The Open Defense, Alekhine Variation is a variation of the Catalan Opening, catalogued as ECO E03. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2, reaching the position shown below after 13 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4. Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move after seven moves.
On the Catalan Opening generally: A sophisticated system combining Queen's Gambit ideas with a fianchettoed king's bishop.
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.
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The Open Defense, Alekhine Variation goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2. It is a variation of the Catalan Opening and is catalogued as ECO E03.
The Open Defense, Alekhine Variation is ECO E03. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Catalan Opening.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 a6 7. Qc2 at +0.35 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. 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. Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move.