1. e4 / Nf6
2. e5 / Nd5
3. d4 / d6
4. Nf3 / Nc6
5. Bb5 / ---
My ChessBase Powerbook 2002 gives only one possible reply: 5. … / a6. In my game followed:
6. Bxc6 / bxc6 (following the Powerbook)
7. c4 / Nb6
8. Na3 / Bg4
9. h3 / Bh5
10. Qd3 / e6
I have two questions about this:
1. Instead of 5. - / a6 I used to play 6. - / Bd7 and felt quite comfortable with the ensuing game. But! If the CB database, which consists of 1,700,000 opening positions taken from 630,000 Master & GM games, only has the 5. - / a6 in stock, I tend to make myself believe that 5. - / Bd7 must be wrong somehow, but that I can’t understand ‘Why?’!
2. After move 6 I have doubled pawns on b7 and b6. After reading Jeremy Silman’s ‘Amateur’s Mind’ on Doubled Pawns, I still can’t make out whether they are a weakness or a strength.
Comments from stronger players, particularly those with a lot of opening knowledge in the Alekhine Defence, would be very, very welcome!
Thanks very much.
Jan
Originally posted by Jan Pot, Antwerpe (BelgiuHi Jan,I'm no strong player,but I'm an Alekhine player and there aren't too much of those around :-}
1. e4 / Nf6
2. e5 / Nd5
3. d4 / d6
4. Nf3 / Nc6
5. Bb5 / ---
My ChessBase Powerbook 2002 gives only one possible reply: 5. … / a6. In my game followed:
6. Bxc6 / bxc6 (following the Powerbook)
7. c4 / Nb6
8. Na3 / Bg4
9. h3 / Bh5
10. Qd3 / e6
I have two questions about this:
1. Instead of 5. - / a6 I used to play 6. ...[text shortened]... g knowledge in the Alekhine Defence, would be very, very welcome!
Thanks very much.
Jan
Your first question: 5.Bb5 is not considered white's strongest reply,5.c4 is supposed to be best.To my knowledge 5....,a6 is the only reply given in theory.You must keep in mind that the Alekhine isn't played at the highest level and is therefore not explored intensively.This explains why 5.Bb5 only has one reply in your database.All the masters play the 'strongest' line,so there are no high level games(or maybe only a few) to put in the base.This does not mean that your Bd7 isn't good.Who knows,you might be on to something!If you play an opening that theory considers to be dodgy,I would advise you not to rely on databases too much.If you can get a good game with Bd7,then play it untill someone refutes it.
Question 2:I'm not good enough to determine wether those doubled pawns are weak or strong.Personally,I think black is ok.But,instead of playing Bg4,which gives you the problem of white's pawn coming to e6,I would play e6 myself.Followed by Be7 and Bd7(or Bb7).That should give you a solid position.At least,that's what I think.I hope I at least gave you something to work with😀
Now,let's wait for a good player to show us what crap I've been telling you,heh😳
I checked a database I have and found a line with 5...,Bd7 6.0-0.It went like this: 6...,0-0 7.c4,Nb6 8.b3,a6 9.Bxc6,Bxc6 10.Bb2,Bg7,there it stops 😕
I also found 3 lines with 6.c4,Nb6:7.exd6,cxd6 8.0-0,a6 9.Bxc6,bxc6 10.b3,e6 11.
7.Nc3,Na5 8.Bxd7+,Qxd7 9.b3,0-0-0 10.0-0,f6
7.Qe2,e6 8.0-0,Be7 9.Nc3,0-0 10.Rd1,a6
So you see,your Bd7 is very playable.
Guess this helps you more than the rubbish I told you before,heh 😳🙄
