Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...Nf6/2. Nc3/2...d5

Black attacks e4. Surely White cannot drop the pawn, so they have two main options. Both are relatively drawish.

After 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Nxd5 Qxd5, Black has a strong centralised queen and easy development, leaving equality or a slight advantage to Black.

After 3. e5 Nfd7 and White may defend their e5 pawn or trade it. 4. d4 and the position resembles the Steinitz French, except Black can delay playing e6 until after they have developed their bishop (4...c5 5. f4 cxd4 6. Nb5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Ndb8 8. Nbxd4 Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Nxf3 e6 ⩲). If exchanging the pawns instead, 4. Nxd5 Nxe5 comes with tempo on White's knight. If 3...d4 then a cascade of trades leads to a drawish position.

Unless, of course, White can drop the pawn.

3. d4? dxe4 is a transposition into the Blackmar-Diemer gambit. This is dubious but potentially trappy and may be playable a club-level, blitz or bullet weapon.

Other alternatives are 3. d3, 3. f3, or even 3. Bd3, but none of them give White any more than equality.

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5

Wikipedia has related information at Alekhine Defence.

• Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.