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation 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 dxe5 6. fxe5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. e6 fxe6 9. c5 at -0.08 at depth 18, which is balanced. 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. Black is ahead in development, with three minor pieces out to White's one, and Black is up a pawn of material. It is Black to move. Black has doubled pawns on the e-file; Black’s e-file pawn is isolated; the f-file file is fully open.