Alekhine's Defense - Concepts and Quick Theoretical Overview

[@talexanderlystad]

Yesssssssssss, 1 hour TonyRo video. I'd pay for this! I''m not gonna. Until we meet. That's a threat.

[@TonyRotella]

*Sleeps with one eye open in constant fear of the Norwegian Donation Fairy*

[@soakedbearrd]

Definitely one of the best Alek videos, from a player that has used it for years as his main reply to e4.

[@TonyRotella]

Thank you so much, glad you dig it!

[@44towns]

Fantastic video. Loved the analysis on the Four Pawns Attack.

[@TonyRotella]

Thanks!

[@rbt7444]

What almost always works in bullet games is this trick (as black): 1. e4 1...Nf6 2.e5 2...Nd5 3. d4 and NOW wait for 1.5/2 seconds and play 3... Ne3. Most people playing White premove c4 or Nf3 (as it would be the normal move after 3. d6), and lose their Queen on d1.

[@TonyRotella]

DIRTY! I inadvertently get the same cheap wins all the time in the Kalashnikov, as after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 people assume you're going to play 4...g6 or 4...Nf6 and premove 5.Nc3, only to lose the knight on d4 after 4...e5 5.Nc3?? Nxd4, etc. ;)

[@thomasandreasparpoulas9544]

Really, really good stuff here. I was interested in this opening today and practiced with a 2600 bot and got my first draw against it after watching your video halfway. The resrt is quite much to memorize so I will have to go at it again and again until I learn most of the Alekhine Defense lines.

[@TonyRotella]

Glad it was helpful, hope you find it useful as you delve deeper soon!

[@ScottTK]

Great stuff, Tony! As someone who has employed 2.Nc3 on more than one occasion without being a Vienna player, my only reasoning is that maybe I’m causing black to go “ugh, you’re one of those” and make them a little less excited about the game. Merry Christmas, dude!

[@TonyRotella]

So YOU'RE one of those too, Scott? 😁 I definitely do go "Ugh!", and so mission accomplished! Thanks for watching and Merry Christmas boss-man.

[@Blackmystix]

@@TonyRotella Isn't the Scandi variation good for an Alekhine player?

[@TonyRotella]

@@Blackmystix Do you mean 1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 or are you asking if Alekhine players would also like playing 1.e4 d5? 😁

[@thelazymanatee2506]

I love this. I play the Alekhines in blitz and rapid quite often, nice to have such a good overview of it! I face the 2.Nc3 line surprisingly often as well, seems like a significant amount of people don't want to play the Alekhines as white, which is odd to me. Have a good christmas weekend Tony! And a good new years too if you don't upload anything in between :D

[@TonyRotella]

Glad you liked, thanks as usual for watching. Hope you have a wonderful holiday! I'm going to try and get something out next week too!

[@love4thegame877]

He did it!!!! The legend. Thanks so much ❤️

[@TonyRotella]

You were a main driver of this video, here for you! Hope you dig!

[@DanielDugovic]

I think what I'm hearing is that if I play this opening, I'll find opening theory addictive and purchase hundreds of books.

[@TonyRotella]

If you play this video backwards you'll reveal pro-Alekhine's Defense subliminal messages.

[@tilburg013ful]

Really nice thanks!

[@bwgolem]

Your videos are always so good. Thanks for your great effort!

[@TonyRotella]

Thank you so much! Happy holidays! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@NihilSubSole]

Thanks Tony, always a pleasure to hear your insights! A few questions: can we hope for a brief Kalashnikov update (if you think it'd be useful)? What do you think about the recent chessable course on the Kalashnikov by King? And last one: would you still recommend 3...Nf6 against the Rossolimo? Thanks a ton!!!

[@TonyRotella]

I want to do one indeed, but I am sure how exactly I'm going to structure it or do it. There are a few things I missed which I'd like to somehow cover in the Anti-Sicilians section, and there are new options in the main lines I'd also like to talk about. I am still working my way through them and trying to understand what's really going on there, so don't expect anything super soon, but it's on the docket for sure. I haven't looked into King's course yet. It seems pretty cursory but at some point I will likely pick it up and do a review as a video.

[@1cathexis]

I subbed for this, thx!

[@TonyRotella]

Thank you Andrew, glad you dug it!

[@Fowzi__Al-somali]

For my case (lower rated) such opening is not recommended, I think, we need to play in the center and develop the peaces.

[@TonyRotella]

I generally agree, but if I had a student I wouldn't discourage them from playing Alekhine's every now and then as well if they were enthusiastic about studying it. Chess should be fun too, and doing what you like helps you study and improve more as well! You do need a strong foundation in the open games in my opinion though!

[@Policechess]

Alekhine defense is the best against e4

[@TonyRotella]

Preach!

[@mrengler1]

regarding the vienna. is there a way on lichess to see what moves white plays from that move order? the opening explorer looks at the position so it's weighted heavily by vienna players. i am curious what white usually plays at the amateur level from the alekhine move order.

[@TonyRotella]

Yeah, because of the way the opening explorer works it'd be tough. The only way I can really think of is to use the personal explorer for someone like me who only plays the Alekhine Defense and note 1...e5! :)

[@Neojimmy6]

hi tony this is party people

[@TonyRotella]

YOOOO JIMBO YOU MY BOY

[@Trexalekosdragoon]

You won’t believe the mountain of bodies I’ve caught with this

[@TonyRotella]

I think I would! :)

[@erfanmemari4379]

Greattttt !!

[@Schnebbler]

Nice video! Are you a Lichess employee?

[@TonyRotella]

Lichess has 1 full time employee and a few part timers, and I'm NOT one of them. I volunteer where I can on occasion and do my best to build awareness for the cause because I think it's an amazing resource.

[@love4thegame877]

By the way, have you been working out? You're looking fit and healthy!

[@TonyRotella]

Ha! If anything since becoming busier with KZbin I've been eating more and working out less! I'll take anything I can get however! :) Thanks!

[@danielkratz4529]

New chess videos from tony g make life better

[@TonyRotella]

Merry Christmas Daniel, thanks a TON for watching!

[@jackcorson3843]

It's pronounced al-YECH-in.

[@TonyRotella]

Yes it is. Unfortunately at this point that if you pronounced most of the chess players names correctly, no one would know who you're talking about. Thusly, I just go with what most of my viewers would accept as the standard.

[@piegirlie]

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