The Trouble with Alekhine's
Sort:
[COMMENT DELETED]
There's little you can do to prevent your opponent from deviating, chess isn't a cooperative affair. If you don't like 2.Nc3 e5, there's always 2...d5 where black is doing well after 3.ed Nd or 3.e5 Nfd7 transposing into a French. Black could also try 3.e5 d4 or 3...Ne4.
The French requires a certain...temperament. One I've managed to successfully avoid thus far. I prefer to transpose into my deepest lines (don't we all) but I can't find a good continuation with my knight off-side in the Vienna. I can't get to the Frank-Drac.
I used to play the Alekhine and I was never really worried with the sidelines, especially not with 2. Nc3 (or even 2. d3) because this allows black to gain a completely equal game at move 2 after 2. ... d5. So this is rather a plus then a minus of playing the Alekhine. The real problems arise when people do play the "normal" Alekhine with for instance 2. e5, 3. d4 and Nf3. You need to know how to play these positions or otherwise you can leave for home early.
2....d5 That's the way I'm leaning. And my does your name sound familiar from ages ago. Another plus of 2.Nc3 or 2.d3 is that it cues me that my opponent doesn't know what he's doing book-wise.
With careful play I should able to at least equalize.
The "friggin Pirc" is friggin awesome. Ask Kasparov. And me. But mostly him. I stink.
I enjoy 2.Nc3 e5 because I feel like Black gets equal play in the center as opposed to 2.Nc3 d5 which can turn into other openings. Is there anything you don't like about 2...e5?
If you don't like the Frankenstien Dracula there are a few ways to avoid it.
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Bb3 Be7 is one way. You give the pawn back and get a normal game.
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Bc4 Nc6 is another way.
I always have problems with 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 c5 because it can lead to some French positions where White gets to attack and Black can only defend.
I play the Alekhine all the time, swapping with Caro-Kann depending on my mood. At higher levels, 2. e5 is much more common. I get it as a response probably 80% of the time.
